Band saw blade

R

Roger

Well-Known Member
I have been given about 10' of saw mill band saw blade. About 8" wide and 14-12 gauge thick. It isn't old blade but newer and had carbide teeth. I'm wondering if the steel is as good as the older stuff or might it be something not as good since the teeth are carbide and not the same as the blade material. Anyone know? I'll be cutting it up with my plasma cutter.
 
Hard to say for sure. Usually if you see carbide teeth that's a bad sign. It's possible that it might be usable. Heat it up to critical and quench to harden. Take your sample piece and put it in your vise and hit it with your hammer if it snaps right off, it hardened. Might be enough carbon to make a blade. It's always a gamble with mystery steel. 10xx series are fairly inexpensive and there isn't any guesswork on how to heat treat it.

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The carbide teeth throw me off...but I cant say that the blade is not good, but I would lean towards it not being.
 
My family owned and operated a sawmill (Walker Bros. Lumber Company) here in Huntsville for over 50 years. I have made all of the knives I have made so far, which isn't that many (6 fixed blades and 1 slipjoint) out of the type of blade that I suspect you have. I believe you may have a gang saw blade. It will have carbide teeth and be about the size you mentioned. If you could post a pic of it I will let you know. If so it is some variety of L6. When heated to non magnetic and oil quenched it will get very hard and will break like glass. I temper at 400 for 2 hours 2 times. It will hold an edge better than any knife that I own.
 
P1010366.jpgP1010368.jpgP1010369.jpgHere is what I have, can't tell much from pictures I know but any input would be appreciated. I'll slice off a couple of pieces and see if it will harden.
 
Looks like gang saw blade. They are that size and TPI looks about right. They attach at top and bottom and they would be spaced 2" apart for 2" lumber and rough cut the log into 2" slabs, which are then run through a planer to end up 1.5". Did it have hangers on the ends with bolt holes where it attached to the saw. Here is a pic of a piece of gang saw blade I have.DSC00658.jpg
 
Not gang saw, continuous band. The pieces had been snapped at various lengths to fit the back of a pick-up.
 
If it snapped when folded give it a try.Try to cut it with your band saw...if it cuts with the saw it's prolly no good

God bless
 
Hated to ruin a band saw blade so cut off a piece, heated it with the torch to no-magnetic and dropped it in a bucket of water. It snapped like a pane of glass and has a grain as fine as can be. I think it will work, and thanks all of you for the help. It's only .078 thick so I'll be limited, no hatchets or Zombie killers. :)
 
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