Stainless Steel Bar - What For ?

A

agita

Joined
Dec 4, 2009
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So I was walking around my local metal scrap yard early this morning and I Picked up a Stainless Steel Bar about 46" long. 1" thick. I can see no markings on it, color either.

Payed 10$ for it weighs 12lbs.

A: Is there anything I can do to find out what kind of metal it is?

B: What should I do with it? (I don't have a press or Air Hammer)

I'll stick it in the forge But damascus is a bit much for me without my press back...:grumpy:. Happy to beat it flat and grind away.

Thanks in advance.
 
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LoL, no Magnetism means it is SS right?

It must be good for somthing.


If nothing else a pair of SS tongs would be nice.
 
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No magnetism means it's extremely unlikely to be any good for blades. It might be ok for guards or bolsters... but maybe not. Ah, the joys of mystery steel :rolleyes:
 
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Sorry for my ignorance. (seriously). But doesn't all SS lack magnetism?

I have seen and Handled Damascus steel that was made form SS. I picked it up thinking it would be good for making a blade.

Thanks for the replies. Learn me:).
 
I figure if the folks in Nepal can make quality Kuhkris (sp?) out of old truck leaf springs, and other folks can make nice, rustic knives out of railroad spikes, I see no reason you shouldn't hammer and grind away and see what you can come up with. Of course, I'm not a bladesmith, so what do I know???
 
agita said:
Sorry for my ignorance. (seriously). But doesn't all SS lack magnetism?
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Nope, CPM-154, 440C (excellent blade steels) as well as 400-series (works good for guards etc) stick to my magnet just fine. Heck even my rulers and cheapo butter knives are magnetic. But I wouldn't make knives out of them either.

A lot of "stainless" is barely even "steel" (low carbon etc.) It's meant for pipes and fittings that don't have to be hardenable, wear-resistant or even all that strong, they just have to resist corrosion. Think tubing that pumps acids or something like that. There's a reason your bar was less than $1/pound.

EDIT: post originally said 300-series is magnetic, that's not right, although it does make decent guards bolsters etc. My apologies.
 
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Medic1210 said:
I see no reason you shouldn't hammer and grind away and see what you can come up with.
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Because he's going to expend a lot of time, effort and fuel to get something I'll bet you dinner will be JUNK. Where's the Count when we need him? :D

If you want to experiment with stainless, buy some 440C flat stock. It's reasonably priced and can make a very good blade. I recommend the stock-removal method, my forging friends all say it moves slowwwww under the hammer.
 
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I would cut a small bit off and try to fashion a guard out of it.

I have done it out of steel, although nickle silver or brass is MUCH more easy to file to shape for the guards on stick tangs I do.

I would hold onto it, and not forge it, as one day you might figure out something to do with it.
 
A round bar cut diagonally will yield quite a few oval guards.

There are services where you can send a sample and know for sure what you're dealing with.
 
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Thanks, It was $.83 a pound because everything SS is $.83. While I was there I got a 4'x6' piece of SS sheet metal. Lots of stuff was marked. Just not thick enough to make anything usefull. The sheet was marked 20Ga T-304 with a sticker , it was apparantly used to stamp out a part of some sort and this was just the left over bit at the end. Thought it would make a nice tool box.

Just a Large scrap pile of SS and I picked out a tomato stake. lol

I'll keep it for a guard though it shines up nice.
 
300 series stainless steel is none magnetic and cant be heat treated I believe.Still very tough to work with in a soft state.No good for bades, but could be used for guards, bolsters and butts.400 series can be heat treated and is magnetic, 440c is optimal for knife making, although I doubt that bar is what you have if it is none magnetic.
 
Very good then, its settled.

Tongs it is.:D

Sorry for all the questions, I'll know better next time.
 
agita said:
...I got a 4'x6' piece of SS sheet metal...Thought it would make a nice tool box...

Just a Large scrap pile of SS and I picked out a tomato stake. lol

I'll keep it for a guard though it shines up nice.
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Makes sense to me :thumbup: That will make a boat-load of guards. Tongs eh? Let us know how it goes forging that stuff. SS toolbox sounds cool, do you have a brake? I made one out of galvanized in high school shop class, it was a fun project.
 
agita said:
Thanks, It was $.83 a pound because everything SS is $.83. While I was there I got a 4'x6' piece of SS sheet metal. Lots of stuff was marked. Just not thick enough to make anything usefull. The sheet was marked 20Ga T-304 with a sticker , it was apparantly used to stamp out a part of some sort and this was just the left over bit at the end. Thought it would make a nice tool box.

Just a Large scrap pile of SS and I picked out a tomato stake. lol

I'll keep it for a guard though it shines up nice.
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I'd have bought it too.
You could keep it to make forge latches, catches, hooks, toolbox wrench holder, HT oven blade rack, it will be burn up and rust more slowly especially in the high temp of an oven or forge

If you want SS for guards, or small tools, fixtures, 304 is difficult to work , gummy and miserable.

If you see 303, it will be easier to work for guards.
416 SS is the "standard" for guards


The best way I know to determine which stainless steels are blade steels is- to look at what steels the knife supply houses are selling

I suspect you won't see them in the scrap yard, they are just too specialized and expensive to overbuy and scrap out.
 
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12345678910 said:
416 SS is the "standard" for guards.
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Got a source? I can get 303 (not bad) all day long but I'm having trouble finding 416 (much better)in a useful size. :( I don't make a whole lot of guards but it would be nice to stock up on some.
 
416 is the standard because (at least for me) it seems easier to get 416 pin stock. If you use two different stainless types for guard and pin, you have a very real possibility of your pins not blending or staying blended. You can buy 416 from many of the major knife supply houses, including Jantz, TKS and Sheffield.

I would keep the bar for fittings and possibly one-off jigs/tools/etc. If you can get a scrap yard to hit it with a gun, you might be able to find matching pin stock.
 
james terrio said:
Got a source? I can get 303 (not bad) all day long but I'm having trouble finding 416 (much better)in a useful size. :( I don't make a whole lot of guards but it would be nice to stock up on some.
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I try to buy locally if i can




Not cheap for me because of the shipping but flat bar and pin stock both in 416
any of the knife suppliers
,

http://www.usaknifemaker.com/metals...5.html?zenid=7686e9be57d5d74194332f86762ae8e1

http://www.texasknife.com/vcom/adva...?search_in_description=1&keywords=416&x=0&y=0

http://www.trugrit.com/knife-steel-pin-stock.htm
 
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