Oh the goodies!!!!!

B

bulldogsblades

Joined
Nov 18, 2003
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A family friend just dropped off a 5 gallon bucket of planer blades. They are ½” thick, 2 ½” wide and 1 ¾” long. They each have a ½” hole in the center. Looks like we will be burning some propane in the morn!

Dose anyone know what grade of steel these should be? They came off a computerized industrial planer.
 
They may also be M2 but at least you could check for rusting to see if it is D2. D2 will stain rather than rust , check with salt water or vinegar.
 
You may not be having as much fun as you think. Many planner blades are made of D-2 and if this is the case you will not be having any fun if you plan on forging them. D-2 has a very high red hardness. In other words when you heat them up and pound on them they don't move much. Good luck.
Tom
 
them up and pound on them they don't move much. Good luck
Tom is a better smith than I am because when I pound them they don't move at all. They are even worse when I grind them.

The only thing I've found to do with them is bend the ends to arms and make draw knives out of them.:grumpy:
 
Peter,
Not to confuse the subject but I don't do any forging only stock removal. Just passing on information I have been told.
Tom
 
Most of the planer blades I've seen are M2. If these are, you will not have much luck forging it.
With a good heat treat oven, it can take days to anneal even.
M2 can be worked at 1400+ degrees all day long without losing one point of hardness.:eek: :)

Good luck to you, in any case.:D
 
Thanks folks, I appreciate your input. I am going to give it a shot and I will let you know how it comes out.

Bulldog
 
Had a talk with my lumber friend - much of the planer blades are listed as " high speed steel " which doesn't tell you much and often from Taiwan, it's cheap in price and performance. The good stuff is usually M2.Give it a try.
 
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