Mower blade knife ??

A

Angus McGunnigl

Joined
May 22, 2002
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Does anyone know what kind of steel a lawn mower blade is ? i'm gonna to start this on the cheap and this will be my first knife.

Will it harden at all ?

I have read the newbie info and think I have an idea of what I should do, but am wondering if I should spend a few dollars on known steel.
 
Probably a lot of different things, many/some of which may not harden. Best to spend a little money on a known steel with a heat treating recipe well known and in the sticky at the top of the forum. (Many will recommend 1084 or 1095. You can get a bar of high-carbon steel big enough to make plenty of knives for like 30 bucks shipped. You'll spend more in time, bandages, and tools than you will on steel, best to make your time worth it. Better to worry about messing up a little piece of good steel than to make a great first and it not amount to anything. :thumbup:
 
Robert_Phelps said:
Probably a lot of different things, many/some of which may not harden. Best to spend a little money on a known steel with a heat treating recipe well known and in the sticky at the top of the forum. (Many will recommend 1084 or 1095. You can get a bar of high-carbon steel big enough to make plenty of knives for like 30 bucks shipped. You'll spend more in time, bandages, and tools than you will on steel, best to make your time worth it. Better to worry about messing up a little piece of good steel than to make a great first and it not amount to anything. :thumbup:
Click to expand...


I agree 1000%!
 
I fully agree with buying a piece of steel that is a known quantity. It really won't be the most expensive part of the process.

They sell it here all the time, you can pick up a bar and have it shipped right to your house.
 
It is unlikely that any mower blade today will make a good knife.
This is a regular topic, and the majority advise is always.....but a known steel.
Stacy
 
Angus McGunnigl said:
Does anyone know what kind of steel a lawn mower blade is ? i'm gonna to start this on the cheap and this will be my first knife.

Will it harden at all ?

I have read the newbie info and think I have an idea of what I should do, but am wondering if I should spend a few dollars on known steel.
Click to expand...

When I was a kid this was all we had.. no one had money for nice steel. No one had nice ovens for heat treatment.. slow grinding whatever you had was what everyone did.

The lawnmower blade won't hold an edge.. it is made for toughness more than anything. But, it is super easy to work and grind down... but you can forget any edge holding capability. This why it has such a large angle I think.

I think for the effort.. and if you can't afford the steel.. visit a junkyard and get some leaf spring.. I think by far that is the cheapest way to get a decent piece of steel. Another is the welding shop .. dig in their garbage...full of all kinda of crap steel... old files and such.

I also crawled in a dumpster at a local big rig repair place..(was looking for mud flap rubber for my truck tool box).. and it was full of nice steel..

You may have to saw it down or grind a lot.. but . it is FREE!!
 
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