STeel testing

A

Angus McGunnigl

Joined
May 22, 2002
Messages
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I was given a large sawmill sawblade. It's about 28" diameter and 1/4 inch thick.

It's pretty old. I'd like to find out what it is.

Where does one get this tested ?

Any idea's ??
 
As many hear will tell you. You are better off knowing what you are working with to begin with.

I callled one place that was local and was told they would need to know what it is before they could test it. I was like if I knew I wouldn't need it tested. They said they have to set up for each type of metal to get a reading. At this point I was lost.
And they wanted 65.00 to test it IF I knew what it was?

I was confused and gave up. I don't think you will get an answer here about that. Sorry I couldn't help you. It was a waist of time for me and still never found out so good luck. John
 
If you happen to live near a college that has any type of engineering program, you could try there. They usually have the equipement to do that sort of testing, and you could sweet talk the professor in charge of that lab into helping you out. I know when I was a student, that one of the tests we had to take was identifying steels from a number of different tests.

Or, if you happen to know how old the blade is, or where it was made, and by what company, that could help a lot.
 
Take a small piece of it to your local Fastenal. It'll cost you $75 or so, but knowledge is priceless.

-d
 
First I would cut a strip and heat it to 1450 or so and quench in oil to see if it will harden at all,If it does then take to Fastenal.The body of the blade could be just mild steel.
Stan
 
Kelly Cupples (spelling?) did a piece for me and if I remember right, it wasn't more than $50 bucks or so. However I had over 1000 lbs. of this particular steel; turns out that its all 1084. You can find his name and address with the forum search feature.

In your case however, you can do a simple hardness test, (as mentioned above) then just cut it up in pie slices and do some really nice kitchen knives with it. I have one of these large circular saw blades myself and believe it to be L6 as many of them indeed were. Its not a hard steel to get to know....for free.

m
 
metaltest in oregon.... 25 bucks last time I used them, ask for Blaine
 
Is this the place?http://www.metaltest.com/services.html

This one is Anderson and Associates Services and Testing.
If not do you have a link?
I am almost done with my first knife and know it is good steel just not sure which one either D2 or 1086. Now I decided to finish mine because I can tell this has to be good steal. The friend that got it for me from his work said it was either D2 or 1086. It is some hard steel for sure. Working this blade with only a file has been some work for sure and almost done with the filling. I really need to know so when I send it out for HT I can tell them what type of steel it is for a fact.
Now I don't have a way to heat it up myself to test it that way. So left I am left with getting it tested by someone else. I thought about offering someone a nice big piece of it for them to make there own knife from and include a piece to test to see which it is. If someone could do this the steel is 1/4 thick 1 5/8 wide by 18 inches long. Test piece is 1 5/8 wide 1/4 thick by roughly 6 inches long.

I apologize Angus if this is cconsidered high jacking your thread that was not my intention. Anyone interested please let me know. John
P.S Will be posting some picks soon in a seperate thread when I am done filling the blade. Almost there but a little fine tuning before sanding.
 
johnggrg

D2 or 1086?????

That is like saying ,"I am not sure if the wood I have is ebony or pine?"
They are hugely different.
D2 is a high alloy semi-stainless steel, and 1086 is a low alloy carbon steel.
AFIK, 1086 isn't even made in sheet form.

What made you think those steel types?
 
The person that gave it to me said that. I have no freaking idea what it is. I do know it's really hard. Been taking forever to file the blade I made. After everything I have read about the two steels I said the same thing to him. He said it's the only two types that it couldd have been. He worked at a steel distributor. All tthe steel in that area of the shop should have been very high carbon steel or tool steal. At this point i am at a loss. But I do know it's some hard steel to file by hand. For me I can't send it out for testing and pay 65-75 dollars on testing do to being laid off. I am a single parent and can't waist the money on that even if I wanted to. So I thought with all the people here that heat treat there own maybe someone would want to try it on a test piece see which way works. If they get it to work heattreating like D2 then it must be D2. If not try it like the 1086 and if it works go with that. I figured throw in a large piece with the test piece so if they get it right they will have a big piece of it and know what it is. And as long as they tell me I will know and be able to send the blade I made out for HT. It was a thought I had. I figured if someone could get the test piece to temper then the mystery would be solved and the person tempering it would have a good long piece plus the test piece to use for themselves. And as long as they told me what it tempered like I would know what to have it tempered like(D2 or 1086) or what ever. Those were the only types he thought it could be being in that area of the shop which was very big. But I have no idea myself. All I know is I have messed around with plain steel before and this is far from plain steel. The free piece would be 1/4 inch thick by 1 5/8 wise by 18 inches long. Test piece is 6 inches long by 1 5/8 wide and 1/4 inch thick. John
 
metal test inc, 1800 200 1376

if you are certain that the steel you have is ether 1086 or D-2, you can slice off a piece of the test piece and heat it to non-magnetic (use a small piece like 1.5" by 1/4 by 1/4) with a propane torch. Quench immediately in some oil. D2 will not get very hard this way, 1086 will be glassy.
 
John,
The two choice listed make sense now.
The reason I was wondering is they are nothing alike. If it is a bear to file it may be D2 or just semi-hard carbon steel.
I now recall your earlier thread about this steel.

wnease has a good way of telling 1086 from D2 ( assuming those are actually the two real alloys). D2 is austenitized at 1800F or higher, and requires a long soak time. 1086 would need about 1450F and no soak at all. Using a magnet, heat the sample to the point where the magnet won't stick any more. Quench in oil ( motor or vegetable will be fine for this experiment). After it cools, try and bend it. If it snaps like glass, it is 1086. If it bends, or takes a lot of force to break it, it is D2. ( again, assuming the man who gave it to you was correct about those being the only two possibilities)



The good thing about these two choices, is it will not be tragic if the alloy is something slightly different than these two choices.D2 and most tool steels have similar HT parameters, as do the 10XX steels.

Another way to get the alloy type determined would be to take a sample to a scrap yard or machine shop with a PMI or XRF gun (call around and ask). I am sure they would do it for free. Since the alloy content of D2 would be high in chromium, and 1086 would have none, that would tell you a lot. They could test the knife you are filing, since it is non-destructive.
 
wnease and bladesmith thank you for the replies. Sounds like a good test I might be able to do. There is a scrap yard by my house. I should call them in the morning and ask if they have a PMI or XRF gun. I do appreciate the help. Thanks. John
 
Good info here guys. I'll do some home testing this weekend and go from there.

Everyone has been very helpful and I learn something each time I check the board.

Thanks again.
 
johnggrg, if you soak a piece of that steel in vinegar over night it will etch 1086 but shouldn't do much to D2.
 
69_knives thanks for the reply. That is something I can try right away thank you for the idea! At least I can elimanate or confirm 1086. I hope myself it is 1086. Only so I have to do the one test and be done with it as far as figuing out what it is. I am almost done with my knife and need to know what it is so I can send it out for HT. I will try that and see what happens. Now it should turn it dark right? If it were shiny when it went in. Thanks again. John
 
Yes it will turn dark and if you take it out and rinse it and leave it wet it should rust quite readily if it is 1086.
 
Well if it turns out it is not 1086 meaning it don't darken and rust it must be D2 then. I guess? John
 
Well, if the premise is that it is either one or the other then yes but if the material is an unknown then no.
 
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