which steel is the easiest to work with?

A

andrewfinnie13

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Jun 20, 2009
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I am relatively new to the knife making scene. i have put two handles on knife blades that i had made at two finger knife works and i think they turned out good. And now i would like to try making my own. I thought about making blades out of some simmonds and nicholson files i have laying around but i have found its kind of a crap shoot as far as what kind of steel i have got. Seems to be many different people with all sorts of info about the steels in the files. So i have decided to try an easier rout for stock removal knife making getting some steel that i know what it is. And now im here wondering if there is a difference in steels when it comes to ease of grinding. And if so where should i start? I already have some designs, some tools( 2X42 crafstman grinder, portaband, dremel.. and handle material) so, if you could all help me and give advise on steel i would greatly appreciate it. thanks.

andy
 
A great steel for newbies is 5160. Very good at holding an edge and easy to heat treat plus price is good.
 
1084 is also good, Aldo should have some in stock in the next week or 2 (njsteelbaron@gmail.com) Kelly Cupples should have some as well (octihunter@charter.net)

with each of them don't get upset if it takes a couple of days to respond to your email, they are both busy

Aldo and Kelly both have other grades as well, they might have 1070 (not quite as good but still easily usable) and 5160

-Page
 
forging, or stock removal. O-1 is a very frendly to work with, and will let you reheat treat it multiple times. o-1 is a tool steel so it also holds a very nice edge. 1084 is also good
 
01 is a great knife steel, but I would not call it beginner friendly for forgeing or heat treat. It is very easy to work with using stock removal, but forging it requires a higher heat than simpler steels, and unless the beginner has a salt system, oven, or other controled heat source, proper heat treat will be a problem. Being able to re-heat treat might be a great quality, but why not get it right the first time. 1070/80/84 would be a better choice for a beginner, unless he intends to send the blade out for HT.
 
fair enough, but I still think that for the performance you get out of O-1 its a good realitivly easy steel
 
i intend to send out to be heat treated at this point in time. Thanks for all the information. I will have ti mull it over for a bit and do a little more research on the metals.

Thanks

Andy
 
O-1 is great to tart with -- as faras learning basic metulurgy of the steel. its very forgiving as well.-marekz
 
andrew are you forging or grinding? Call Kelly cupples and get some 5160 or 1084 from him. If you are forging you might try going to Campbell tractor in Nampa And asking the shop foreman if they have any used load control shafts laying around. If they don't then you might try the JD dealer in ontario they used to save them for me there and I haven't stopped in for quite awhile. I gave them 100 bucks for the last twenty five or thirty that I got from them. If you need help with the heat treat call me and we will arrange a time for you to come up.

Edit: Sorry Andrew I missed the part where you said you were doing stock removeal. Give Kelly a call 509-949-5231 and get some 3/16ths or eighth inch stock fom him it will be here in a few days. I recommend the 5160.
 
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Thankyou Bill, you know ive been meaning to call you for a long time and sit down and chat.. im pretty buisy with work and family life, but if your ever in the area i work at Percision Auto on victory and cole. stop on by and say hi or come in for an oil change or something. if youde like.

Andy

p.s.

thanks for the info:O)
 
For stock removal, all the steels are the same to me. I don't notice any difference grinding them. On my belt grinder annealed 1084 and S30V feels the same, but hardened S30V is harder to grind than hardened 1084. On my benchstones for hand finishing, annealled 1084 and hardened S30V/S90V/ZDP-189 feel the same. I guess diamond and ceramic stones doesn't distinguish between steels no matter what they are.
 
andrewfinnie13 said:
Thank you Bill, you know i've been meaning to call you for a long time and sit down and chat.. im pretty busy with work and family life, but if your ever in the area i work at Percision Auto on victory and cole. stop on by and say hi or come in for an oil change or something. if you'de like.

Andy

p.s.

thanks for the info:O)
Click to expand...

Andy I might just stop in. My truck is a little past due for an oil change. Do you guya carry 2-20 mobile one or should I bring my own?
 
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