Saw Blade Steel

JAWilliams

JAWilliams

KNIFEMAKER
Well I am hopeing to get alot of feed back on this. So here goes.I have found a small stash of saw blades ranging from 4' tall to 2' tall. Most are old and in great shape. About ten years ago I had two knives made from saw blade and I loved them. I used them all the time. I don't remember leaving the house without them. But divorce get nasty and my exwife kept them and sold them in a yard sale. They were great for everything I did. Took a little longer to sharpen but would hold an edge. So here is my problem. I want to take a couple and send them off to be water jet cut. Get a bunch of blanks and make knives from the sawblade steel. If I remember right it is L6. The problem is that I see knives made from this and they just sit and they seem not to go very quickly or don't sell without huge price drops. Is there a reason for this? Is it worth doing? Thanks and please give your opinion. I really need it to determine what I am going to do.
 
I am not a steel expert, but the problem with using sawblade steel is that you are working on the assumption that it is L6, or some other usable steel. It very well could be, but it very well could not be also. I would recommend buying a known steel, so you know exactly how to heat treat it to get the most out of it. Buying steel is one of the least expensive parts of knifemaking. You can get some good steel from Admiral, and when you figure it out per knife, it comes to just a few dollars a blade. Hope this helps.
 
Or if you have a good supply of the same blades have the steel tested to find out exactly what it is.

SDS
 
There are some forge guys out there that can accurately spark test steel and tell you exactly what it is.
 
L6 or 15N20

It is usually L6 or 15N20. I made some fillet knives out of them. Suckers are tough to grind/sand and drill even when annealed. A coworker cleaned over 100 trout with on I made and has yet to sharpen. I love mine for the kitchen. Dan

Main problem is people are lazy and don't want to take the time to clean and maintain these daysunsure Dan
 
I agree, if you have a lot of it, then send some for testing,.. if its only a few, then just get some steel from a supplier .
Ive used L6 on a few larger knives . and mine was cut from a sawmill round 4 ft blade.. its hard as hell to drill n cut, but its tougher than boot leather when youre done.
One huge drawback is, rust, L6 CAN RUST WHILE YOURE LOOKIN AT IT.
So if you make some blades, Id go for some kind of treatment, be it a gun blue(L6 is a high carbon so it will take bluing)or an acid type etch, like the clorox/mustard styles.
Either way, never waste steel bud, youll think of a use :)
 
L6 is another super tough carbon steel that has almost disappeared from use in knives but is sllloooowwwlly gettin back.
**Continue reading ONLY if you want to be bored by me n science, cant help myself, I always add some trivia.
L6 Tool steel(there are several versions -most are tool n die ,stamping steels, some are sawmill blade grade, and even Crucible puts out one called Champaloy)
This is one of the Special Purpose, low alloy tool steel grades, similar to the W group of low alloy tool steels. L6 contains nickel, chromium and molybdenum for a good combination of toughness and hardenability
Hardens in oil to about RC 57 and takes a fine edge for most cutting, particularly where the edge might be steeled back into shape. Outstanding where flexibility is needed but rusts easily, like virtually all of the simple carbon steels. L-7 is the same stuff with a little more carbon.

In the early 80s a poll of makers showed that for personal use knife , L6 was the steel choice. It will rust in a fine powder on the surface as well as darken over time in acidic conditions, but its tougher than a coffin nail. Its tough to heat treat at home though. Even if you think you havent heard of it , every time you use a skill saw or bigger round saw blade, better than 80% chance it was made from L6.

==5/32 thick L6 steel, OAL 13 1/4", blade a hair under 7 1/2", 1 1/2" wide at belly. Stone/brush finish and gun blued on flats. Plan to use white bone for scales. pin holes are 1/8". went ahead and drilled a lanyard hole at the end as well.

Refined tanto style nose down hollow grind, just under 1/32 thick at edge - so it wouldnt be chip thin, and Im going to wedge sharpen (like an axe). Lets face it guys- youre never really going to be slicing tomatoes with any knife I make. You might chop down the bush and then chop them up or smash em to make ketchup, but paper thin slicing?, not an option,lol.
 
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I don't care for admiral, but I might have to use them. One of the problems that I have with them is that they charge so much for shipping. It has cost me all most as much for the shipping as for the steel.
 
This is true, but when youre the only game around so to speak,.. I think some of the guys are having luck with Carpenter now that they are gettin into blade steel sales.
Latrobe positively couldnt care less about sellin less than a ton to you, and have been known to be downright rude to folks who call.

Tracey M has some Latrobe steel tho,as well as some crucible CruV around.
 
The stuff that admiral carries is NOT L-6, even though they call it that. It is 8670. Its a good steel, but it is not L-6. If you want L-6 you have to go to carpenter, or crucible for the next 3 weeks. All they carry is big stock or rounds. I use L-6 all the time in my damascus, and it is my second favorite steel, next to O-1. L-6 is a very worthwhile steel to use, but is definately a beginner steel. It requires a digitally controlled kiln to HT properly. Properly heat treated it will reach Rc64. I have been dealing with carpenter for about 10 years now and they are good folks, I would recommend them, as crucible is in bankruptcy and won't be in existence for much longer.


Dan,
Its good to see you here.:D
 
No problem,
I went through about 800lbs of L-6 last year, its a great steel and I wouldn't want anybody to get the wrong impression about it.
My personal carry knife is o-1/l-6 damascus and I havn't done anything but wipe it off and its fine.
 
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