My first try at a saw blade knife


sdc

sdc

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Well after gathering some used masonry blades from my Dad (unlimited supply BTW) I finally started on a camp knife tonight. I used a porta-band to cut the raw metal out. Then proceeded slowly shaping on a bench grinder with keeping the blade cool in a quench every so often. Then I used a file, wishing for a belt sander!!

I'm not new at metal work but am as green as grass at knive making. I wanted a stout knife that was fairly large so here it is.

Roughed out
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Laying on the future scales, Osage.
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For size comparison against my buck omni-hunter
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Ok now, should I harden it in the oven or try it like this since I never changed the temperature of the steel enough to stress it? Need some help guys ;)
 
do you know what the steel is? if you never got it real hot (like turning blue) it should be fine how it is. you shouldn't need to do any heat treating. test it out and see how the edge holds up. looks good. keep at it.
 
From the research I've done on knive making from these type of blades, there very little uniformity in the type of steel they use. As far as working it down to an edge it's not stainless hard but feels fairly hard.
 
ive made a few knives now, all out of circular saw blades, and i havnt heat-treated any of them but they seem to hold an edge pretty well...
 
Lookin good on that knife project, we made some outta the same material ,leuku style blades worked well for butchering ,chopping etc but the metal was softened a little much so we gonna redue it in the spring ,the handle we made for that is a piece of aspen split from a log then cut in half handle laid in to the halves and binded with a piece of chalk line so its removeable ,i like messing with the saw blades though free steel and all . .338winmag
 
You will likely need to HT the blade to get the most out of it, the masonary blades we have at work are only really hard on the teeth and have carbine or dimond on the teeth but I think thats more to produce a large kerf and let the teeth travel deeper without binding.

Make a test blade, dosent even have to have a real shape just sharpen it and test the edge , then if it passes give it a bend test and see if it bends.

With unknown steel its all trial and error really.
 
no you will not need to heat treat this blade. it is made from a saw blade that is already heat treated. as long as you didnt turn the steel any colors while grinding on it, it should be fine.
a good way to tell if steel hard is to try to indent it with a punch, or drill a hole in it. if its hardened you will not be able to drill a hole.
 
You should probably heat treat this blade if you want to get the best performance out of it.
First of all, every circular saw blade will be made of high(ish) carbon, low-alloy steel, no matter if it is carbide tipped or not. Mild steel would not survive the stresses placed this type of a cutting tool. You can test harden a bit of it to be sure, but I don't bother any more, and haven't been surprised yet.
Right now your saw blade knife is likely somewhere around the low 40's RC, which is a bit too soft for a blade. I love saw blades - free, easy to heat treat at home, and make great knives!
 
So how in your opinion would be the best way to heat treat it in the oven?
 
You will NOT be able to heat treat it in the oven. You temper in the oven. your Heat treat will require you to heat your blade past non magnetic(this is the simple version) which is about 1414 deg. then quench in oil.(it will be hard but brittle therefore useless as a knife. THEN temper in your oven at 400deg. this will take away the brittle, but not the hard. then wallah, you now have a useable knife blade.
 
Most if these blades are hardened already. To keep from losing this, keep it cool when grinding on it. Dunk it in water often. Try not to let it change colors, blue, orange or straw color. Go slow, if you are using power tools (grinder, belt sander and so on) make a pass and dunk it in water. Remember it is a little more time but going fast causes mistakes wasted time and matirial.
 
Ok guys, I was able to drill a few holes in it by going slow as a snail with Lots of bit pressure. I have worked SS allot with my job (sheet metal worker) and understand hard steel. So I feel like this is as stated above it's hard just not sure if it's as hard as it could be?

Thanks for all of the pointers, contemplating building a small forge this week. I'll keep you posted.
 
Well months later I'm at the point it sorta resembles a knive :)

Screwed up some things, learned lots…first of an addiction me thinks!
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