Pre-made Blades Without Handles

J

jagdman

Joined
Sep 28, 2014
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7
Newbie here. I am looking for finished blades out of high quality steel. I would like something like the ATS-34. I know this is under the bladeSmith section, but I have been looking for a while without luck. I would like to start by making custom handles for fixed blade knifes. I have seen numerous knife kits, but they are always using 440 or similar steel. If I am going to invest a lot of time into making a decorative handle, so I want very good, hard steel. Does anyone know where to get blades that I can put a custom handle on?

thanks
 
You can ask any of the custom knife makers in the knife makers for sale area for the type of blades you are looking for, depending on how busy they are you can get some nice blades.
 
Don't sell 440C short. It was and still is an excellent knife steel. ATS34/154CM is a very similar steel to 440C, and the knives should perform nearly identically in use..

Here is a comparison graph I put together. The carbide formers of Cr and Mo have that are the same, and the rest of it is virtually the identical.
http://zknives.com/knives/steels/steelgraph.php?nm=154CM, 440C&hrn=1&gm=0

I added AUS6 and AUS8 to the graph:
http://zknives.com/knives/steels/steelgraph.php?nm=154CM, 440C, AUS6, AUS8&hrn=1&gm=0


knifekits.com, Jantz, Texas Knife Supply, and USA Knifemakers are all good suppliers of pre-made knife blades.
 
Don't sell 440C short. It was and still is an excellent knife steel. ATS34/154CM is a very similar steel to 440C, and the knives should perform nearly identically in use..

Here is a comparison graph I put together. The carbide formers of Cr and Mo have that are the same, and the rest of it is virtually the identical.
http://zknives.com/knives/steels/steelgraph.php?nm=154CM, 440C&hrn=1&gm=0

I added AUS6 and AUS8 to the graph:
http://zknives.com/knives/steels/steelgraph.php?nm=154CM, 440C, AUS6, AUS8&hrn=1&gm=0


knifekits.com, Jantz, Texas Knife Supply, and USA Knifemakers are all good suppliers of pre-made knife blades.
 
Knife kits are okay. Some of my early projects involved buying handmade excellent quality blades from very skilled knifemakers. Sure, you can buy kits and make okay knives. But there are some real standouts available, if you look beyond the big retailers. It helps if you connect with an artisan by way of a specialty store/site like the one I used.
 
I make custom blanks on occasion. Use the contact info. below to give me some idea of what you want and I may be able to fix you right up.
 
Thanks guys. I decided to go with the Cheyenne Bowie from USA Knifemaking. It is 440C. I wanted something at least 7" because I will be using it as a wild hog sticking knife. I caught a big boar this summer that knocked out my lead dog's canine. I am going to bond the tooth into the handle on one side and tusk into the handle on the other.
 
Another question for those who know more about this then me: I received the knives from USAKnifemaking a couple of weeks ago. I just got around to unboxing them and noticed the MADE IN CHINA sticker. I didn't think you could get 440C in China. Am I right or wrong?
 
jagdman said:
Another question for those who know more about this then me: I received the knives from USAKnifemaking a couple of weeks ago. I just got around to unboxing them and noticed the MADE IN CHINA sticker. I didn't think you could get 440C in China. Am I right or wrong?
Click to expand...

what led you to believe that 440c is unavailable in China?

made it is a made in USA knife that they stamped made in China? not! :-)
 
PT Doc said:
what led you to believe that 440c is unavailable in China?

made it is a made in USA knife that they stamped made in China? not! :-)
Click to expand...

I thought they typically used softer steel. No where on the packaging or blade does it say 440C. I didn't follow your second sentence. I assumed USA Knife meant USA steel.
 
OK, I'll try and help.

USA Knifemaker's supply is a USA company. They sell products from many places.
China is one of the largest steel producers in the world. Most USA steel products start out there. The USA has largely stopped producing steel ( at least in the way it used to).
440C is a good knife steel. Many ( probably most) knife blade suppliers have their blades make in China or Japan. That is not a reflection of quality. Most of these blades are well made and of good steel....and they are properly hardened.
 
OK, I'll try and help.

USA Knifemaker's supply is a USA company. They sell products from many places.
China is one of the largest steel producers in the world. Most USA steel products start out there. The USA has largely stopped producing steel ( at least in the way it used to).
440C is a good knife steel. Many ( probably most) knife blade suppliers have their blades make in China or Japan. That is not a reflection of quality. Most of these blades are well made and of good steel....and they are properly hardened.
 
Thanks Stacy. That clears things up. I just didn't want to invest time into soft steel. It is too bad we don't produce steel here anymore.
 
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