Circular Saw Blade

[nozh_scrap]

Hey guys

My father came across this HUGE circular saw blade somewhere, and luckily I snagged it before it was sold and made into an abstract art piece.

This thing looks ancient, and I've been told that these particular sawmill blades are excellent knife material.

Wayne Goddard's book explains that most of these are made out of an L type steel or something... and it has high nickel content. Are all large sawmill blades this type of steel? What other types of steel were these made from?

The thing is as big as a large truck tire, and I have no idea how to begin cutting this thing up... Should I keep it? or let the artsy fartsy lady have it and use the money towards a cheap grinder and some ready to go barstock from a supply catalog?

convince me either way.

[Ray Rogers]

Many of those saw blades were made from L series steel but certainly not all of them. Whatever steel it is made from is probably good steel to make a knife from - but not 'better' than commonly available bar stock you could buy for a few dollars.

There are two or three main reasons for using steel from a saw blade like that. One is for the nostalgic associations that come with it. Does that apply strongly to you?

Some makers strongly appreciate the environmental aspects of recycling a piece of rusty scrap steel into a beautiful and functional tool? Ask yourself if this is where your interest lies.

Another is that, if done carefully, the knife blade can be made from the saw blade without annealing the steel. The result is that you have a knife blade that you do not need to heat treat because it retains the original heat treat of the saw blade. Some makers, often Newbies, do this just to avoid having to heat treat their blade. The downside to this is that the original heat treat for the saw blade is more appropriate to a saw blade than to a knife. It will be a very serviceable knife but that same piece of steel with a different heat treat would have a chance to be an even better knife.

So, my opinion is as it has been in countless other threads on this subject is that if it really rings your bell to use an unknown steel from a saw blade then do so. But, if you are interested in making the best knives you can make in the least expensive and most efficient manner possible (for most people) then buy a piece of known tool steel for a few dollars so you'll know exactly what you have and how it should be heat treated to get the best performance from it .......

[mmunds]

Well, if you don't have a grinder then I would sell it and save for a good grinder, don't settle for a cheap one. Or you could use the proceeds of selling it to buy known quality steel to start out and that would make the learning curve less confusing if you are new to making blades. Decide on what steel you want to learn on and stick with that steel till you can make it do what you want it to before selecting another type. If forging I would start with 5160 or O1, if stock removal I would start with 1080/1095 steel. Just my opinion Good luck on what ever you choose do.

[tmiller5087]

Well it is free steel.......only thing is be a whole lotta work cutting it up into 1+" strips. unless you have a plasma cutter or tourch but they will heat the steel.....I would probably sell it and use the money to buy supplies or tools. tell the artsie Lady I have a couple old twoman saws if shes interested.