Straightening old mower blade.

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Matches

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Jul 14, 2000
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I have a used "high-lift" mower blade I'd like to make two knives out of. What is the best way to get the bend out of the blade to make it straight?
 
Thanks c.m.,wasn't sure if it would straighten it or flatten it by hammering:confused:
 
I know this is beside the point and you don't need to hear this but I'd like to say how much I hate using old mower blades for knives. It takes freakin' forever to forge one down to knife size and then, you're still just guessing about the composition and integrity of the steel. Grrrr. I've got a pile full of Jeep leaf springs too but I can't figure out a decent way to manipulate them. They're heavy and wide and barely fit in the forge and are sooooo much bigger than any knife you'll ever make that it's more work than it's worth to reduce 'em.

*Rant mode off*
 
Originally posted by Disco Stu
I know this is beside the point and you don't need to hear this but I'd like to say how much I hate using old mower blades for knives. It takes freakin' forever to forge one down to knife size and then, you're still just guessing about the composition and integrity of the steel. Grrrr. I've got a pile full of Jeep leaf springs too but I can't figure out a decent way to manipulate them. They're heavy and wide and barely fit in the forge and are sooooo much bigger than any knife you'll ever make that it's more work than it's worth to reduce 'em.

*Rant mode off*
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Bingo! I think its great to make a knife out of this or that as a NOVELTY however I have found that if I want consistent results then I will buy steel and know what it actually is. I've been accused of snobery in this subject but I have enough trouble keeping everything straight and even, I don't need any extra flies in the ointment. This is just the way I do it. Doesn't make it right or wrong, its just the way I do it.

Craig
 
Originally posted by C L Wilkins
Bingo! I've been accused of snobery in this subject but I have enough trouble keeping everything straight and even, I don't need any extra flies in the ointment. This is just the way I do it. Doesn't make it right or wrong, its just the way I do it.

Craig
Click to expand...


I don't think it's snobbery, just common sense, and a desire to make the best knife you can, time after time. :D

I'm not a fan of mystery metal either. Good(known type) tool steel is very inexpensive. :)
 
By all means use the mower blade. Hell, I just finished a scaled down mini-hunter made from an old file. I'm not sure the heat treat was perfect for the steel but it's mostly for novelty anyway.

The biggest reason for not using junk yard finds is money. If you're trying to make a living off of knifemaking (as I have considered many, many times) it is far more economical to buy steel. In a business like this, time is money and if you waste all your time forging/grinding down "free" steel you'll go hungry.
 
I haven't even made a knife yet but I was wondering if you don't know what kind of steel you are using, is there a generic, default way of heat treating leaf springs?
 
Mattd
Heat it till its not magnetic, quench in oil heated to around 110 deg F, then tempering takes a little experimenting. Probably start at 350 deg F for 2 hours, do brass rod test (good threads if you search), you can adjust the heat you use from there.

Off topic, read your sig line. Do you have horses? I show reining horses, and that quote fits perfectly. See a couple good crashes every year in the warm up pen ;)
 
Heat it till it's hot, quench it till it's cold.

Seriously though, all simple carbon steels will pretty much heat treat the same. Generally. Find directions for heat treating O1 and the same can be used with varying degrees of success for most low-alloy steel. Leaf springs are often simple, carbon steels so you should be able to get a decent working heat treat even if you don't know the exact composition.

Think of it this way: People used bronze blades for many, many years; even if your heat treat is bad, it'll keep an edge better than that.
 
Thanks fellas! I hang out with many old swiss coyboys here in California. I was a ranch hand for a long time (9 years, I'm 26)and still am on the weekends but now I have a computer job, can't you tell. Ha Ha. Anyways, the old timers explained to me that if you get scared on a horse and try to slow down and get off it will ruin your horse and you will come out lesser of a man. They said it is the same way in life, "when you get in a bad place, kick like hell and ride through it."
 
:D
Yep, it fits alot of stuff. Try to stop a buckin horse and it will flip over backwards and sqaush you, make him run flat out he can't buck no more :) My horses try to make a fool out of me so I've learned all those lessons well.
With the reining horses, you say whoa you come to a sliding stop. In a crowded pen, you get run over by the guy behind you:eek: Only took once for me to learn, now I sit back and enjoy watching everyone else learn their lesson ;)
 
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