What do you recon this metal is?

Hard to tell from your picture, but those may very well be galvanized.

Maybe use them for pattern templates? Can they be used for liners? Maybe? I'd see how readily they rust first. Galvanic corrosion might be an issue down the road.
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.
 
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. :rolleyes:

Gasoline cost more than good steel nowadays...
 
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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. :rolleyes:

Gasoline cost more than good steel nowadays...
Not sure what you are suggesting?
 
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.
 
Not sure what you are suggesting?
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.
 
Good point on corrosion. Galvanized doesn't play well with some metals. Might take a while depending on environment.
 
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.
 
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.
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 :D 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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Oh, and the majority of the metal I work with is "scrap". Not saying it's all unknown, some of it is machine shop drops or similar, but I try not to buy metal.


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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.
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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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 :D 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.



Sent by smoke signals using Tapatalk
Sorry, I am polywebarous :) 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.
 
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.

Sent by smoke signals using Tapatalk
A jug of vinegar probably costs more than just buying some cold rolled 1018
 
A jug of vinegar probably costs more than just buying some cold rolled 1018
BUT you can run the vinegar through some cheese cloth and cook with it when you're done! :D

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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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.
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.
 
Sorry, I am polywebarous :) 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.
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.

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Have you noticed you can get 30% vinegar for cleaning now?
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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BUT you can run the vinegar through some cheese cloth and cook with it when you're done! :D

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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Yummy delicious zinc acetate.. isn't that what is in the zinc lozenges?

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 :)
 
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.

Sent by smoke signals using Tapatalk
Plenty of entertainment in that area. If a man can make it, a man can break it :)
 
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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Definitely. But I am also a soap maker so I deal with full strength lye all the time. Protect the eyes!
 
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