steel purchasing frustration

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knifemaking01

Joined
May 4, 2012
Messages
139
g'day everyone, come here seeking some assistance, i am having an absolute #### of a time getting 1084 steel, the places i have been contacting either:

A. dont have 1084 or they do but its 1/4" thick which is way to thick for my small starter knives
B. Wont ship to Australia
C. Wont ship unless a spend a large amount
D. Agree'd but now they arnt responding back

So im still trying to get 1084 steel (been waiting a while for steel baron to reply to an email), but What other steel can i look at working with that will be still suitable for an amateur knife maker, i was thinking either 01 or D2 possibly??? but i cant find info on heat treating so i dont know for sure

On another note, if there is any out there who might be even willing to help me out and sell me some 1084 steel i would reallllly appreciate it, or if anyone is putting in an order soon and be willing to purchase more then post to me and let me pay for it again that would be great :D....
 
I would call the baron. My emails seem to never reach, but by phone he almost always picks up.

Good luck!
 
The problem is that shipment to Aus is really expensive. In the last year or so I've shipped two packages to Aus. The cheapest one, containing only a toy car, cost $16.95 (flat rate global priority small box)... a similarly sized package shipped by surface means cost over $30. It's just insanely expensive to ship something like a bar of steel to Aus.
 
A large flat rate box to AU costs $60, IIRC, and it can weigh 20 pounds. If you contact Aldo, I bet he would cut bars the right length to fit the box, and ship 19 pounds of steel to you in one large flat rate box ( 19# steel plus the box=20# pounds).

For instance, a 1/8"X2"X48" bar of 1084 should weigh 3.4 pounds. That means that Aldo can ship five of those and easily make the weight limit. At $20/bar for the steel, that is $100 plus $60 shipping + $160 total. That works out to $8 per foot. Not all that bad.
Figure out what sizes you want and give him a call and tell him it was Stacy's idea. If he can''t help you, send me an email, I'll get it to you.
 
I shipped a ton, or so of W2 to Oz over the last few years. Like Stacy said, USPS Flat Rate is the way to go!
 
tryppyr said:
The problem is that shipment to Aus is really expensive. In the last year or so I've shipped two packages to Aus. The cheapest one, containing only a toy car, cost $16.95 (flat rate global priority small box)... a similarly sized package shipped by surface means cost over $30. It's just insanely expensive to ship something like a bar of steel to Aus.
Click to expand...

I am guessing it isn't a problem if customer is willing to pay shipping, why would the supplier care what it cost?
 
Two reasons I suppose; for a large operation, the added hassle of handling customs forms eats into profit. For a small op, the forms can be daunting, and you've got little recourse if a package gets losts once it arrives at the destination country where the parcel is usually untrackable and handled by a local postal service or carrier, or proof of arrival if the customer claims truly or falsely that it never arrived. Some countries have similar postal or courier services to ours, however very many do not.

It used to be a lot easier to ship to certain places when dhl was still operating domestically.

I still will ship internationally at the customer's risk however, anytime I can. Usually that means them covering the "actual" shipping cost, and that I have no responsibility for the package once it leaves the US. I've never had any probs shipping to Australia though, and have a few loyal patrons there.
 
Keith,

Sorry about the E-Mail. My son set it up off the web site and I just figured out how the damn thing works. (It's what happens when you go from swinging wrenches to pushing buttons.) I will have Lady Elizabeth work up the shipping to Australia in the morning. I'd say that Stacey is probably spot on, but we will make it official in the AM. We have the 1/8" in stock and it shouldn't be a problem.


Breath!,

Uncle Aldo
 
Ryan, that's what I do. This past NY show(in Jersey City, NJ!!) I had the opportunity to handle a folder that was made in Russia. The blade was made from S30-V. The neat thing about it was how that maker got the steel. I sold the steel to a Russian born knife maker living in Staten Island New York. We cut the material up to accommodate shipping and the makers needs.(To the MM.) The steel going to Russia is heavily taxed if you go over a certain value with the understanding that anything above this amount is likely going to a manufacturer. Companies are heavily taxed because Russia want Russians to use Russian steel. (Hear that Obama!).

The rush of the whole thing is that this steel traveled clear over to the other side of the planet after leaving my shop and I was the last guy to handle it before it left. Now it's back in my hand and it's a Ti scaled beauty of absolute impeccable workmanship. To me, it is simply amazing. Both the ability of our hands and the incredible community we are all a part of.

Enough Said
 
hahaha uncle Aldo thanks very much for getting incontact with me on here, (and thankyou for the major relief of worry) , i understand your tool to key pressing, im at the moment trying to teach my dad the wonderful world of what a computer can do, i think stacy has come up with the top idea i was only looking at first to order a small amount but at a flat rate of $60 shipping i can basically get enough steel to last me for quiet a while so if it confirms that it is $60 that will be great and i will look into exactly what i want (as it will make alot of knives so i wouldnt mind a few different sizes), is the best place to contact you here or via email???

THANKYOU THANKYOU THANKYOU again btw, thanks a million
 
Thanks,Aldo....you da man!

The sad thing is that a few years back, before transportation costs went up, an international flat rate box was $28 and could weigh 40#.
 
thanks for your help stacey and uncle aldo and everyone else, such a fantastic forum this is your all real top blokes

Aldo, is it fine if i take i day or two and just think a bit ahead on the knives i intend to make then come back at you with roughly what im after????? also what would be the best way to contact you?
 
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