practice on re-bar

[legato1]

I know it has very little carbon, but my steel choices are... nonexistent for now so ive been practicing on rebar. i have an abundance of it because my dad is a contractor and it keeps me entertained until i order some 1084 from Aldo. tell me what yall think, this is my 4th forged blade. by the way i know the grind looks a little wavy but i plan on draw filing it in the morning to get it straight and even. thanks guys

 

[legato1]

Heres another one, i made two today, the grind is better on this one because i draw filed the blade flatter and invested a little more time so it needed less work after heat treat. i heat treated them with water quench at non magnetic and 30 minutes at 450 in toaster oven.

 

[Nathan the Machinist]

Time to stop practicing and get some carbon steel. Some 1084 isn't going to break the bank, and it will be more fun once you start cutting with your creations and marveling how they hold a better edge than any store bought 440a type of knife you're ever used. Remember, real steel is a lot stronger than the walmart junk, so you can go quite a bit thinner at the edge for exceptional cutting performance compared to most store bought knifes. Try it

 

[legato1]

yeah, i dont have a job, so ive been collecting scrap aluminum from brush collection piles and my dads work site dumpsters. I have enough to go sell it today and make enough for what i need. im excited. then i just gotta wait for it to ship and il be in it for real.

 

[B Finnigan]

You can do a heat treat test on that rebar. All the rebar I have tested hardens.

The structural rebar is alloyed.
0.44-0.52 wt. % C, 1.1-1.6 wt. % Mn, 0.15-0.35 wt. % Si, a maximum of 0.04 wt. % P, a maximum of 0.05 wt. % S, a maximum of 0.45 wt. % Cu and 0.06-0.09 wt. % V.

You won't get a high performance blade but it would be good heat treating practice. I still have a knife I forged 13 yrs ago from some 1/2" rebar that still has a good edge. It is used every week cutting open hay bales and slicing feed bags open.

 

[Raymond Richard]

Here's one out of 60 grade rebar done about 12 years ago: http://bladegallery.com/shopexd.asp?id=3092 Back then I would forge the rebar pretty much flat and then I would grind the hidden knife out of it. I made a bunch of knives out of it back then and still make a few every now and then. Infact I just forge one out of rebar Friday for more practice. Never had a complaint that they wouldn't hold an edge. Did have a few complaints about them rusting but I'm pretty sure the cause of that was from the cheap ass leather I bought at a flea market.

 

[DAMNENG]

Here is but one of many sites on the web where you can cross the rebar markings to a steel type. You can then look up the type of steel to get its composition. Many of the rebar grades have plenty carbon which should make fine cutting knives, if properly forged and heat treated. Like Raymond says, they may rust like mad!

Jim Arbuckle
ABS JS

http://www.mesteel.com/cgi-bin/w3-m...roducts/cs/reinforcingbar/usa_rebar_sizes.htm

 

[legato1]

cool, thanks guys. i thought it was gonna be too soft to hold an edge and for some reason i thought it would fall into what people call " mild steel" im still not sure of this terms meaning, im guessing it has to little carbon and will not harden, am i right?

 

[Tinbasher]

I have not used it for a knife yet but I have made a few chisels and pry bars out of it ,I only use the one with the seams down the side.
Richard

 

[B Finnigan]

Test a slice of it.

 

[legato1]

it turned grey when i hardened it and i was able to get it to snap clean and the grain looked pretty good.