Question about old sharpening steels

[foxmd]

Just wondering if anyone has info about or has made blades using the old kitchen/knife sharpening steels? I see them everywhere from antique stores to flea markets etc. I have often wondered if these would make good blade material. Seems the older ones would have been made of the same blade steels as the knives of the day since they have to be harder than the blades.

I know the agument about knew steel vs old/recycled, no need to re-hash. Just think it would be cool to forge these readily available pieces into blades. Any thoughts?

 

[Danbo]

Same advice, as what is normally given for old files. Why use steel of an uncertain composition(although, I imagine most of the old ones would make a fine blade; probably being W2, W1 or 1095), when good quality steel of KNOWN composition is so easy to come by?

 

[Sparljo]

Wondered this myself a couple of times.

Good question even if it isnt answered I think.