Spring Steel Blades

C

ctec9

Joined
Oct 25, 2008
Messages
22
I would like to know how about spring steel knife blades, how do you guys like it, is it easy to work with? Is there any custom makers that us it?

I have seen many of the knives in the Philippines and in Thailand, and would like to know what you guys think about it. I have seen many machetes in the Philippines, supper choppers, bad ass razorblades. Most tell me they make them from leaf springs from old automobiles.

I saw a guy chop through bamboo and ratten with one, and didn't blink an eye.
Cut through it like it was butter.
Is it available in bar stock sheets flats etc.....?

Thanks:
 
There is not just one steel called "Spring Steel" it could be 1050, 1055, 1070, 1075, 1080, 1085, 1095, 5160, 52100, 15n20 and the list goes on and on. so really you need to decide what you want to do with the blade and pick a steel that has the qualities you want. we can help you in that area. I hate to say this because you never really know what something is just by what its used for. but a lot of times Leaf springs are made from 5160 but thats just a wiled shot in the dark. its because it use to be very common to make them from that steel but now an auto company will use what ever thy can find the works for them. O and when something is called spring steel it most of the times means that it is hardened a bit softer then you would want for a knife. One cool thing about steel is that it will flex the same amount if its hard or soft. the hardness of the steel does not affect its flex. what it does do is move its plastic deformation up or down depending on its hardness. meaning the harder a steel is the more you can bend it with out it staying bent. but if you get it to hard then it will break went bent to much. so there is a happy medium for springs and another for knives because a knife is not meant to be a spring. it can have some spring property's but you want mostly knife property's. sorry for rambling, I just though i would give you some very valuable information.
 
Last edited:
JTKnives makes allot of sound points for you there.

My contribution is not to mistake the material properties as the only important thing - it is also the mechanics offered by the mass of the knife, how its held in the hand, how much of a swing the user has etcetc. Its easy to use a really crappy material and create the impression its powerful.
 
nullack said:
JTKnives makes allot of sound points for you there.

My contribution is not to mistake the material properties as the only important thing - it is also the mechanics offered by the mass of the knife, how its held in the hand, how much of a swing the user has etcetc. Its easy to use a really crappy material and create the impression its powerful.
Click to expand...

hit the nail on the head, blade shape and geometry is key. you could use the best steel in the world (It does not exists :foot:) and if its made and ground crappy it will suck.
 
Its been touched on, but it should be highlighted that the modulus of elasticity for steel alloys is all the same. That is, they all have the same stiffness. No one steel is more "springy" than another.

Where it can be different, is the yield strength. That is, the amount of force it takes to plastically deform (permanently) the part. You want the steel to move elastically, that is, not permanently deform but rather come back to original shape once the load i removed. Ideally, a knife blade should have the highest yield strength possible....but that in itself is not the only desired property.
 
ctec9,

5160 and 1070/1075 are easy to work and are available in bar stock, and will make great, big chopping knives.

You should fill out your location info so we could maybe direct you to a supplier. Admiral Steel has both of those steels available in bar stock.
 
As has been pointed out, the blade shape and edge geometry are important to the performance of the knife. However, IMHO, the Heat Treat is of the utmost importance. You can take a piece of medium carbon steel ie 1050, and HT it perfectly and come out with a great knife. While someone can use a piece of uber technology superduper tool steel, do a crappy HT and have a crappy knife to show for it. This is why so many of us try to encourage new makers to use known steel. Now this is not to say that a good knife can't be made with found steel, it can and many do. Normally it takes a great deal of time and experimentation to come up with a correct HT. Now if the material is spectroed and you can get a starting point for developing a HT formula it will make life a great deal easier. SO if you have and old leaf spring and want to do some experimenting go for it. If it works great for you then all the better. Just be aware that not all found steel is Heat Treated the same and you may get mixed results from different sources.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top