WANTED: Carbon Steel

[Spinal]

I'm looking for a few pieces of ultra-high carbon steel (1%-1.5% carbon content by weight, alternatively something softer around 5160 type alloy steel) (NOT hardened/heat treated!)

The sizes I'm looking for are about a foot long, 2-3 inches wide and a thickness of about 3.5-4.5mm.

Ideally 2-3 pieces of this...

If anyone has this or knows where I can buy this I'de appreciate it.

M.

(I need a survival knife, and I can't find one that meets all my sepcs.... so I'll just make it myself!)

 

[mrsdoyle]

British Blades :: Custom Knife Making

 

[gaz_l]

I'm not very up on steel grades as we machine 99% aluminium but for the odd bit of steel we have used these people:

The Metal Professionals - Acton Bright Steel :: specialises in stocking a very extensive range of Engineering Steels

The stuff we've bought is low carbon free cutting grade, but they might be able to help you out with some hard stuff - and they are only down the road from you.

Cheers,

Gaz

 

[Spinal]

Thanks to both - I had seen that forum before, but they are more on forge-knives rather than milled-knives (which is what I'm planning on doing).

For some odd reason, all I find here are fairly soft steels... I did find a guy in the states that sold exactly what I need...but at £40 (inclusive of postage) it's a little dear!

Gaz, I'll give them a call tomorrow - thanks!

M.

 

[nick mercedes]

(I need a survival knife, and I can't find one that meets all my sepcs.... so I'll just make it myself!)

Is that a good idea?

 

[mrsdoyle]

World Knives: Blade Blanks

Try here, they have a huge selection and this link is for blanks.
if you use high carbon you are going to have to take care of it (rust).
I love Japanese chefs knives they are works of art. get yourself some japanese combination water stones to sharpen this is the cheapest place to get them, good company.
Japanese Waterstones products from Axminster

 

[Shude]

Is that a good idea?

It's a great idea. Why compromise with something mass-produced when you can have something custom-made to your exact requirements? In a survival situation you'll be glad it was made specifically for you, assuming you specified it correctly!

 

[wemorgan]

There's plenty of high carbon steel parts on cars. So you could visit your local scrap yard with your angle grinder. But I'm not sure how happy the yard owners would be with that! The usual high carbon parts are bits like, front/rear bumper beams, A & B-pillars, side impact beams in doors. Though some if not all parts will be painted and heated, which possibly isn't what you're looking for. Just a thought anyway.

 

[Spinal]

A few notes:

- Is it a good idea? Yups - I've made a few knives before, but using cheap and nasty steel (1090 if I remember well). It lets you choose exactly what you want and if it all goes pear shaped, you've learnt a lesson and your next one will be better!

- Downsides? I don't dare make a folder. One of the Italian special forces use a folder that is held open by a pin for safety... still don't trust it as much as a fixed blade!

- This one will be my most screwy knife though... on one side a flat blade (full length), tanto style tip. The rear will have a serrated edge, from the guard to about halfway. Then, I will weld a triangular piece of metal to the rear, so that this can be used to hammer the knife when splitting wood without denting the rear too much. Full tang (of course) but the rear with a welded butt - the idea being that every now and then you want a hammer or something blunt to mush with. The guard will be steel profile, with 2 holes for tying onto a spear/trap.

My only issue so far is the handle - I've seen some nice ebony that would look spectacular; but part of me says I should go for some CNC'ed alluminium for strength, with groves wrapped in rubber or paracord.

- Rust I'm not too worried about; I'm planning on plating it with something... (chromium is too shiny... if there was a way of plating it with something darker it would be better... I'll figure that out later!)

M.

 

[Ian B Walker]

How about using spring steel? An old leaf spring could provide the material required.

 

[Spinal]

I did think of that, but it would be too soft. 1090 is roughly spring steel if I remember well (a little harder possibly).

Essentially, as I'm going to spend MANY hours on this, I want it to be something that will last at least 5-10 years of regular abuse...

Still need to call those guys!

M.

 

[Wizeng]

Re the finish:- It is possible to get black chrome plate which is very hard, so make sure the blade is sharp before plating.

 

[nick mercedes]

It's a great idea. Why compromise with something mass-produced when you can have something custom-made to your exact requirements?

I thought knifes were made from forged blanks, and then machined?

Would that not be a bit tricky to do at home?

In a survival situation you'll be glad it was made specifically for you, assuming you specified it correctly!

The mean streets of Uxbridge require a unique type of weapon...

 

[Spinal]

I thought knifes were made from forged blanks, and then machined?

Would that not be a bit tricky to do at home?

Yes and no... you can go through the whole forging process (not too complex, all you need is a blowtorch, an old metal can and some clay/dirt... it's not fancy, but it works.

The alternative is to get a bar if good quality steel (e.g. 5160 is widely accepted as one of the best for this) and carve it to specifications with a belt saw, hacksaw, files and whetstones... you may need to temper it first if it's already hardened. Either way, once it's done you harden it again (quench hardening, heat it to a specific temperature and then dunk it in old car oil)

The mean streets of Uxbridge require a unique type of weapon...

Uxbridge? Not really... but I do bushcraft, outdoor survival, rock climbing, and travel to places where the nearest living soul is several days away...

I always carry 2 knives in those situations:

* a larger workhorse (e.g. an italian army issue big thing... so far it's served quite well, but the pommel is starting to chip away. I've bought a RUI liberator to replace it, but the pommel is not suited as a hammer and the steel looks all too soft). This needs to be part serrated for cutting, and heavy enough to chop (so fixed blade).

* and a smaller "eating" knife. This needs to be MUCH sharper, and allow me to cut food in a semi-civilized manner, peel fruit, etc. Smooth blade, no serrations, and a folder so it fits in a pocket easily. For the last few years, a leatherman multitool with a hollow ground blade has filled this purpose as it's insanely sharp, and has a few other quite useful odds and ends included. If only the handle was more ergonomic, it would be ideal... need to try their skeletool thing...

M.

 

[Mikeyboy]

Just a thought but have you tried your local Freecycle forum?

There are people willing to give sometimes very valuable kit away if they know it will get 'the use' again and not end up on Ebay.

Not really the same but I have gotten a load of old BBC Micro stuff that I otherwise would have had to pay a lot for on Ebay.

Just thinking if there was some old boy who did the same as what you now do then they might be willing to help if it was all going to the right home.

Mike.

 

[nick mercedes]

Yes and no... you can go through the whole forging process (not too complex, all you need is a blowtorch, an old metal can and some clay/dirt... it's not fancy, but it works.

Hmmm

YouTube - Bulldog Tools Factory Tour

Uxbridge? Not really... but I do bushcraft, outdoor survival, rock climbing, and travel to places where the nearest living soul is several days away...

I always carry 2 knives in those situations:

Make sure the police don't catch you with those.

 

[Spinal]

Hmmm

YouTube - Bulldog Tools Factory Tour



Make sure the police don't catch you with those.

I've actually been stopped by the police a few times - both knives are fully legal in the UK.

It's been a while since I read the law, but if you have a valid cause for carrying a knife (self defence is NOT one) then it's quite acceptable to carry in a public place.

A public place can be your driveway - as long as the public have access to it (and no, your car is not considered a private place for some odd reason! So a knife in your car is just as illegal if you don't have just cause).

Going for a camping trip, survival trial, or bushcraft weekend are (imo) valid causes as long as you can prove you were not planning on going armed around your local shopping center instead.

At the end of the day (shockingly), they do use common sense with this. If you're stopped wearing a hoodie at 11pm on a Saturday night drunk out of your senses with a lethal weapon, you deserve to be locked up. If you're sober, on a saturday morning on a train with 2 knifes in your rucksack (NOT clipped to you belt, or on your calf) and you are going somewhere weird where a knife will be quite needed for suvival, you'll probably be let off (though the cops may call where you are going to verify that you're booked in on a survival trial)

I may be getting old and grumpy, but increasingly I feel that the police are suprisingly human and sensible - it's the law and the policians that make the law that lacks common sense!

M.

EDIT: I'll have a look at the link later, but there are many ways to make a blade Solid forging is just one of them