Metal Recommendation For First Timer?

[scdub]

You can do every single part except heat treatment, and Peter's Heat Treat will do that part affordably and effectively.

Just wanted to note that, at least with 5160, but I believe with other “simple” steels as well, you can attain nearly the same edge performance using simple techniques and temperatures as with “professional” heat treatment (as opposed to steels that require high temperature tempering or specialized quenching).

For a 5150 blade, (after normalization), a 5 minute soak at critical temperature, inside a muffle, followed by a single quench in pre-warmed canola or similar oil, followed by a couple of tempering cycles in a toaster oven (cross-checked by an additional thermometer plumbed into the rear wall of the oven), will produce extremely robust blades that will take a great edge and hold up through heavy work. (In my experience). (Disclaimer: I do not own stock in 5160).

Edit to add: I’d also suggest starting with a good/known steel if you’re doing stock removal with files, etc., and not forging. If you have a good sketch and work slowly you should be able to get something you like within a couple of tries…

 

[NapalmCheese]

1075 or 1084 from New Jersey Steel Baron.