Knives from band saw blades

Eddie Mullins

Eddie Mullins

Well-Known Member
I got a couple of industrial metal band saw blades to see if they would make decent knives. I did an oil quench and they broke like glass, across the full width of the blade. I like to forge but they are just too thin, about .045 and .035 if I recall correctly. They do however grind so easily I can’t help but making stock removal knives from them. I made a couple of small carvers just for a quick read, and tempered to a dark straw they have some flex, take a shaving edge and are holding it after a quick carving session.

From what I can find they may be 15n20 or L6, but I don’t know, I do know I like the performance so far.

I have a number of projects where I think this material is going to work very well due to its thin profile. I may even have a go at my first Damascus billets.

Anyone else making use of band saw blades as a steel source?
 
I have a bunch of pieces of two different sizes, about 1.5 wide and 2.0 wide. Best I can get out of it is about 56 RC. I don't know the brand, etc.
 
They won't be 15n20 or L-6. I had picked up several of the steel cutting band saw blades 10 years ago and seem to recall they were O-2. Carbon content was not as high as O-1.
 
One of the guys in the blacksmith guild I belong to gets band saw blade sections from a local saw mill. they are about 10" wide and they are 15n20 and make great knives. Ed
 
What about a 8" wide band saw blade or a 4" round blade say 3/16" thick? If you don'y know what the make up is then you will have to get an analysis done or do extensive testing. Sure if it's good carbon steel it certainly can be used successfully. However, don't start giving the steel qualifying steel designations without really knowing what it is. You are deceiving the person you are showing it to and showing yourself to be a fool.
Frank
 
The ones I tested were a steel called D6A I think? a Mid carbon steel. Long story made short.. After hours of phone calls and internet research. And a couple of days worth of HT testing, and blade grinding and destruction and cutting testing. I found that the steel will take heat. Will harden and even snap like glass. But will temper down to still have flex.. But wont hold a edge worth a crap.

In short... Modern Bandsaw blades are made from a good metal, designed and engineered to be band saw blades. Just my 2 cents.. Take it for what its worth. :D
 
Why go to that bother when you can get virgin band saw steel from Ray Kirk? The latest he has isin .080 thick which will make good use for filets and kitchen knives. He cuts it and thinner stock to size for you.
 
HHH Knives said:
The ones I tested were a steel called D6A I think? a Mid carbon steel. Long story made short.. After hours of phone calls and internet research. And a couple of days worth of HT testing, and blade grinding and destruction and cutting testing. I found that the steel will take heat. Will harden and even snap like glass. But will temper down to still have flex.. But wont hold a edge worth a crap.

In short... Modern Bandsaw blades are made from a good metal, designed and engineered to be band saw blades. Just my 2 cents.. Take it for what its worth. :D
Click to expand...

I have to say that my experience with an alleged "band saw blade knife" mimics this exactly. Received a small neck knife in a KITH years ago that the maker had claimed was from some "tried and true" bandsaw steel. When I got it, it was shaving sharp. Made a couple of slices through cardboard, and one or two cuts on some paracord before it would barely cut anything.

A bandsaw tooth and a knife edge are two drastically different things.
 
Band Saw Blade Knife (Hammer Marks)

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:35:The knife shown here has visable hammer marks which tells how it was forged when it was made from a band saw blade.
 

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