Tiller Blades - Good or Bad Metal for knives?

[J.McDonald Knives]

my uncle tossed me a box of tiller blades and he heard that they were a good metal for knives. any truth to this? what kind of steel is it?

 

[GibsonFan]

What kind of tiller was it?

 

[Will52100]

Only real way to know is heat a piece to non magnetic, quench in water and then see if it'll break like glass. If it breaks like glass and has a fine grain and you can temper it back it'll make a good knife. I would guess that they are probably a 10 series steel, maybe 5160, but more likely 1060-70. They would be alright for practice, and for figureing out how to heat treat, but I'd suggest new steel of a know value, save time and money trying to figure out what you have. But playing with scrap is fun.

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

Jacob,
As I have said before,look at what it was made to do.
If your knife will be used to dig in the soil, hit rocks, bend but not break,and wear down by soil abrasion, then - yes it will make a knife.
If you want a hard,sharp,durable knife - use a knife steel.
For what it is worth, the steel in a tiller blade will most likely make a knife.The thing is you don't know what kind of steel it is????
Stacy

 

[J.McDonald Knives]

alright thanks. i figured that it might not work well for a knife since its unknown steel. i already decided last night that i was gonna take the tiller blades and throw them in the scrap metal bin that mom is taking to the scrap yard.