Totally new, just looking for material/help

J

jackslap

Joined
Sep 8, 2007
Messages
7
Hey everyone. My brother and I have been totally inspired by some things we've seen online recently and we are interested in trying to make some of our own knives. NOT TO SELL, just to get ourselves in a cool hobby together.

I have found TONS of sites (including this one) with lots of informative tips, instructions, videos...

What I can't seem to find, is a one stop shop for steel. Based on what I have learned so far it seems that I would be getting started by "stock removal" since I don't have the main blacksmithing materials needed to hammer out my own flats.

There are tons of websites out there that come up when googling terms like "flat stock steel" or "5160 flat bar stock"...(many other similar ones I have tried).

The problem is, the sites are confusing, have no pictures or no specific information other than "we sell it", no measurements (some sites have them), and they seem to cater specifically to big businesses or oil drilling companies.

Where does the small time, first time knife maker grab a peice of 12 inch long 5160 steel to try and grind out a blade? Is there such a thing. Is that even the right first step? Should I look at some different material? I've read some posts here and other places about scrounging for materials in scrap metal yards, mechanic shops...but I see that those choices are sometimes a gamble because the metal can be damaged internally.

I don't mind paying a few bucks for a piece of steel if it will save me a bunch of time driving around digging through bins. Gas is damn near as expensive as the steel these days anyway, so I'd just rather get something new.

I apologize if this is covered elsewhere, but I checked the stickies and first few pages of posts and didn't see this specifically addressed. I'm so tired of trying to find this stuff.

In the future, I'd also like to get some stuff for making machete sized blades, maybe a peice of steel 24 inches long and a few inches wide. Is that possible to come up with too?
 
Most knife supply houses (Jantz, Texas Knife Makers, etc) carry steel stock and list the dimensions.

For 5160, I just got a price sheet from Kelly Cupples and he has some, with no minimum order. Biggest catch there is 1/4" is the thinnest stock you're likely to find. That can be a lot of steel to grind down. For a beginner I'd suggest perhaps 1/8" to start with stock removal. Of course that depends on blade design. 1080 is very beginner friendly.

Shoot him an email, octihunter@charter.net and he'll send you a price sheet. The prices are very reasonable and he's a great guy to deal with.

Walter
 
BAM! I knew you guys would steer me right! HA! Just what I was looking for on both the Texas Knife Makers site, and the Jantz site.

That Jantz catalog is great, pictures measurements...perfect.

New question now. You say that 1080 is beginner friendly, but what compromises does that make me take as opposed to the 5160 I keep reading about?

Also, I don't see that either Jantz or TKM lists specifically 5160, is there another name for it, or am I just mis-reading the catalogs?

Would it be best to start off with one of those pre-shaped "blanks" and just put an edge on it with some handles for my first outing?
 
I started out with just those blanks. They will already have an edge on them. It only took a couple of months before I had the itch to make my own.

My understanding of 5160 vs 1080. 1080 is a very simple alloy, iron and carbon. It is very easy to heat treat. Bring it to just above non-magnetic and quench it in a fast oil. 5160 is a little more complex, and you will need to soak it at temperature a little longer to allow those alloys to disperse evenly. I'm sure one of the resident gurus will be able to explain it in more depth than I can. Either one will make a very good knife. 5160 will have a slight edge in toughness.

To my knowledge, neither Jantz nor TKMS carry 5160. I don't know of another name for it either.

Walter
 
Welcome to the bladeforums.

There is a lot of good info at the top of the page in the stickies.

Simply put -1080 is the simplest steel to HT.The sticky on eutectiod steel will explain this at length.
There is no trade off in blade quality between 1080 and 5160. The edge may be a tad sharper on a 1080 blade, the 5160 blade may be a tad tougher. You would be hard pressed to tell the finished knives apart.

Fill out your profile, as it will help us know you better, and might result in an offer to come visit a local makers shop. This often results in things like free steel to make your first knife, handle material, help, and access to grinding and HT equipment. There is a lot smoother learning curve with knowledgeable help and instruction.

Stacy
 
Man you guys are full of information, awesome. I have filled out my profile, to the best of my knowledge anyway. I look forward to doing some more reading in these forums.

It's always best to talk to the folks who do it, no matter what. That is how I got enough knowledge to build my own AR-15. Just asking around and reading in community forums.

So 1080 is the way to go to start. Now, for making those machete blades (in the distant future) is there a recommended blade width? It's got to be wider than 1 3/4 inch right? I was thinking something along the lines of 3-4 inches wide, but I don't see that any shops offer anything that wide.
 
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