For $20, I’d buy the biggest one to hang on my shop wall, and then buy some known high carbon steel and make a good knife out of it. There’s a small chance that the main blade is made from a decent, harden-able steel that will make a decent, working knife, but as other’s have mentioned, there’s equal chance that it’s a low to medium carbon steel that will make anything from a poor, to a just “Ok” knife that needs to be sharpened every other cut. There’s CONSIDERABLE more effort involved in parting up an old, dirty, rusted saw blade and then trying to turn it all into serviceable knives.
My personal belief is, the very old, big buzz-saw blades the OP is finding in Kansas farm auctions are nearly 100 years old, if not older. They are very simple high carbon steels of the time, that could be tempered & drawn with very simple early heat color methods used then. They had to be pretty dang good high-carbon steel though,Or the saw wouldn’t hold an edge long enough to build a head of steam in the boiler and get through one log.
A few years ago I was approached by one of my cousins saying that his son was interested in all aspects of forging and was looking for scrap metal, so I gave him a half dozen old 1x.045 blades. I have made a few knives out of old metal sawing bandsaw blades but they are not as nice as yours. If it is indeed 15n20, it can be oil quenched, if its not and is an air hardened steel, I guess the old blades will continue to go to recycle.
I have had a request from a coworker to build a bowie knife out of his dads circular sawmill blade from the early 1980’s. If the blade is 3/8″ thick then I doubt that the teeth have been tipped with carbide but if they have then the blade is likely useless for knives. Very brittle steel too JM. I remember a guy went and didn’t tighten both clamps on the cold saw, the side where the part was against the stop, blade broke when that part wedged between the blade and the stop.
Lambert likes to use metal from old sawmill blades for his knives because of its quality and because it has a story to tell. Lambert makes most of his knives using old sawmill blades. Rebecca Harrison, Lambert’s longtime partner, said each of the knives Lambert makes has its own story and history.
what are old saw mill blades made of Related Question:
What are old saw blades made of?
Old saw blades are almost always made from high quality steel. You can find them in abundance at swap meets, garage sales, rummage sales, etc. The biggest advantage of using an old saw is the lack of metallurgy you need to do.
Are old saw blades worth anything?
The reason is simple: old circular saw blades aren’t worth anything because they’re made with carbon steel. The only way to modify them is by adding some decorative elements but even then they will never become real jewelry pieces.
What are carbide saw blades made of?
The blade body is made from rolled chrome, nickel, tungsten alloy steel, heat treated to about 40-45HRC. The carbide tips are silver soldered, sometimes with a copper shim to dampen the impact when the carbide tooth hits the material.
What kind of steel are old saw blades made from?
Yes, almost all antique saw blades are made from high carbon steel, which makes them very durable. If the blade is hard to keep its edge, no need to alter the steel in order to turn it into a usable knife. However, saw-cut blanks are occasionally overly flexible, and you can deal around (or with) this.
What kind of steel are saw mill blades made of?
Carbon steel is the most common metal used to manufacture sawmill blades and performs well for high production. It’s possible to add other metals to a blade’s composition to enhance its durability. Either way, the blade metal must be both flexible and hard.
What do I do with old saw blades?
You can recycle old circular saw blades by taking them to a recycling center in your area. Circular saw blades are made of steel and, like other metals, can be recycled if you find the right place for it.
Is tungsten and tungsten carbide the same?
The biggest and most important difference between them is that tungsten refers to the individual metal, whereas tungsten carbide is an alloy of tungsten and predominantly carbon, although nickel and titanium are among the other metals that might be used. Some websites and jewelers will use the two interchangeably.
Can carbide tipped blade cut aluminum?
You should be able to use a carbide-tipped abrasive cutoff wheel for non-ferrous metals like brass, aluminum, copper or lead. Carbide-tipped blades last up to 10 times longer than regular steel ones.
Are circular saw blades high carbon steel?
Before we get into the manufacturing process it is essential to determine the type of hard steel that is used to make the blades. It is mostly high carbon steel or a blend of different steels, depending on what the blade is intended for.
Are saw blades hardened steel?
Steel needs to be hard enough to cut through things like tree trunks. To cut through things, the hardness of the saw blade will play a pivotal role. Table saw blades are hardened to ensure that they cut through things with relative ease. You can make the table saw edges using various kinds of steel.
Is rebar high carbon steel?
So what kind of metal is rebar? Usually standard rebar is recycled and tempered carbon steel.
Do old files make good knives?
You can make a knife from anything that is hard enough to be sharp…. but the quality will vary. You can make a knife from things found in your garage, like old lawnmower blades, car springs, saw blades, and FILES. Of these , a file is probably the only one that will make a decent knife.
What are two metals that saw blades can be made out of?
Metal cutting saw blades can usually be found in two forms. The first are made from either metal, such as stainless steel, chrome vanadium steel, or aluminum oxide. The second are made from an abrasive material designed to slice through metal.
What is L6 steel?
L6 is an AOD melted oil hardening tool steel. It has good shock resistance and toughness due to its low carbon content. Typical applications are forming rolls, punches, and blanking dies.
What steel are hand saws made from?
The high-carbon steel is top for making great knives that take and keep a good edge. The high-carbon steel in hand saws that are over 25-30 years old is also of excellent quality and will make an exceptionally strong knife that takes and holds a fine edge for a long time.