Machete steel type?

K

KaosX

Joined
Jan 3, 2011
Messages
205
I was given an old machete that I was told was bought at Dicks/Dunhams (sporting goods stores) and it was a "spring steel" machete.

I've done as much googling as I can and wasnt able to find the actual steel type.

I'd like to use it for stock removal and make a couple of small fixed blades out of it with some leftover micarta/diamondwood as handles. Right now I'm trying to see if this is feasible due to needing to have it heat treated.

Thanks (in advance) for any help you may be able to give.
 
You'll need to know exactly the type of steel, I'd suggest looking for a brand name on the machete. If you are going to go to the effort of making and finishing knives, just buy the metal that you want. Or buy another inexpensive machete, and then you'll know what the steel is.
Maybe they just meant it was spring tempered, or it could be steel from truck springs like 5160.
 
every machete ive ever used that came from a department type store did not impress me with any kind of edge holding ability. they are mighty flexible. if your looking for useable steel to recycle and use i think id get a couple of leaf springs from a salvage yard. at least you would have a good idea what it is.
 
There have been, and will again be, times when I have more time than money and I might find myself considering using car/truck leaf springs to make a knife. I have read the horror stories of how a used leaf spring can have cracks and flaws leading to catastrophic blade failure weeks, months, or years down the road. Knowing that used leaf springs have such a potential would it be better to get springs from the lowest mileage vehicle possible?

LonePine
AKA Paul Meske, Wisconsin
 
well im not sure about how to pick a spring that i know doesnt have cracks in it. but i grew up next door to an auto salvage yard and have all the time i want to peruse the yard. i usually try to get springs from an american small pickup that the inside of the bed looks like it has not been used hard and the newer the vehicle the cleaner the springs are. and are usually not as thick as a full size truck. then i grind the edges pretty smooth and give them a good looking over underneath a good light. and mostly if they have even a small crack i can see it. i know that its no guarantee, but it does seem to work. then after i profile the blade i heat it to non-magnetic and quench it. and if i missed a crack it usually shows itself. i know that its alot of extra steps but every blade ive made from them havent caused me any trouble. of course after quenching and sanding to check for cracks then i have to anneal it to work it. and since i only use springs from american trucks i can get the info for what steel was used for that particular year and make of vechicle. im sure some of you more learned fellows can find a more accurate way. and i know its better to save the time and effort to just buy a piece so you know exactly what to expect,but i like re-using something headed to auto-heaven and make something that is verry useable,looks great and is worth more than than a few pennies from a metal scrap yard. and it does turn some heads when somebody learns i made it from a piece of scrap. its alot more fun to re-cycle that way then sorting out my garbbage into plastic,glass or paper. but i do think its important that you dont use it to make a blade or tool from a steel its not suited for just for the sake of finding a way to re-use a piece of scrap. you cant expect good results if its not suited for what you want it to do. anyway thats what i do, and the way i do it.
 
Willy M
BINGO - You're the gentleman with the answers!

Could you share some of the knowledge you've picked up regarding the composition of various leaf springs please? Is 5160 still used? Is there one composition more common than others? What are some of the various other steels used in US small truck springs?

And a follow-up to my first question, do you think it matters WHERE on the spring you take the steel? I.e., from the center section or the end portion? From a top spring or a bottom spring? How often do you find flaws when checking them?

For the record, I don't intend to stop buying known steel and use leaf springs. I use a lot of 1/8" stock, and am not a fan of gigundo Rambo blades unless it's a machete for cutting brush. However, It's nice to have an ace up the sleeve, to have the knowledge though I may never need it than to need the knowledge and not have it.

Thanks in advance Willy,

- LonePine
AKA Paul Meske, Wisconsin
 
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