Power Hacksaw blade steel ?

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bill2455

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I've made a large a large knife from a 2 x 24 x 3/32 power hacksaw blade. It said bimetal blade on the body. I tried to do the work without overheating but turned the edge blue in a few spots so now I have to heat treat. Its a very large knife 13 1/2 blade and 19 overall. I'm worried it may warp or crack when heat treating and I have very little experience. Any advice or tips would very helpful. The blade has turned out very nice and I don't want to ruin it by making a mistake. Thanks in advance
 
The bi metal blades are no good. Only the teeth are a suitable steel, maybe an M series high speed steel, I don't know. Even if it was one steel, it would be tough to heat treat, requiring an accurate, high temperature. You would be best to get a know steel and save the trouble of having a soft knife. Still good practise, though.
 
Ask Dustin Hall about known steels :p

Edit: LOL!
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go mike, DustinHall
 
No info in your profile, so I don't exactly know how to advise you beyond saying that this issue should have been brought up before you started the blade. Bi-metal blades have two steels involved. The edge is a hard steel , and the rest is a tough steel. The knife you made will not harden, most likely.

At this point, there is not much that you can do. Get a piece of steel that you know what it is, and make a new blade. If you have any questions or doubts about the steel, post it here for suggestions or clarification.

Stacy
 
I'll add to what has already been said.

"heat treat" varies widely from steel to steel. The power hacksaw blades are a class of steel call "high speed steel". Their heat treat involves holding at 2,100 deg F (so hot it hurts your eyes to look at it) in an oxygen free environment for 1/2 hour or more before quenching (generally in molten salt).

I'm going to venture to guess this heat treat is likely beyond your current shop set up.

So, with that said, you can make a good fine use knife from a power hacksaw blade. But don't figure on doing much for the HT, and stick to the solid M2 blades for good results.
 
stress relieve, if the area turned blue was hard before it should still be hard (HSS), and the stress relief at ???400F??? should reduce the chances of failure

Other than that, yeah, what the other guys said.

I made some knives out of power hacksaw when I was starting out, still have one in my workshop for cold chisel use but she's murder on my hammers, chips the faces of the hammers!
 
Use Starrett RED STRIPE power hack saw blades. they are full M2 HSS. AND HARD! be prepared to go through a few belts :eek:

wnease said:
still have one in my workshop for cold chisel use but she's murder on my hammers, chips the faces of the hammers!
Click to expand...

You need to make a softer spine for it, Like Nathan said doubtful any of us (save for a few) have the proper equiptment for even that. so I recommend making a softer (RC upper 30's lower 40's) striking face for your cold chisel knife. I'd use some 4140 to to make it

Jason
 
thanks guys for the advice. next time I'll ask in advancebefore spending hours on a project. I'm just starting knife making and have a lot to learn. lots of good info here.
I guess I should fill in my profile !
 
Good attitude !:thumbup:

It is all a learning process. You have the advantage of many people to ask questions to, so don't be afraid to ask.

Looking forward to your next one.
Stacy
 
bill2455 said:
I've made a large a large knife from a 2 x 24 x 3/32 power hacksaw blade. It said bimetal blade on the body. I tried to do the work without overheating but turned the edge blue in a few spots so now I have to heat treat. Its a very large knife 13 1/2 blade and 19 overall. I'm worried it may warp or crack when heat treating and I have very little experience. Any advice or tips would very helpful. The blade has turned out very nice and I don't want to ruin it by making a mistake. Thanks in advance
Click to expand...

Hi,

Bimetal no good. Full hard OK. No need for HT. Come hard from factory. Very good steal.

Thanks
Frank
 
where on earth did you get a 3/16 inch hacksaw blade? oh I read it again its 3/32":o
 
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here just though I'd throw this up link

$20 not bad if you dont have heat treating facilities and just want to make a few knives.
I think its .1" thick b/c all the other 24"x2" iv seen are .1" thick. I wish it was a little more descriptive
 
I've probably made 100 or so "knives" from hacksaw blades.

Only thing available in the Nigerian Jungle.
I had a pedestal grinder, and cases of the Starrett red stripes.
They do remarkably well for what they are.

There are a LOT of tribal fishermen in the Niger Delta using these things.
 
I've started in on my stock of power hacksaw blades after bringing the end of one to what I judged to be on the high side of critical, paused for a short soak and oil hardened at room temp. then tested to destruction over the edge of the anvil. The stuff broke off with a fine granular texture, appearing like a short and fine grey velvet. Whatever the backing alloy is, it IS hardenable with conventional hobby forge type equipment. It's the TEETH and a narrow strip behind them that are HSS. Anybody got any idea what the backs are made of? I'm not finding any info.
 
DJ66FTW said:
I've started in on my stock of power hacksaw blades after bringing the end of one to what I judged to be on the high side of critical, paused for a short soak and oil hardened at room temp. then tested to destruction over the edge of the anvil. The stuff broke off with a fine granular texture, appearing like a short and fine grey velvet. Whatever the backing alloy is, it IS hardenable with conventional hobby forge type equipment. It's the TEETH and a narrow strip behind them that are HSS. Anybody got any idea what the backs are made of? I'm not finding any info.
Click to expand...
Of course that it is hardenable steel .It is some kind of spring steel as I remember .I think that I read about which steel is here....
https://www.wittmann-komet.de/DL/PREIS_EN/KOMET_price_list.pdf
PS .Now we are in trouble .......this is nine year old thread .Mods for some reason don t like them back in life .
 
This is a ten year old thread. I am closing it. Start a new thread if you still have questions.
 
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