I will do patterns with them. It might be interesting to go through the copper sulfate testing for SS. But so far I have only heard about tasting, and salt rusting them to test for galvanization.
Lots to learn. Lots to research.
What do you recon this metal is?
- Thread starter Absinthe
- Start date
Lots to learn. Lots to research.
bladegrinder
Well-Known Member
This whole thread is killing me....it makes one think you could walk past two city bus stops and a Walmart parking lot and somehow go home and cobble together something that resembles a knife. 
Gasoline cost more than good steel nowadays...
Gasoline cost more than good steel nowadays...
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Not sure what you are suggesting?This whole thread is killing me....it makes one think you could walk past two city bus stops and a Walmart parking lot and somehow go home and cobble together something that resembles a knife.
Gasoline cost more than good steel nowadays...
Edwardshandmadeknives
Well-Known Member
That is more than likely galvanized 1018. To test for galvanizing, take a piece outside, heat it with a torch till a spot of it turns red. Once it cools, there will be a powdery white dust around the edges of the burn. That’s zinc oxide. You won’t get that if it’s stainless. Don’t breath any of the fumes when you are burning it. They are pretty bad for you. I doubt it’s stainless steel. The duct I see is usually 304, which isn’t magnetic.
bladegrinder
Well-Known Member
It's more of an observation than a suggestion, you've posted numerous questions here asking how, or the best way to do something, then as people answer your questions you keep reverting back to how it can be done otherwise. people here are giving you good advice but you don't want to seem to swallow what folks are trying to tell you.
you've got a sander, new belts and a new bandsaw, why are you using recycled scrap material. just drop a few bucks, buy some good steel, good handle material and call it a day. the owner of this forum owns a knife supply store...USA Knifemakers. you need to look at his website.
I have some things at my disposal. Some are useful and some are not. I ask questions here, a couple other knife groups on the web and FB, and other forums like Home Shop Machinist and some metalurgy groups and some makers groups.
It is not uncommon for people to use or even specialize in using recycled or repurposed materials for all sorts of things. There are even some makers who focus exclusively on such things. Not to mention how many knifemaking videos and other such things start with used blades, leaf springs, and other hardenable steels.
The questions are to gain knowledge. They answers are intended for making decisions.
52 Ford
Well-Known Member
You're on other forums? You're cheating on us?! :'(
For what it's worth, I'm on Practical Machinist and Welding Web.
If you go on Practical Machinist, you NEED to have a tough skin - as far as being poked at for asking questions that they feel you aught to know... Lot of crotchety old retired machinists on there
Its good if you have a technical question, like what adhesive to bond weird plastic to unobtanium, or what "what's the best handheld laser welder under $50,000". That second one was actually a question on there the other day... I think they wanted a pulsed laser welder under $20K, though. They got a lot of good answers, too!Welding Web is good. I try and check all 3 daily. If you dont know what electrode, or filler material to weld with, don't know what welding machine to get, etc. I've been Welding since I was 12 or 14. A lot of the guys on there have been welding for many decades.
I have them on Tapatalk on my phone. I have the same user name on both.
Oh, and iForgeIron, but I don't get on there much, I keep forgetting.
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52 Ford
Well-Known Member
Right. Good advice. A cheap, safe, and effective way to remove galvi from steel is to soak in acid. Vinegar (acetic acid) or citric acid will remove the coating. It's a bit slow, but if you just let the stuff soak "in the background" while you so other stuff, it's a good solution. "Good solution" - GET IT? Cause you're soaking it in a SOLUTION!! HA!
I'll see myself out.
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Sorry, I am polywebarousYou're on other forums? You're cheating on us?! :'(
For what it's worth, I'm on Practical Machinist and Welding Web.
If you go on Practical Machinist, you NEED to have a tough skin - as far as being poked at for asking questions that they feel you aught to know... Lot of crotchety old retired machinists on there
Welding Web is good. I try and check all 3 daily. If you dont know what electrode, or filler material to weld with, don't know what welding machine to get, etc. I've been Welding since I was 12 or 14. A lot of the guys on there have been welding for many decades.
I have them on Tapatalk on my phone. I have the same user name on both.
Oh, and iForgeIron, but I don't get on there much, I keep forgetting.
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I have moved away from many web forums to mostly FB groups. Actually started on NNTP groups even before WWW stuff. But I have been mostly woodwork, and most of my metal working comes from being a locksmith for 15 years. I am less concerned with being insulted than misunderstood. And when people phrase their responses in the form of a question, I have an almost OCD need to answer the question posed. So it tends to sound like arguments or defensiveness.
Edwardshandmadeknives
Well-Known Member
A jug of vinegar probably costs more than just buying some cold rolled 1018
52 Ford
Well-Known Member
BUT you can run the vinegar through some cheese cloth and cook with it when you're done!
No, but you can reuse the vinegar a few times, it removes rust, too. Remember, he's getting the steel for free.
If he had to pay for the metal, of course he should pass on galvanized, unless it's a screaming deal.
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I will give that a try. Seemed questionable that it would be SS but I was so used to seeing the splotchy pattern on galvanized. Figured couldn't hurt to ask.
52 Ford
Well-Known Member
Locksmith? If you like watching YouTube, check out LockpickingLawyer and bosnianbill. They pick some crazy stuff. S&G and Medeco locks, European insurance locks like they're a Master no. 4, automotive locks, you name it.Sorry, I am polywebarous
I am less concerned with being insulted than misunderstood. And when people phrase their responses in the form of a question, I have an almost OCD need to answer the question posed. So it tends to sound like arguments or defensiveness.
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Have you noticed you can get 30% vinegar for cleaning now?
52 Ford
Well-Known Member
Jeez! I had no clue. I also saw some 75% for sale on Amazon when I looked it up. Be careful with that stuff. Respirator, gloves, eye protection, etc.
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Yummy delicious zinc acetate.. isn't that what is in the zinc lozenges?BUT you can run the vinegar through some cheese cloth and cook with it when you're done!
No, but you can reuse the vinegar a few times, it removes rust, too. Remember, he's getting the steel for free.
If he had to pay for the metal, of course he should pass on galvanized, unless it's a screaming deal.
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This is free metal that I was using to prototype stuff with my brake. Working on duplicating Robohippys angled rest. But ar 0.032 it is a bit flimsy for what I intimately want to make. Panel covers have been better for thickness. Some are painted and some are obviously galvanized. But I can't weld metal that thin anyway. Huzzah for poprivets
Plenty of entertainment in that area. If a man can make it, a man can break it
Definitely. But I am also a soap maker so I deal with full strength lye all the time. Protect the eyes!