Need help picking knife steel

U

USMC_ROCKO

Joined
Sep 19, 2011
Messages
39
I am on the fence between 5160 or 1084 , and was going to make knifes from files but I am going to try something that I know what type of steel it is. I have a homemade forge and it gets steel nice and red hot, what type of steel out of these two should I get. I mean I am going to order from Aldo soon so it would help to know whats good, for backyard forge .
 
In one of your other threads, did you read this?

It's still good advice, along with the other 4 that told you the same thing.

I betcha it's still good advice in this thread too.

bladsmth said:
The entire process is well explained in the stickies. I will link the one on HT:
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...etta-Stone-of-Metallurgy-Lots-of-HT-info-here

Read about Annealing , Normalizing, Hardening, and Tempering. If you still don't understand the difference between hardening and annealing ( softening) then post another question and we will see if we can walk you through it. This is another good reason to find a nearby maker, as seeing this done will make it all clear.

When I bring a new maker to my shop, I take a piece of thin 1095 , or an old file, and let him try to file on it for a minute. Then we anneal it. Now it files better, but will bend with firm hand pressure. Then we water quench it. If it doesn't break on its own, I have him try and bend it in his hands. It will break like glass. Then we temper what is left back to about Rockwell 58. It now files a bit hard, but won't break when you try and bend it. This usually gets the relationship between the three procedures clear.

The only steel I would suggest to a new maker is 1084. Without experience and equipment, any other steel will be harder to get a good knife out of. Files should be used to make knives with, not make knives out of.
Aldo's 1084 is great steel to start on.

Let me know what size knife you plan on making, and I will send you a piece of 1084 that size. If you wish, you can email me a sketch of the knife, and I will profile the cut out for you. No charge for any of this.
Click to expand...
 
Get the 1084, it is the better steel to begin with. 5160 can be quite spiteful if not done properly.
You can also get the 1084 in thinner stock which will make your work profiling the blade much easier. 1084 in a forge with a magnet to check critical temp and quench in canola oil. You will get a good hard blade, then temper at 400 for two 2 hour cycles letting the blade cool between tempers. Make sure to drill all your holes and sand the blade before heat treat.
Not perfect but will give you a good usable blade that will hold a good edge.
 
+1 for 1084. As a simple eutectoid steel, the curie point (non-magnetic) is much closer to the correct austenitizing temp than 5160 will be.
 
I like several different types of steel, and I'm not limited by whether or not they're difficult to HT properly. But if 1084 was the only steel I could possibly get, honestly that would be just fine. It makes excellent blades. :thumbup:
 
Rocko, I'm starting to think you are a troll. In your other thread you were told 1084 was the steel of choice. I offered you a free piece and free handle material. Now here you are, starting another thread, covering the same question as if it hasn't already been covered... as if I never made you the offer. Why would you do that?

- Greg
 
Coming from a fellow noob that's moved up from files - 1084.

Hit up Aldo and get to grinding/filing.

Good look.
 
I'm a long time woodworker, and have made plane blades and such, always using O-1 flat stock. I've also made some saws from 1095. I'm just getting into knives a bit. Can anyone tell me what the difference is between O-1 (the last batch was Starrett), and 1084?
 
O-1 is a medium alloy steel with approx. .90% carbon, .5% chromium, .5% tungsten, and 1% manganese.There is often about .3% nickle and sometimes .3% vanadium.

1084 is a simple carbon steel with .84% carbon and approx.75% manganese. Aldo adds a tad of vanadium to make the grain finer . 1084 is the eutectoid, and has the simplest HT of all steels.

O-1 has to be slowly pre-heated to 1200°F and then raised to 1450-1500°F, and held at temperature for 10 minutes to allow the alloys to go into solution. It is quenched in medium speed oil, canola or and commercial medium oil will do fine.
1084 needs to be equalized at 1450-1500°F and then quenched in fast oil. Canola or Parks #50 will work..
 
Info from the stickies:

"Lowest price- 1070, 1075, 1080, 1084
Easiest accuracy and time requirements in heating- 1070, 1075, 1080, 1084
Hardenability in any decent quenchant matched to is cooling needs- 1070, 1075, 1080, 1084
Easy to temper for excellent edge holding or high toughness- 1070, 1075, 1080, 1084
Easy to anneal by simple heating and cooling or full lamellar via insulative methods- 1070, 1075, 1080, 1084
Easy to grind, file, drill or forge-1070, 1075, 1080, 1084
Readily available most anywhere- 1070, 1075, 1080, 1084

So what may be some of the best steels for a beginner to start with, hmm let’s see… perhaps 1070, 1075, 1080, 1084."

So I vote for ...

- Paul Meske
 
darrin and greg It was c10darren you offered steel and handle material to not me man,and dont be calling a troll for no reason.
 
It was me who offered him the 1084.
I think he is just trying to figure out what his options are, and then make an order for a batch from Aldo..

My offer of a piece of 1084 still stands, Rocko.
 
What the heck, it's Christmas time... Do you plan on making a full-tang or hidden tang knife? I could send you a nice set of curly maple scales, or a block of same if you like, Rocko.
 
Rocko, take the help. You have several respected smiths/makers wanting to give you a leg up by providing materials and advice. Make this thread an inspiration to other beginning guys like myself and take the help. When you get further down the road, pay it forward. That's what someone did for me when I got into straight razors and that's what I'm going to do here in a few months. It's the way the community works.
 
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