steel for knifemaking

[foresterj 1,096]

no idea if it would be any good to any knife makers,but i've used blades from ride on rotary mowers and some steel bar about 18in long and 1in+ diameter.dont know if it would be any good but its there for nowt

[the big chief 3,099]

i think it will work buddy i have used sthill saw blades and that worked fine so i carnt see why not

[midnight 657]

it needs testing before you make a knife , any unknown steel needs testing . very easy to do .

heat a section about 4" long get it non magnetic and plung it in oil or hot salty water until its cool keep it upright and still in the water/oil .

the clamp it in a vice and hit it with a hammer if it snapps like a stick its cot a good carbon content - good for knives . if it bends its low carbon = no good at all .

id want to test thses saw blade because i think they are probably low carbon modified mild steel with very low carbon in them . i could be wrong but i know most knife makers look for old saw blades not modern as the new ones are the modified . every recyled steel should be tested , you could make the most beautiful knife that simply wont hold and edge !!

house hold BBQ with charcoal should be enough to get it hot enough , maybe with the mrs hair dryer to add some oxygen ontop of the pile of charcoal !!

im not sure about mower blades unless there very high quality like that of a green keeper and even then because your looking for toughnes not sharpness with a mower blades a high carbon blade would shatter if you hit a stone where a lower carbon would chip/bend but not shatter ....

honestly lads you will never go wrong with old metal files the steel is comparable to that of the finest knife/ sword making grade , there so cheap even brand new !!