[TheForge] untapped resource?

[Daniel Kretchmar]

Bob,
   Though I enjoy making the occasional knife, I do not make them for sale
....yet....I enjoy the large forming/smithing more at the moment.  It just
seemed like so obvious a resource that I couldn't figure out why I hadn't heard
of anyone using it.  I was practically slapping my forhead while saying "duh!"
when I thought of it.  I heated/flattened/annealed about 10 of them.  After
they were cool, I slapped them on the anvil to see if they would break.  One
did, but the others seem okay.   I think that they would be a good source for
damascus material even if they do have some fine cracks in them, though.  If
nothing else, they can make good and cheap strikers for "flint and steel".  I
like the idea that someone had about froes and axes...have to try that...maybe
an adze for carving.....hmmmm..........

If I get really good at this knife making stuff, I might try to make a set of
french chef's knives for my brother.  I have now made 6 damascus billets, 2
damascus knives, 1 damascus basket makers froe for my wife, and a couple of
plain high carbon ones.  It's fun but not as much fun as making an iron
dragon!

http://www.irontreeworks.com/dragonlatch.jpg   

:)
 
Daniel Kretchmar
www.irontreeworks.com
Traditional Woodworking and Blacksmithing


Quoting Bob Ehrenberger <eforge at centurytel.net>:

> Daniel,
> 
> I have, and use old lawn mower blades.  The problem with them is you never
> know what they are made of, if you have 10 blades you may have 10 different
> alloies.  Also like other used steel they may have hidden flaws (from
> hitting rocks and stumps) that don't show up until after you have put a lot
> of work into a piece.
> 
> If you are making knives to sell, the new steel is cheep when compaired to
> your time. If you are making knives for your own use, it's a good source of
> useable steel just don't be too disapointed if the blade fails.
> 
> I made a hive tool from used steel years ago and it has worked out well.
> It's always a gamble.
> 
> The longer I do this (blacksmithing) the less I mess with salvage material.
> 
> Robert Ehrenberger
> Shelbyville, Mo.
> eforge at centurytel.net
> 
> ---Original Message----
> Date: Tue, 27 Sep 2005 22:21:21 -0500
> From: "Daniel Kretchmar" <dan at irontreeworks.com>
> Subject: [TheForge] untapped resource?
> 
> Hey all,
>       The other day, while I was driving home from work, it suddenly occured
> to me that lawn mower blades are good steel...obvious I know....but I
> stopped at a lawn mower store and asked if I could have the old blades that
> ...
> clip
> ...
> I did a grinding spark test and also heated and quenched and then shattered
> one so I know its at least 1080. I flattened and annealed one and just
> finished grinding out a Usuba ocho (japanese vegatable cleaver).  It seems
> like the metal is great!  The two stores I called said that I could have as
> many as I wanted as often as I wanted........
> 
> 
> Sooooo.....Why have I never heard people talk about this resource before?
> Have I just not noticed?  Is the metal toxic and contains something that
> will kill anyone uses it? :)
> 
> Dan
> www.irontreeworks.com
> 
> 
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