is hss any good for knives?

[Zombz]

hi im new here and to knife making. i recently got my hands on some HSS saw blades that are pretty hefty and was hoping to use them for some knives. i want to make a small set of wood carving knives as well as a couple belt knives.

can anyone let me know if this HSS is suitable for either of these applications? is this stuff to brittle for knives? i know its a total pain to anneal.

 

[Whoever Wherever]

Deppends on the steel. Most saw blades will make a blade but the trick is knowing what steel it is. If you dont know the steel you can grind them down slowly so as not to change the heat treat and be done. If you want to aneal and work them (easier on your tools) you would need steel type to reheat treat.

 

[Phillip Patton]

hi im new here and to knife making. i recently got my hands on some HSS saw blades that are pretty hefty and was hoping to use them for some knives. i want to make a small set of wood carving knives as well as a couple belt knives.

can anyone let me know if this HSS is suitable for either of these applications? is this stuff to brittle for knives? i know its a total pain to anneal.

Heat treat, not steel, determines brittleness. Do you know what steel you have? It might be worth your while to have a sample tested (which can be done for free), then you'll know how best to treat it. High speed steels is an area I'm very interested in, and I'd be glad to help you any way I can.
Maybe even heat treating it for you, if you're interested.