Recommendation? LI, NY scrap yards?

Chris Lyons

Chris Lyons

Joined
Feb 22, 2017
Messages
89
So on a bunch of videos I have watched on YouTube, they recommend going down to the local scrapyard to find things of use. Some people even find vises, anvils etc..

I live on long island, in NY. I have called around to a bunch of places trying to find a scrapyard I can go to and find steel and steel things, not for knives but for other general blacksmithing stuff and making tools etc. I cant seem to find any place that you can "go picking".

Am I just in the wrong part of the country?

Is there anyone here who lives on LI or in NY that would know of a place such as this?

thanks in advance
 
With liability, even in middle of nowhere WI there are only one or two yards that will let a guy go pick and pull. Luckily I have a virtual scrapyard below my barn :)
 
They are in the bulk scrap business, so selling a single piece to someone is more trouble than it is worth.

A few laid back scrap yards have areas that you can browse in. In most cases, unless you know the owner, you will likely not get to rummage around. You can take a list of things you want and give it to the yard owner. He may come up with some right then, or keep the list for reference and call you when something comes in. If he feels like it, he will set aside those items for you.

Some things that you can list are:
anvils
vises
large drops of steel over 100 pounds
large and thick bars/plates of aluminum
large welding tanks (cut them in half for quench tanks and small forges)
large size pipe cutoffs in the 8" to 12" diameter range
FSO's ( Forge shaped objects that you can use as a forge shell. Give him a basic size you need and let him see what he has.)
QTSO's ( Quench tank shaped objects. These can be stainless steel syrup tanks, old tubs and metal containers, scrapped fire extinguishers ammo and rocket cans, etc.)
real wrought iron chain or old item made from WI.
any blacksmithing items.
sheet steel in good condition between 1/8" and 1" ( it is good for building stuff)
angle iron, square tube, channel, and pipe in the sizes you might want
stainless pipe and fittings for building burners and stuff.
hydraulic pump/tank/valves power-pack setups. These are often removed whole from industrial doors, gates, and equipment in perfect working order.
motors between 2 and 3HP ... especially 3Ph motors
Anything really cool he thinks you might like to buy. (I get offered airplane propellers, ship parts, conveyer belt systems, huge industrial grinders, etc.)
 
Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith said:
They are in the bulk scrap business, so selling a single piece to someone is more trouble than it is worth.

A few laid back scrap yards have areas that you can browse in. In most cases, unless you know the owner, you will likely not get to rummage around. You can take a list of things you want and give it to the yard owner. He may come up with some right then, or keep the list for reference and call you when something comes in. If he feels like it, he will set aside those items for you.

Some things that you can list are:
anvils
vises
large drops of steel over 100 pounds
large and thick bars/plates of aluminum
large welding tanks (cut them in half for quench tanks and small forges)
large size pipe cutoffs in the 8" to 12" diameter range
FSO's ( Forge shaped objects that you can use as a forge shell. Give him a basic size you need and let him see what he has.)
QTSO's ( Quench tank shaped objects. These can be stainless steel syrup tanks, old tubs and metal containers, scrapped fire extinguishers ammo and rocket cans, etc.)
real wrought iron chain or old item made from WI.
any blacksmithing items.
sheet steel in good condition between 1/8" and 1" ( it is good for building stuff)
angle iron, square tube, channel, and pipe in the sizes you might want
stainless pipe and fittings for building burners and stuff.
hydraulic pump/tank/valves power-pack setups. These are often removed whole from industrial doors, gates, and equipment in perfect working order.
motors between 2 and 3HP ... especially 3Ph motors
Anything really cool he thinks you might like to buy. (I get offered airplane propellers, ship parts, conveyer belt systems, huge industrial grinders, etc.)
Click to expand...

If they call, you get out there right away and buy something.
If you're a no show, or your picky, or too cheap don't expect a call back.
This is the time to start a relationship, find out what they like, cash, booze, cookies whatever.
 
DirtDiver61 said:
So on a bunch of videos I have watched on YouTube, they recommend going down to the local scrapyard to find things of use. Some people even find vises, anvils etc..

I live on long island, in NY. I have called around to a bunch of places trying to find a scrapyard I can go to and find steel and steel things, not for knives but for other general blacksmithing stuff and making tools etc. I cant seem to find any place that you can "go picking".

Am I just in the wrong part of the country?

Is there anyone here who lives on LI or in NY that would know of a place such as this?

thanks in advance
Click to expand...
im on Lawnguyland and besides Gershow recycling in medford, a small spot on denton ave in nassau and a scrapyard near the suffolk college campus in brentwood,, you could try hitting up mechanic shops and auto body garages , who just bring thier junk to those places anyway.
the garages and body shops get with regularity by scrappers trying to load a truck and get paid by weight.
i dont know about making knives for people to get your foot in the door ,, but a cup of coffee for a working stiff sure goes a long way.
however you must remember that even the fryalator oil is spoken for these days by the bio fuel companies ,, so if a big greasy "bubba" lookin guy shows up as you are rummaging the pile at a garagae ,,, be prepared to buy more coffee and donuts. --
best of luck
 
I meant making him one after you establish a raptor. Showing him what you can do using things from his scrap yard will get him excited about keeping an eye out for the things on your list. Bring some of your latest knives to show him your work when you visit ( try and go monthly) . You may even end up trading knives for scrap.
 
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