I bought not ground steel

[work765]

i accidentally bought some non ground CPM 154... whats the best way to get it ready for making a knife? can i just hit it with 60 to 120 on the flat platen? how far of a grit should i take it to?

 

[Dr.O]

This is exactly what I do, and have had no issues. I may be way off base here, but I don't have a surface grinder...yet.

 

[carbonsteel928]

If it has scale, pickle it off with an overnight soak in vinegar and a good scrubbing after. Then you can grind down to clean steel or work it as usual and use that ugly scale and pitting to give the flats on your blade that "rustic," look. I just finished grinding a few EDC blades in CPM D2 @ 61 ish HRC and man did that suck. I wish I'd pre ground them prior to ht.

 

[jaymeister99]

+1 with vinegar. Soak it for a day or two. Then flatten it on the grinder. I used to grind them flat before doing any other work. IMO this is a waste of your belts. I suggest profiling then grinding your blades first, then flatten on the platen, you'll have much less surface area to grind.

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

I do as jay....profile the blade, soak in acid to remove the mill scale, and grind the blade flat on the flat platen. While I am flattening the blade, I add the distal taper at the same time. On thinner knives, I got from here to HT and grind the bevels after HT. On thicker knives, I add the basic bevels, then do HT.