Good info for new knife makers. I use more sophisticated steel but then my first knife is still in use. I made it from a Farriers Rasp in 1959. I was 10 years old. The blacksmith in my hometown guided me through the process using a coal forge. I still use a coal forge when heat treating. I am in the process of building a cleaner burning forge (propane). My grinders are genuine antiques that are very slow but don't heat up the steel. I also have some excellent belt sanders. I am retired but still fool around in my machine shop. I learned forge welding 60 years ago too.
Wow, that is awesome. But omvwey new on learning blacksmithing. Got alot to learn. I have books that Im reading up on it? O don't have anyone that would or want to teach me? It's almost like a treasure hidden in field? So, determine to know this? Thanks for taking the time read this. P.S. when you are ready to get rid of any of your work shop tools plus, the machinery let me know first!! Thanks again
I’ve used 1095, 1080 and 1075 and for me they all worked the same. The only issue I’ve ever had with heat treat was not having the quench oil warm, that’s where your knife will crack in heat treat. I had a backyard forge, heat the knife orange and quench in warm oil and never had issues. I also tempered in a toaster oven. I tested my knives when I was done by clamping them in a vice and smacking them with a hammer, they shouldn’t break and should be springy.
I've been making knives for a long time, not commercially, and some more advice I would give is to learn about spark testing ! You will be amazed at what you can find out there in junk piles, around old garages, farms and many other places ! I know it's not the best solution, but for starting out it can give you a chance to learn a lot about steel, and you might just happen to get some dang good knives out of it, I sure have ! 😊 Hey, the more you know, the better you are ! Nice video Alex , you're getting better all the time ! Thanks for sharing and take care. 👍 👍
I thought about mentioning that but decided to not mix “known steel” talk and “mystery steel” talk😉 I’ve been slowly collecting a pile of mystery steel for future use so the topic will definitely come up at some point 😀 Thanks for touching on that subject 👍👍
OUTDOORS55 Glad to hear that you plan on talking some on the subject ! In 1968 I had a shop teacher that was super good at spark testing and what I was able to pick up from him has really helped me !
The only problem with "Mystery steel" is you don't know what it'll take to get the best out of it... it might be some type of air cooled tool steel. A lot of people even suggest O1 to start with, but IMHO, it is a horrible steel to start with. It's not as easy as people think to properly heat treat. Just getting a steel hard, doesn't mean it is good for making knives... Then again, anytime i want to learn a new grind, I get some mild steel and practice till I'm happy. So, if it is all you have then go for it, you could also, just take a small piece and see what heat treating does, but you're right, spark testing does put you in the right direction....Take it easy...
My grandpa just went to saw mills and got the old blades they didn’t want, his knives were durable held an edge and were popular through out the Ohio area
O1 is an alloy tool steel and is a deep hardening steel. That means that it will harden in just about any oil because of how slowly it can be cooled and still harden, making it very easy to heat treat. It just repuires more soak time than a simple carbon steel. 5160 has a higher critical temperature, at about 1550, but is also a deep oil-hardening steel.
@@mcween18 anything you can get your hands on that you can guarantee what it is. If you can purchase O1 from a reliable source, use that. But it also depends on what you are making and how you are making it. If you are interested in using a professional heat treating service, that opens up a lot of higher alloy steels. If you are forging, generally you should stick with simpler carbon steels, and avoid anything considered "stainless", but even then, it's not a hard and fast rule.
I dedicated my knifemaking skills at scrap steel XD i started making knife with trash to not spend too much money for somenthing that wasn't more than an hobby, but when i saw i whas getting somenthing interesting, i decided to start selling, but didn't abandon the scrap steel, that's become my sign. I also look for natural seasoned wood for handle when i go hicking and i found some amazing wood that is impossible to find to buy. I just love how you can make good knives from steel that was throw away, and is so cheap, sometimes free. For me a beginner could always start with car leaf spring and obtain a very good blade.
You're a great teacher and nice guy! My favorite knife is "the old one" as I love a knife that looks like a tool not a show piece. Keep up the good work!
Thanks for not just this video, but all your other ones as well. I'm a cabinet and furniture maker, but my grandsons want me to make them knives. Your site has inspired me to try. Thanks.
Great guide for beginner knife makers. I'd recommend to look for 'Ground Flat Stock' or Gas when you're looking for straight steel pieces. That's the most common name for it in UK.
If you are in the U.S, he left off a lot of suppliers... Check out Alpha Knife Supply(for handle material they have great prices and bigger sizes), Jantz(for a lot of materials) or N.J Steel baron all 3 have great prices, in fact N.J Steel baron is where USAKnifemaker gets his steel from...
THANK YOU for posting this. Looks like "Texas Knife Supply" is only like 10 miles from my house. I've wanting to get into knife making for a while at now there's no reason not to.
Two sources, Admiral steel. In Illinois. A 6 foot bar of 1080 is 1/8" x 1.5" is like $13-14 minimum shipping is like $24 but you can ship 6 bars of steel for that price. So you can get a variety of thickness and widths. Another is Aldo Bruno. He goes by New Jersey Steel Baron. Most of his stock is 3' & 4' lengths I'm not posting links because usually the posts get deleted by RUclips software unless the owner of the page allows links. You can Google either of these.
I switched to 01 because of its easy to ht! I don’t have fancy equipment i just have a 2 burner forge and a tub of veg oil. I have nailed the ht every time ever sense I switched. I was doing 1095 and leaf springs before and i was having a hard time getting it consistent. Its just my personal preference i just soak it a little longer and I know exactly what color im going for so its pretty easy for me
Hey Alex. Unfortunately I didn’t purchase steel off Amazon but did find it on another site and mentioned your channel and name. Thanks for great videos as I’m now expanding my skills into knife making! God bless you and thank you for all you do. 👍🇺🇸
***New subscriber here. I am so glad I watched this as I had no idea about the possible non-flatness of the 1080! Out of all the knife making videos I have watched no one has ever mentioned this. Thanks for all the videos!
I was watching a bonsai cutting video and saw a beautiful basic japanese knife and got this idea maybe i could make on myself with a piwcw of tool steel.. great video!
I have been using 1095 and despite primitive techniques have been able to harden it consistently(although without proper soak times etc I am probably not maximising it's properties)
I use o1 and haven't had any real issue with heat treat. O1 is actually quite forgiving in my experience (limited as it is) O1 is also locally available so it's my goto steel.
This is pretty much how I heat treat 1095 and never had an issue. The only thing I was taught was that I needed to be quick to quench in vegetable oil because it loses heat much quicker than 1080.
Man I'm glad to see where your channel is at now in comparison to when I found it Alex. You've come far in a relatively short time and it's awesome to watch ☺️👍 stay awesome man.
If you're starting out and you're not picky with the material you can find very good deals buying scraps, springs and all that, you might have to put more work but your pocket will thank you!
You gave valid point on thickness of steel but you can make good knife with thinner steel but you'd have to do it japanese way. Also for me i'd use pure high carbon steel as it's maybe the most versatile material and great for begginers. Before heat treatment what you can do depends on your imagination and resorcefullness.
Good suggestions I was advised 1095 as a great beginning steel and was amazed with my knives But thanks, I'll test the 1080 next. I wouldn't think much different in the two
I’ve been making knives for a while now. My go to supplier for high carbon is admiral steel. They have the best prices on 1095, 1077. You can get 6’ sticks for less than 20$. I know a lot of people like using found steel, like leaf springs and whatnot, but I’d say to leave that to more experienced makers who can tell the difference between junk and good stuff. Found steel can create more problems than it solves, e.g. microfractures, unknown heat treat schedule etc. anyways, it has never been easier to get into knifemaking. There’s no task in knifemaking that can’t be done with just a good set of files, a hacksaw, and sandpaper
I've personally had really good luck with O1. I don't think I've ever had a blade crack in quench. I've also gotten good hardening, checking with rockwell files, usually high 50s.
I have many suppliers who sell many steels..... Too many choices, some real expensive steel....... I might try 1040 with water quench using charcoal wood when I start ..... I can buy round billet 1045 3"x12" we got tools, we are going to get them sliced for us into appropriate weights for axe heads, this looks like fun! Thank you for your videos, super knowledgeable, practical wisdom.
if you forge, id strongly suggest looking at your local steel supplier for drops. my local place has O-1, A-2, D-2, M-2, 4140, and S-7 for $1.25 / lb. for referance, tool steels like this are typically $10-13 / lb. the only disadvantage is they are in shapes.and sizes that really arent suited for stock.removal. the smallest flat stock ive found there was 1/2". also pay attention to the batch numbers,.usually written on the stock..if you can find a number of bars from the same batch it will be a great benifit in figuring out your heat treat
All good solid info and confirmed from my experience! While I prefer 1080 for your reasons and more, I currently have a LOT of 1095, I got tired of running low on steel and bought 2 of 2 foot by 4 foot 1/8" sheets, I still have 2/3rds left lol, but yes you have to know a bit more and experiment more to properly heat treat the 1095, 1080 doesn't care but that extra .15% extra carbon really makes the steel more temperamental, again great info!
It’s funny that you mentioned USA Knife Maker. I was looking at google maps in this town that I’m stuck in, Mankato, MN, for the USPS distribution center when I saw across the street from it, “USA Knife Maker”! I’ve been here for over a year before had any clue!
i have a Metal Supermarkets near me, not sure if they carry 1080 or 1084 as i didn't ask, but i know they have O1 and D2 tool steel. Never underestimate the cost savings of not having to ship metal.
Hey new subscriber here I just wanted to thank you for what your doing and I wished I'd found this video 2 years when I started my knife making it would've saved me money and saved me a lot of headaches you hit every topic I had issues with back then I had experience in forging roughly 15 years and I thought that knowledge would help a maybe it did but when it came to buying the right steel was an issue and I wished someone would have put this info out back then instead of me having to learn by trail and error any way again thanks for the video and your exactly where I'd hoped to have been 2 years ago but fait had other plans for me but good luck keep up the great work you doing and keep loving what you do
I'd lean towards 3/16,.....granted some very tough Machetes are an 1/8 or less and even a circular saw blade is less than an 1/8. I worked in a golf club factory and had access to some very powerful machines I ground hardened files into knive's that looked like chrome,....skids for handles. In those days I didn't know how to untemper the steal I just ground and dipped in water. I had trouble drilling handle pin holes,......about 6 drill bits per hole,..... even cherry red. So I ended up heating handles cherry red then blowing a hole with a 110 mig on low. Then I would fill it in with J.B. Weld and drill the hole and then I used High Impact epoxy to put the handles on. That saved money on drill bits. Then I would cut a blade from a circular saw and weld a 1/8 soft metal handle to it? See if you weld it cold its brittle and snaps,....if you get both pieces buts at 90 degrees for splicing,.... you cut into each piece about 1 inch you shim the thinner saw blade to weld straight,.......then you heat it cherry red and leave the soft metal cold,.... and with a 110 mig on low you tenderly tack here and there till its all tacked. Then as soon as its tacked you run a bead over the tacks in both sides,.....then you will use a angle grinder and a 80 grit sanding disc to remove the weld. Then it's all 1 piece. I use 1/8 X 1 cold rolled soft metal,......I cut it to the length of the handle,.........easily drill my holes and shape them 5 or 6 at a time the I lay them on a kitchen stove burner I always cook on high so I cook my meals on high for 1 week,... then flip the handles and do it for another week,.....and its hard shit,.....but I have also just welded soft steel to hard steel handles they are never going to bend after welded and the handle is epoxied on.
The hardening process for 1095 and o1 or w1 or w2 or 5160 or any other high carbon steel with minimal alloy elements such as chromium are all virtually identical
Good advice on the type of steel. I recently bought 48"x2"x3/16" 1084 steel from Pop's. It was $35 + 17. shipping and I got it in 2 or 3 days. It was straight and came well boxed and packed. It may not be the cheapest but I was pleased. Cutting out the rough shape with an angle grinder cutting disk was no fun at all. I picked up a Harbor Freight Bauer metal cutting saw on sale, made a stand out of 3/4" plywood with a 10" x 10" 1/4" thick aluminum plate work surface and was able to cut out 2 knives in about 15 minutes. Much easier and better and safer too. My next challenge is to attempt a full bevel grind on a 5" blade with the 4x36. What belt do you use to get a nice satin finish on your blade??
Great vids. I would love it if you would make a vid telling us real times and costs. We see you grind for a few minutes but have no idea how long it really was. For costs I’m referring to materials. Did you go through one belt or five. Fuel cost for heating, etc. Keep it up. I’m nearly brave enough to try my own soon.
Here’s what I want to see: 1080 backyard vs o1 backyard. I’d be willing to bet nearly equal results. Yes you don’t get everything out of the o1 you could, but you should get everything out of the o1 that you get out of the 1080, you just don’t get the cementite that you could get from proper HT. The downside being you may pay more for certain dimensions of o1, but personally, guaranteed I can find more volume of o1 for way less than I can 1080. I just bought 36” of 15/16 o1 for $38 free shipping. I can’t hardly find 1080 and when I do i pay nearly same again for shipping.
That would make an interesting test. I’ve thought about doing that myself. Not sure what the best approach would be for testing them though. I’m not sure my methods would be accurate enough to give any sort of conclusion. If not very erratic results.
Hi Alex, im from India, im a beginner for knife making, can u suggest for me,what steel to buy,and easy to forge for beginner, especially for grinder..if u can tell me ....im glad to you in advance....... waiting for ur reply..thank you.
Try some 1080. Can’t hurt. You may get better results, and you may not. It’s a great steel though. As far as I can tell it doesn’t lack anything from 1095.
OUTDOORS55 I have used 1080 it’s good but I like to use 1095 because that’s what all the old timers use, yeah I know that’s a pretty stupid reason but whatever.... and I do get the best results for me out of it. Thanks bro for the response god bless!
Really like your channel. You take the time to explain things or "teach" your viewers. I really appreciate that. A question, if you don't mind. Could you please touch on the pro's and con's of quenching in motor oil -v- vegetable oil? Thank you.
Alex, you seriously have the most concise informative knife videos online. Thank you again. I am curious about your thoughts on convex, and the application and aspects thereof.
Thanks man! I love convex edges. They are not as prevalent as they should be. Lots of benefits with little down sides. That’s one of the reasons I always felt hand sharpened edges are slightly “better “ than a controlled angle system. Any freehand sharpened adage has a slightly convex to it. That’s why a lot of times you can get away with a slightly steeper sharpening angle on freehand sharpened knives, than you otherwise would, on a controlled angle system. I’ll probably do a video on this topic at some point. Haha I’m rambling now😀
I worked with sheet metal and we used 1080 and it was in the category with mild steel. I’m pretty sure 1080 is the hardness… but I never payed attention as I was just entering data to bend up the metal on break presses. But I could be wrong, however if 1080 works go local. there are steel company’s all over who will probably sell you scrap pieces of 1080 all day that size… Ask a wielded in your area where to buy metal from Ask that place for your 1080 I think square tube could even be used as it’s probably 1080 as well maybe ask if it is then bam get some 3 inch or higher to cut out your 1080 flats for suuuuper cheap. No joke I live in California and tubing is like 70 bucks a big ass stick but that’s A LOT
1080 is not mild steel. It is a high carbon steel with .8% carbon. 1018 or Mild steel will not harden due to its low carbon content and is not suitable for knives👍
Alpha Knife Supply is my favorite place since I live in Alaska. NJ steel baron and Texas Knifemaking Supply (even through Amazon) has shipping that is way to high for Alaska.
I've been making knives for about a year and I order my steel from Admiral Steel. It does sell it in six foot lengths but I always get quality steel from them.
I've heard a few people that had problems with Admiral, I've never tried them. I mainly use N'J Steel Baron or Alpha, sometimes Jantz.... Maybe I'll look into them
Dave Erving Evader Knives One thing though that might be the problem that your guys are talking about is hot rolled steel. All hot rolled steel can be hard to drill though sometimes. Just be aware of that if you buy it.
I bought some cold rolled steel. It is probably Cold Rolled Steel C1018. I made a tanto out of it and it was super easy to grind. I have not heat treated it yet. I will tomorrow. But is c1018 a bad metal for making knives?
Thank you for your informative video. I want to start packing this hobby. The easiest steel I could get is S235 or S270 structural steel. Are they any good for making knives? If yes, how should I heat treat it?
You can make a knife out of any free steel. Old files, saw blades, circle saw blades or any other scrap. Free is fun and who really cares if it holds an edge perfectly.
What you think about O1 steel as the only option, its one of the fews i hear about i can get in my country, i only made one knife so far from a leaf spring, i have a homemade forge from a propane tank, i can get high temperatures i believe. thanks in advance.
Here’s a link for 1080 steel amzn.to/2JAEGh2
Thanks for watching 😀
Disclaimer
This is an Amazon affiliate link
Prick.
Do you sell your custom made knives?
@@coloradodirtbike5930 I have the same question.
@@reneurena1128 he won't answer, I assume he doesn't.
Amazon is overprice. Go with New Jersey baron
2 years late to this party, but “better late than never.” This was great info! Thanks for sharing.
Same
He still liked your comment, this is how you know he cares about his commenters😊
Hahaha that makes 2 of us man
Bro I'm 3 years late and I definitely wish I'd watched this before I started knife making.
I'm still using old leaf springs and cultivator tines from the scrapyard. My local city shop also gave me all their old lawnmower blades.
Good info for new knife makers. I use more sophisticated steel but then my first knife is still in use. I made it from a Farriers Rasp in 1959. I was 10 years old. The blacksmith in my hometown guided me through the process using a coal forge. I still use a coal forge when heat treating. I am in the process of building a cleaner burning forge (propane). My grinders are genuine antiques that are very slow but don't heat up the steel. I also have some excellent belt sanders. I am retired but still fool around in my machine shop. I learned forge welding 60 years ago too.
Wow, that is awesome. But omvwey new on learning blacksmithing. Got alot to learn. I have books that Im reading up on it? O don't have anyone that would or want to teach me? It's almost like a treasure hidden in field? So, determine to know this?
Thanks for taking the time read this.
P.S. when you are ready to get rid of any of your work shop tools plus, the machinery let me know first!!
Thanks again
Good on you sir, I hope more people like you are around so the skills do not die.
I’ve used 1095, 1080 and 1075 and for me they all worked the same. The only issue I’ve ever had with heat treat was not having the quench oil warm, that’s where your knife will crack in heat treat. I had a backyard forge, heat the knife orange and quench in warm oil and never had issues. I also tempered in a toaster oven. I tested my knives when I was done by clamping them in a vice and smacking them with a hammer, they shouldn’t break and should be springy.
I've been making knives for a long time, not commercially, and some more advice I would give is to learn about spark testing !
You will be amazed at what you can find out there in junk piles, around old garages, farms and many other places !
I know it's not the best solution, but for starting out it can give you a chance to learn a lot about steel, and you might just happen to get some dang good knives out of it, I sure have ! 😊 Hey, the more you know, the better you are !
Nice video Alex , you're getting better all the time !
Thanks for sharing and take care. 👍 👍
I thought about mentioning that but decided to not mix “known steel” talk and “mystery steel” talk😉 I’ve been slowly collecting a pile of mystery steel for future use so the topic will definitely come up at some point 😀 Thanks for touching on that subject 👍👍
OUTDOORS55
Glad to hear that you plan on talking some on the subject !
In 1968 I had a shop teacher that was super good at spark testing and what I was able to pick up from him has really helped me !
The only problem with "Mystery steel" is you don't know what it'll take to get the best out of it... it might be some type of air cooled tool steel. A lot of people even suggest O1 to start with, but IMHO, it is a horrible steel to start with. It's not as easy as people think to properly heat treat. Just getting a steel hard, doesn't mean it is good for making knives... Then again, anytime i want to learn a new grind, I get some mild steel and practice till I'm happy. So, if it is all you have then go for it, you could also, just take a small piece and see what heat treating does, but you're right, spark testing does put you in the right direction....Take it easy...
Should be able to just text me the name of the place and where it is
So how do you it
My grandpa just went to saw mills and got the old blades they didn’t want, his knives were durable held an edge and were popular through out the Ohio area
O1 is an alloy tool steel and is a deep hardening steel. That means that it will harden in just about any oil because of how slowly it can be cooled and still harden, making it very easy to heat treat. It just repuires more soak time than a simple carbon steel. 5160 has a higher critical temperature, at about 1550, but is also a deep oil-hardening steel.
What steel would you recommend using for knife making?
@@mcween18 anything you can get your hands on that you can guarantee what it is. If you can purchase O1 from a reliable source, use that. But it also depends on what you are making and how you are making it. If you are interested in using a professional heat treating service, that opens up a lot of higher alloy steels. If you are forging, generally you should stick with simpler carbon steels, and avoid anything considered "stainless", but even then, it's not a hard and fast rule.
@@DragonHide94 cool thanks.
I dedicated my knifemaking skills at scrap steel XD i started making knife with trash to not spend too much money for somenthing that wasn't more than an hobby, but when i saw i whas getting somenthing interesting, i decided to start selling, but didn't abandon the scrap steel, that's become my sign. I also look for natural seasoned wood for handle when i go hicking and i found some amazing wood that is impossible to find to buy. I just love how you can make good knives from steel that was throw away, and is so cheap, sometimes free. For me a beginner could always start with car leaf spring and obtain a very good blade.
You're a great teacher and nice guy! My favorite knife is "the old one" as I love a knife that looks like a tool not a show piece. Keep up the good work!
Thanks for not just this video, but all your other ones as well. I'm a cabinet and furniture maker, but my grandsons want me to make them knives. Your site has inspired me to try. Thanks.
Great guide for beginner knife makers.
I'd recommend to look for 'Ground Flat Stock' or Gas when you're looking for straight steel pieces. That's the most common name for it in UK.
This is EXACTLY what I wanted to know
Awesome👍
If you are in the U.S, he left off a lot of suppliers... Check out Alpha Knife Supply(for handle material they have great prices and bigger sizes), Jantz(for a lot of materials) or N.J Steel baron all 3 have great prices, in fact N.J Steel baron is where USAKnifemaker gets his steel from...
jrg10332 Actually?
THANK YOU for posting this.
Looks like "Texas Knife Supply" is only like 10 miles from my house.
I've wanting to get into knife making for a while at now there's no reason not to.
Two sources, Admiral steel. In Illinois. A 6 foot bar of 1080 is 1/8" x 1.5" is like $13-14 minimum shipping is like $24 but you can ship 6 bars of steel for that price. So you can get a variety of thickness and widths.
Another is Aldo Bruno. He goes by New Jersey Steel Baron.
Most of his stock is 3' & 4' lengths
I'm not posting links because usually the posts get deleted by RUclips software unless the owner of the page allows links.
You can Google either of these.
I switched to 01 because of its easy to ht! I don’t have fancy equipment i just have a 2 burner forge and a tub of veg oil. I have nailed the ht every time ever sense I switched. I was doing 1095 and leaf springs before and i was having a hard time getting it consistent. Its just my personal preference i just soak it a little longer and I know exactly what color im going for so its pretty easy for me
Hey Alex. Unfortunately I didn’t purchase steel off Amazon but did find it on another site and mentioned your channel and name. Thanks for great videos as I’m now expanding my skills into knife making! God bless you and thank you for all you do. 👍🇺🇸
Had to add that American flag huh?
I’ve watched this a couple times a year as well as his knife hardening videos just to keep it fresh
***New subscriber here. I am so glad I watched this as I had no idea about the possible non-flatness of the 1080! Out of all the knife making videos I have watched no one has ever mentioned this. Thanks for all the videos!
I was watching a bonsai cutting video and saw a beautiful basic japanese knife and got this idea maybe i could make on myself with a piwcw of tool steel.. great video!
I have been using 1095 and despite primitive techniques have been able to harden it consistently(although without proper soak times etc I am probably not maximising it's properties)
this video is actually perfect no useless information
How did I miss this video? Thanks for the tip!
How i did i miss your comment?? Thanks for stopping by my friend 👍👊
I use o1 and haven't had any real issue with heat treat. O1 is actually quite forgiving in my experience (limited as it is) O1 is also locally available so it's my goto steel.
This is pretty much how I heat treat 1095 and never had an issue. The only thing I was taught was that I needed to be quick to quench in vegetable oil because it loses heat much quicker than 1080.
Man I'm glad to see where your channel is at now in comparison to when I found it Alex. You've come far in a relatively short time and it's awesome to watch ☺️👍 stay awesome man.
Thanks man!
Your disclaimer is wrong. You also make knives really really sharp. Great video I learned a lot.
Thx man... and love your 'no-nonsense' approach!
Great explanation on the limits and strong points of those different steels. This is a good primer for any beginner knife maker.
If you're starting out and you're not picky with the material you can find very good deals buying scraps, springs and all that, you might have to put more work but your pocket will thank you!
You gave valid point on thickness of steel but you can make good knife with thinner steel but you'd have to do it japanese way. Also for me i'd use pure high carbon steel as it's maybe the most versatile material and great for begginers. Before heat treatment what you can do depends on your imagination and resorcefullness.
Good suggestions
I was advised 1095 as a great beginning steel and was amazed with my knives
But thanks, I'll test the 1080 next. I wouldn't think much different in the two
Great starting point recomendations, I learned to stick with 1/8" on the hard way.
Great discussion. I love that last knife thats so scratched up!
I’ve been making knives for a while now. My go to supplier for high carbon is admiral steel. They have the best prices on 1095, 1077. You can get 6’ sticks for less than 20$. I know a lot of people like using found steel, like leaf springs and whatnot, but I’d say to leave that to more experienced makers who can tell the difference between junk and good stuff. Found steel can create more problems than it solves, e.g. microfractures, unknown heat treat schedule etc. anyways, it has never been easier to get into knifemaking. There’s no task in knifemaking that can’t be done with just a good set of files, a hacksaw, and sandpaper
I've personally had really good luck with O1. I don't think I've ever had a blade crack in quench. I've also gotten good hardening, checking with rockwell files, usually high 50s.
Thank you! This was very helpful… especially the info about size recommendations.
I have many suppliers who sell many steels..... Too many choices, some real expensive steel....... I might try 1040 with water quench using charcoal wood when I start ..... I can buy round billet 1045 3"x12" we got tools, we are going to get them sliced for us into appropriate weights for axe heads, this looks like fun! Thank you for your videos, super knowledgeable, practical wisdom.
Have gotten nice steel from Pops knife supply. 1080 and 8670.
if you forge, id strongly suggest looking at your local steel supplier for drops. my local place has O-1, A-2, D-2, M-2, 4140, and S-7 for $1.25 / lb. for referance, tool steels like this are typically $10-13 / lb. the only disadvantage is they are in shapes.and sizes that really arent suited for stock.removal. the smallest flat stock ive found there was 1/2". also pay attention to the batch numbers,.usually written on the stock..if you can find a number of bars from the same batch it will be a great benifit in figuring out your heat treat
Thank you, I was looking around for 1080!
Thanks again for the info! Just bought some 1080 from Texas knife supply (everyone else seemed to be out of stock).
All good solid info and confirmed from my experience! While I prefer 1080 for your reasons and more, I currently have a LOT of 1095, I got tired of running low on steel and bought 2 of 2 foot by 4 foot 1/8" sheets, I still have 2/3rds left lol, but yes you have to know a bit more and experiment more to properly heat treat the 1095, 1080 doesn't care but that extra .15% extra carbon really makes the steel more temperamental, again great info!
It’s funny that you mentioned USA Knife Maker. I was looking at google maps in this town that I’m stuck in, Mankato, MN, for the USPS distribution center when I saw across the street from it, “USA Knife Maker”! I’ve been here for over a year before had any clue!
Thanks to the Art of Craftsmanship I found your videos. Great info. Thanks
i have a Metal Supermarkets near me, not sure if they carry 1080 or 1084 as i didn't ask, but i know they have O1 and D2 tool steel. Never underestimate the cost savings of not having to ship metal.
I dont have anything local unfortunately. Shipping is the only way for me😩
Hey new subscriber here I just wanted to thank you for what your doing and I wished I'd found this video 2 years when I started my knife making it would've saved me money and saved me a lot of headaches you hit every topic I had issues with back then I had experience in forging roughly 15 years and I thought that knowledge would help a maybe it did but when it came to buying the right steel was an issue and I wished someone would have put this info out back then instead of me having to learn by trail and error any way again thanks for the video and your exactly where I'd hoped to have been 2 years ago but fait had other plans for me but good luck keep up the great work you doing and keep loving what you do
I work with both 1095 and my preferred O1 (and even W1). Same technique you use for 1080, exact same will give great results.
There are most likely some metal shops in your area that you can get scraps and remnants for next to nothing or even free.
Wow! What a amazing works! I like it.
I'd lean towards 3/16,.....granted some very tough Machetes are an 1/8 or less and even a circular saw blade is less than an 1/8.
I worked in a golf club factory and had access to some very powerful machines I ground hardened files into knive's that looked like chrome,....skids for handles.
In those days I didn't know how to untemper the steal I just ground and dipped in water.
I had trouble drilling handle pin holes,......about 6 drill bits per hole,..... even cherry red.
So I ended up heating handles cherry red then blowing a hole with a 110 mig on low.
Then I would fill it in with J.B. Weld and drill the hole and then I used High Impact epoxy to put the handles on.
That saved money on drill bits.
Then I would cut a blade from a circular saw and weld a 1/8 soft metal handle to it?
See if you weld it cold its brittle and snaps,....if you get both pieces buts at 90 degrees for splicing,.... you cut into each piece about 1 inch you shim the thinner saw blade to weld straight,.......then you heat it cherry red and leave the soft metal cold,.... and with a 110 mig on low you tenderly tack here and there till its all tacked.
Then as soon as its tacked you run a bead over the tacks in both sides,.....then you will use a angle grinder and a 80 grit sanding disc to remove the weld.
Then it's all 1 piece.
I use 1/8 X 1 cold rolled soft metal,......I cut it to the length of the handle,.........easily drill my holes and shape them 5 or 6 at a time the I lay them on a kitchen stove burner I always cook on high so I cook my meals on high for 1 week,... then flip the handles and do it for another week,.....and its hard shit,.....but I have also just welded soft steel to hard steel handles they are never going to bend after welded and the handle is epoxied on.
Good video! Get the right stuff! 1080! Good Advice!
The hardening process for 1095 and o1 or w1 or w2 or 5160 or any other high carbon steel with minimal alloy elements such as chromium are all virtually identical
Very informative and professionally delivered. You have gained a new subscriber.
Good advice on the type of steel. I recently bought 48"x2"x3/16" 1084 steel from Pop's. It was $35 + 17. shipping and I got it in 2 or 3 days. It was straight and came well boxed and packed. It may not be the cheapest but I was pleased. Cutting out the rough shape with an angle grinder cutting disk was no fun at all. I picked up a Harbor Freight Bauer metal cutting saw on sale, made a stand out of 3/4" plywood with a 10" x 10" 1/4" thick aluminum plate work surface and was able to cut out 2 knives in about 15 minutes. Much easier and better and safer too. My next challenge is to attempt a full bevel grind on a 5" blade with the 4x36. What belt do you use to get a nice satin finish on your blade??
How did I not notice your awesome videos before!! Very useful info thank you! 😸
Great vids. I would love it if you would make a vid telling us real times and costs. We see you grind for a few minutes but have no idea how long it really was. For costs I’m referring to materials. Did you go through one belt or five. Fuel cost for heating, etc.
Keep it up. I’m nearly brave enough to try my own soon.
Here’s what I want to see: 1080 backyard vs o1 backyard. I’d be willing to bet nearly equal results. Yes you don’t get everything out of the o1 you could, but you should get everything out of the o1 that you get out of the 1080, you just don’t get the cementite that you could get from proper HT. The downside being you may pay more for certain dimensions of o1, but personally, guaranteed I can find more volume of o1 for way less than I can 1080. I just bought 36” of 15/16 o1 for $38 free shipping. I can’t hardly find 1080 and when I do i pay nearly same again for shipping.
That would make an interesting test. I’ve thought about doing that myself. Not sure what the best approach would be for testing them though. I’m not sure my methods would be accurate enough to give any sort of conclusion. If not very erratic results.
I like where you're going with your channel. Keep it up brother.
Thanks my friend 👊😀
Thanks for the info. Im just gonna start making knives. Your videos are inspiring. Keep it up
And also it has a convex edge. I made a video I destroyed a fairly hard 3x6. Barelymade dent me edge I still throw with it .
You can also use ar400 or ar500 or tool steel and this metal if you don't get it too hot when cutting it you don't even have to temper the metal
USA knife maker is only 30 min from my house, love that place
Hi Alex, im from India, im a beginner for knife making, can u suggest for me,what steel to buy,and easy to forge for beginner, especially for grinder..if u can tell me ....im glad to you in advance....... waiting for ur reply..thank you.
All i use is 1095 and i get the best results from it. And my heat treat process is pretty "Crude". and that's the steel i started with.
Try some 1080. Can’t hurt. You may get better results, and you may not. It’s a great steel though. As far as I can tell it doesn’t lack anything from 1095.
OUTDOORS55 I have used 1080 it’s good but I like to use 1095 because that’s what all the old timers use, yeah I know that’s a pretty stupid reason but whatever.... and I do get the best results for me out of it. Thanks bro for the response god bless!
Great info! I've been trying to wrap my head around some of this and this helped! Thanks for the video!
No problem! Thanks for watching!
This is excellent information. Thanks!
As always, good solid info
You can send your shaped blanks to a facility in Texas. I think it's like 50 bucks for heat treatment on sv 30
Thank for posting this video. I have been trying to find some steel
No problem, thanks for watching!
Really like your channel. You take the time to explain things or "teach" your viewers. I really appreciate that. A question, if you don't mind. Could you please touch on the pro's and con's of quenching in motor oil -v- vegetable oil? Thank you.
Great video, and exceptional comment section. Subbed.
Thanks my friend!😀👍
Alex, you seriously have the most concise informative knife videos online. Thank you again.
I am curious about your thoughts on convex, and the application and aspects thereof.
Thanks man! I love convex edges. They are not as prevalent as they should be. Lots of benefits with little down sides. That’s one of the reasons I always felt hand sharpened edges are slightly “better “ than a controlled angle system. Any freehand sharpened adage has a slightly convex to it. That’s why a lot of times you can get away with a slightly steeper sharpening angle on freehand sharpened knives, than you otherwise would, on a controlled angle system. I’ll probably do a video on this topic at some point. Haha I’m rambling now😀
James Thacker good for swords and axes and things you don't want to bind in use
I been making knive for a few years I like to use old files leaf springs I know mystery steel so far so good
As always thank you. You really do a great job. 👍
Thank you my friend!
Appreciate this kinda info. Thx
I worked with sheet metal and we used 1080 and it was in the category with mild steel.
I’m pretty sure 1080 is the hardness… but I never payed attention as I was just entering data to bend up the metal on break presses.
But I could be wrong, however if 1080 works go local.
there are steel company’s all over who will probably sell you scrap pieces of 1080 all day that size…
Ask a wielded in your area where to buy metal from
Ask that place for your 1080
I think square tube could even be used as it’s probably 1080 as well maybe ask if it is then bam get some 3 inch or higher to cut out your 1080 flats for suuuuper cheap.
No joke I live in California and tubing is like 70 bucks a big ass stick but that’s A LOT
1080 is not mild steel. It is a high carbon steel with .8% carbon. 1018 or Mild steel will not harden due to its low carbon content and is not suitable for knives👍
Alpha Knife Supply is my favorite place since I live in Alaska. NJ steel baron and Texas Knifemaking Supply (even through Amazon) has shipping that is way to high for Alaska.
THANKS FOR SHARING INFO!!
Very helpful advice. Thanks!
I've been making knives for about a year and I order my steel from Admiral Steel. It does sell it in six foot lengths but I always get quality steel from them.
I've heard a few people that had problems with Admiral, I've never tried them. I mainly use N'J Steel Baron or Alpha, sometimes Jantz.... Maybe I'll look into them
Dave Erving Evader Knives That's interesting because I have never had a problem with them.
Yeah, that's good to know, thanks
Dave Erving Evader Knives One thing though that might be the problem that your guys are talking about is hot rolled steel. All hot rolled steel can be hard to drill though sometimes. Just be aware of that if you buy it.
You can buy 1084 thats precision ground from New Jersey Steel Barron.
Buy 1/8" x 2" x 48".
Interesting...thanks for the info. I haven't been able to find it👍
OUTDOORS55 call Aldo and tell him exactly what you're looking for. He's a stand up guy and will do everything he can to satisfy a customer.
Pretty cool and always tons of information sharing, thanks Alex.
Thanks for watching kevin👍
Good video as always just getting into knife making thx for the info!!!👍👍👍
Glad I could help😀
Love the vid man. Very useful info.
Thanks my friend!
Very informative thanks
I bought some cold rolled steel. It is probably Cold Rolled Steel C1018. I made a tanto out of it and it was super easy to grind. I have not heat treated it yet. I will tomorrow. But is c1018 a bad metal for making knives?
Thanks for the great information
VERY HELPFUL!!!
I belive this steel will make a good carpenter chisel?
I can’t find 1080 anywhere. I think you are right about people seeing this video and buying it out.
Me either 😂 I’m on my last piece too.
@@OUTDOORS55 Jeez, I just wanna get into making my first knife. I'm impatient.
Thank you for your informative video. I want to start packing this hobby. The easiest steel I could get is S235 or S270 structural steel. Are they any good for making knives? If yes, how should I heat treat it?
Thank you kindly for your advice.
The knife you bring in at 4:40, can you tell me what wood was used for the scales. Beautiful!
You can make a knife out of any free steel. Old files, saw blades, circle saw blades or any other scrap. Free is fun and who really cares if it holds an edge perfectly.
This was a very good video friend thank you .
I have use Texas Knife, very good
Informative. Thanks Man!
What you think about O1 steel as the only option, its one of the fews i hear about i can get in my country, i only made one knife so far from a leaf spring, i have a homemade forge from a propane tank, i can get high temperatures i believe.
thanks in advance.
Hi , plz tell me the steel hss it is good for making knife ? And it needed for heat ! Thanx