Unknown steel

S

SkalTura

Joined
Apr 1, 2020
Messages
4
Hello,

I always see knife and swords being made with 1095, 5160, W2 and all other steel types.
However, here in the Netherlands we don't have this.
When I want to order steel, I have a few options:
1) Hardox 400 and 500
2) Cold pressed/rolled steel
3) Warm pressed/rolled steel

I've worked with both the cold and warm pressed steels, and there are good steels and hold and edge fine after hardening in oil.
But I would like to know how I can find out what sort of steel I have (for example from dumpster diving), or if I can make my own 1095 or 5160 steels at my home forge (propane).

Thank you for your comments.
 
SkalTura said:
Hello,

I always see knife and swords being made with 1095, 5160, W2 and all other steel types.
However, here in the Netherlands we don't have this.
When I want to order steel, I have a few options:
1) Hardox 400 and 500
2) Cold pressed/rolled steel
3) Warm pressed/rolled steel

I've worked with both the cold and warm pressed steels, and there are good steels and hold and edge fine after hardening in oil.
But I would like to know how I can find out what sort of steel I have (for example from dumpster diving), or if I can make my own 1095 or 5160 steels at my home forge (propane).

Thank you for your comments.
Click to expand...
You can do a spark test to determine if a steel is high carbon or not. That's about it, unless you have access to a metallurgical lab.
SQtpBJ5.jpg


To make your own steel, I'm pretty sure you would need more than a propane forge.
 
Hardox 400 is junk for a knife or sword - carbon is listed at 0.32%
the 500 is also junk - carbon listed at 0.3%

you'd be 10 times better off with 5160 or 1095 or 1080/1084 etc - they are broadly available
 
danbot said:
You can do a spark test to determine if a steel is high carbon or not. That's about it, unless you have access to a metallurgical lab.
SQtpBJ5.jpg


To make your own steel, I'm pretty sure you would need more than a propane forge.
Click to expand...

Thank you so much for this image.
Did a spark test with steel I'm currently using, and it looks a lot like the carbon tool steel image, so I guess it's pretty good steel for knives and swords.
 
5160 is car and truck springs. "Any" automotive recycling yard should be able to sell you a leaf spring from a pickup, van or medium/class 7 or heavy/class 8 truck or bus that has leaf springs.
Whether 5160 is suitable for your needs, I don't know.
 
SkalTura said:
Hello,

I always see knife and swords being made with 1095, 5160, W2 and all other steel types.
However, here in the Netherlands we don't have this.
When I want to order steel, I have a few options:
1) Hardox 400 and 500
2) Cold pressed/rolled steel
3) Warm pressed/rolled steel

I've worked with both the cold and warm pressed steels, and there are good steels and hold and edge fine after hardening in oil.
But I would like to know how I can find out what sort of steel I have (for example from dumpster diving), or if I can make my own 1095 or 5160 steels at my home forge (propane).

Thank you for your comments.
Click to expand...

In addition to a spark test to look for carbon, which may take a bit of practice to use with accuracy, you can check any nearby metal recycling yards to see if they have a mass spectrometer gun. If so, they'll likely be able to test samples for alloy content.

Before making any blades from suspicious steel, it's wise to make HT test pieces, then test for edge performance and break to inspect grain.
 
SkalTura said:
Hello,

I always see knife and swords being made with 1095, 5160, W2 and all other steel types.
However, here in the Netherlands we don't have this.
When I want to order steel, I have a few options:
1) Hardox 400 and 500
2) Cold pressed/rolled steel
3) Warm pressed/rolled steel
....
Click to expand...

We don't have this??? :p
I think you need to search for better dutch suppliers if yours don't offer better descriptions for their materials than cold or warm rolled... ;)

Smederij Atelier Alkmaar might be a good startingpoint for you , they have O1, A2, K390, M2, etc.
They also sell different stainless steels like N690, D2, S35VN and more. Also damast options and much much more.
Don't think I can link to supliers as the arn't supporters of the forums here.
Also in Germany there's some nice steels suppliers to get you what you want.

Hope this helps.
 
knoefz said:
We don't have this??? :p
I think you need to search for better dutch suppliers if yours don't offer better descriptions for their materials than cold or warm rolled... ;)

Smederij Atelier Alkmaar might be a good startingpoint for you , they have O1, A2, K390, M2, etc.
They also sell different stainless steels like N690, D2, S35VN and more. Also damast options and much much more.
Don't think I can link to supliers as the arn't supporters of the forums here.
Also in Germany there's some nice steels suppliers to get you what you want.

Hope this helps.
Click to expand...

I see your Dutch too ;-)
I went to "van Raak" which is a big ferro and non-ferro dealer in Tilburg where I live, and they couldn't (or wouldn't...) tell me what type of steel they were selling.
 
5160 should be readily available on scapyards.

And there is plenty of suppliers of other steels too.
 
SkalTura said:
I see your Dutch too ;-)
I went to "van Raak" which is a big ferro and non-ferro dealer in Tilburg where I live, and they couldn't (or wouldn't...) tell me what type of steel they were selling.
Click to expand...
Tell them that if you're going to be purchasing steel from them, you will need the 3.1 material certificate. :thumbsup:
 
Trust me, you are much better off steering clear of unknown steels. If you really insist on giving
it a try, do a spark test like Danbot said that way you will know if it has enough carbon to make a decent knife blade. If I lived in your region, I would be trying to find some Niolox steel to work with.
 
SkalTura said:
I see your Dutch too ;-)
I went to "van Raak" which is a big ferro and non-ferro dealer in Tilburg where I live, and they couldn't (or wouldn't...) tell me what type of steel they were selling.
Click to expand...
As a kid I brought scrapmetal to van Raak for some cash :) The smederij (forge) I mentioned in my previous post will get you everthing you need.
 
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