Lapidary saw blade

[Steve Hayden]

I just cut out a blade from a 14" lapidary saw blade. As far as I can tell it is either L6 or 1050. I can't eem to get any specific info. It has a slight bluish-gray cast in daylight when sanded and buffed with a scotch brite belt. It is about 1/16" thick.

I cut a 3 1/2" slice off of one side and will have 10 1/4" OAL with a 5" blade. The edge is the original blade arc and I ground the edge bevel from the diamond insert band on the edge. I can always grind it off later. It took 2 80 grit cibitron (977)belts to get the bevel on it.

I'm not sure what I will call it-skinner or psuedo ulu?

Anyway it seems like a fun experiment. I am going to try hardening at 1500, oil quench and dry ice with triple 400F tempers and see what happens. It should at least make a vegetable slicer.

I got several saw blades for free.

 

[Bruce Bump]

It would be good to know if it is high carbon steel before going to the trouble of making a blade. To test if it is HC just heat to nonmagnetic and quench in water. Put one end in the vice and hit it with a hammer. If it breaks in half at least you know it is capable of making a blade. This test works for any junk yard (unknown) steel.

 

[Steve Hayden]

It is definitely hardenable, it is at least in the mid 50s HRC now. You can scratch it with a Nicholson file, but it doesn't drill well. This is a high grade lapidary blade. It seems pretty tough-it ate a couple of metal cut off wheels on the offset grinder when I was cutting it. Most sources I have found claim that the American versions are usually L6. I am not sure what the diamond matrix steel is on the edge, but it really eats ceramic belts and the diamonds were mostly worn off before I got it. It wouldn't cut rocks any more. It's just an experiment anyway. If the first one works well there are a lot more available for free.

It is very thin. I may try some chef's knives with it. I am not about to stop using D2 and S30V for my main steels.