What Kind Of Carbon Steel Are Crowbars Made From??? and Other Metal Questions

bladsmth said:
The answer to your question can be read in hundreds of posts, found by a search, that basically all say......NO, you can't tell what something is made from.
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Sure you can. For the low low price of $20,000 you can get one of these:

http://www.oxford-instruments.com/products/analysers/handheld-xrf-analyser-x-met7000-series

Serious scrap yards may have them for use during their sorting operations but convincing them to let you use it may take some doing.

-Sandow
 
I work with a few firms that forge them, usually En8'ish... (1040).

Old files are much better stock nine times out of ten, and a more pleasing starting shape to hand forge a knife from !
 
When it comes to "found" or "scavenged"etc...materials,the last place it makes any sense to "scrounge" is the actual blade metal itself .This is where you dont want to mess up .Go ahead and Scrounge"up some funky handle material or invent some cool fasteners and play around with some alternative adhesives ,etc , but dont mess around on the steel .Steel is cheap.Your time isnt.
 
You asked for advice and you got it, from professionals no less. Do yourself a favor and stop worrying about scrounging steel. Save that time and money for making knives. No matter what steel you scrounge up cheap or even free it is still mystery steel and heat treating mystery steel is a toss up. You are much better off buying a known steel from a reputable supplier. It will save you $$$, time, & aggravation in the long run. Steel is the cheapest part of a knife. You can make an averge sized knife out of $3-$5 worth of steel and you will have a blade that you KNOW how to properly heat treat. I'll say it one more time, BUY SOME KNOWN STEEL FROM A REPUTABLE SUPPLIER. You can get a 1/4" x 1.25" x 48" bar of 1084 from Aldo for $24 + shipping. That is enough for at least 6 average sized knives probably more if you forge. Thats $4 per blade + shipping. Buy as much as you can afford to spread the shipping cost out. It doesn't get much cheaper than that and you have the benefit of KNOWING what the steel type is.
Now before some of you guys jump me, I'm not saying you can't make a good knife from salvaged steel. I am saying that unless you have a large amount of the same type/grade and have the inclination to learn the proper heat treat it is EASIER to buy known steel.
Whatever you decide to use have fun and let me know if I can ever help you with anything.
 
lol. ok. i got it! lol. buy known steel. money is very tight for me right now so trying to find alternitive sources. but i do get what you are all saying. can't agree with you more about knowing what you got.

and yes i will fill out my profile for those of you that have been asking.

NOW, someone just gave me some leaf springs form an older 85 chevy C-20. now i know not all leaf springs are 5160, but from what i understand most leaf springs are. am i correct in that? figured i can't go wrong with the price... and if its not good knife stock at least i can use it to hone my skills more before i invest in good metal and possible mess it up. and with that in mind is there an easier way of straightening leaf springs without having to hammer them? i'd like to avoid grinding out hammer marks if i can help it.
 
Zombie,
Thanks for filling out your profile. While I am not in CA, It tells others around you where you are. It also tells me you are not a 16 year old killing his summer downtime. I also see why funds are tight.

Send me an email and I'll send you some 1084, and some handle material.
 
the ones I have used for forging blades are made of something that WONT HARDEN no matter WTF you try.... ask me how I know.
 
I don't have a problem with scrounged blades steel. I started with it and made very good knives from saw blade steel, old files and leaf springs. Did this for over 10 years and those knives are still out there cutting stuff... It's fun and educational.

What I do have a problem with and you will too, is trying to make a knife from a cheap Chinese made crowbar. That isn't goin to work out so well. :cool:
 
Don Hanson III -- i know what you mean. while checking out some knife makes sites i came across one that said, "99% American Made". made me chuckle. guess its hard sometimes to know exactly where your steel is coming from. but no one wants Chinese made anything... unless its food! maybe!

bladsmth -- your awesome!

RMLamey -- ok. i am asking. why?
 
I didnt mean to sound so upitty.It is fun and educational to use found objects and create something real cool.I have a few springs,files,chainsaw bars,etc...that are waiting for the next time somebody says "You should make a throwing knife"
 
bladsmth said:
Zombie,
Thanks for filling out your profile. While I am not in CA, It tells others around you where you are. It also tells me you are not a 16 year old killing his summer downtime. I also see why funds are tight.

Send me an email and I'll send you some 1084, and some handle material.
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And THIS!! among many other reasons is what makes this site so great.
 
Spring steels often have a much higher austentizing temperature ( nearer 900c than 8 ) , Ive found you can also get a massive layer of decarb which kids you into thinking its not hardened.

Big advantage of known steel is you will recoup your costs many times when you come to sell a knife.
 
Zombie_Steel said:
Don Hanson III -- i know what you mean. while checking out some knife makes sites i came across one that said, "99% American Made". made me chuckle. guess its hard sometimes to know exactly where your steel is coming from. but no one wants Chinese made anything... unless its food! maybe!

bladsmth -- your awesome!

RMLamey -- ok. i am asking. why?
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I forged a few blades out of a "home depot" brand crowbar, tried several different heat treat methods.... just wouldnt harden no matter what temp, what quinchant etc....
 
I once thought that crowbars would be fine for swords, but then I found a bunch of dents on them for being struck so many times and have seen no wear resistance on them at all. Nothing, but medium carbon. That's when I decided to make knives off of tool steel chisels, vehicle springs, ball bearings (in rare cases) and files until I can use paypal, which I need to buy Aldo Bruno's steel.
 
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