Is this normal?

O

Omega Leather Works

Joined
Jun 13, 2007
Messages
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Stupid question.

Just got a bar of steel and it's a little bowed.

IMAG1957_zpsb10d3d45.jpg


I've never had steel show up bowed, but haven't bought a stick this long.

Is this expected? Should I try to straighten it before grinding?

Sorry, I know, stupid question.
 
Ifg it's precision ground I would call the seller up and ask if they want it back. If it's a piece of unground material I would remember that when I ordered again. Frank
 
Its pretty common. What I would do is cut the blanks you need size wise, then straighten each one. I had a 12"x48 " of 52100with almost a 2" rise or bow in it.
 
It's not precision ground. I wish there was that option. Mostly because I need all the help I can get being so inexperienced.

Okay, that answers that. Let me ask another question.

I bought this in a fairly poor size for what I needed it for. It's .156 x 1" 1084.

Now I'm trying to think of designs that fit these dimensions. I realize that there probably aren't many.

Maybe a tanto? A b&t?

Any other patterns that you can think of?

Next time I'll get 1/8" x1 1/2". They were very low on (in stock) options.

Also, what do they mean by "pickled"?
 
1" is pretty small, small neck knives or kiridashi style knives are probably your best bet. I worked with a guy who made a fixed blade sequel, that would probably fit.
 
Strigamort said:
That would suck! Pg or not, I couldn't have worked with that.
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I used to work in a fab shop, so I put it through the rollers and 20 sec later pretty close to dead flat. I am lucky I have access to this equiptment tho, I feel for those who don't.
 
Keep in mind, it may not have left the supplier like that. Shipping companies are not the most careful folks. I have ordered lengths of metals through the mail and had them arrive in horrendous shape...multiple times. I call to tell them how the pieces arrived, they apologize and send new pieces...which also arrive mangled. Eventually I had them send much shorter lengths which finally worked. But I also got a cheap 20 ton shop press from Harbor Freight. It is invaluable for straightening out bars of blade steels.
 
Hengelo_77 said:
1" wide makes handy users.
Or WW1 trench knives were even norrower
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You know... I just held one of my favorite knives (a b&t in d2) up to the stock and the profile fit exactly. I bet that knife started as similar stock. :)

I'm thinking a similar handle with a wharncliffe blade profile for a relatively easy first attempt.

Any math wizards want to tell me what a full flat grind to zero edge would net me in terms of geometry? I'd really love to know.

Also, no one knows what "pickled" means? As in, the bar comes annealed and pickled. I get annealed. Pickled? Not so much.
 
Its just a term used for I think an acid bath that removes the mill scale. It helps alot if you ever get steel that has not been there is a layer that is very tough to get thru.
 
quint said:
Its just a term used for I think an acid bath that removes the mill scale. It helps alot if you ever get steel that has not been there is a layer that is very tough to get thru.
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Ahhh okay. The only other steel I've bought was precision ground so I've never seen mill scale.

Thanks man!
 
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