Bandsaw blades

Keith Willis

Keith Willis

Well-Known Member
I got these from a friend that has a sawmill,I feel very stupid that I left them outside.When I got them,there was no rust on them,but I left them outside,and.....:(

I am not sure what type of steel they are.I think there is some #'s on them,and if I find them I will contact the manufacture.I know some guys that have used some of these,and they tell me they make some good blades,however I would like to know what I am working with,before I start.If I don't find any #'s,I think it would be worth sending off a piece and let someone tell me what I have.I will also heat a piece and quench,and see if it will break.

I made one cut,and layed them out straight and they are each 36' long,.100 thick and 9'' to the bottom of the gusset.

Any of you guys ever used large bandsaw blades similar to these?

God bless,Keith
 
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those will probably good steel, usually older saw blades like that are L6.
 
I made a knife out of one of these back when I first started. I was new to blacksmithing, knifemaking and hardening. I got the blade forged and ground. Heated it in the gas forge to a bright orange and quenched it in peanut oil. It didn't harden so I did it again and again it did not harden. Called a friend and he said, "If it won't harden in oil try water". Well, I didn't want to take a chance with the blade I had worked so hard on so I got an unworked piece of the saw blade, heated it up, quenched it in water and it hardened well. Sooo,,,I heated up my blade, quenched it in water and it cracked.
There were two lessons there:
1. The blade cracked in water when the unworked piece didn't because the blade was thinner and quenched faster.
2. I was heating the blade waaaay hotter than "non-magnetic". Metal hardens at about 50 degrees above critical or non-magnetic and not waaaay above it. Hardness drops off dramaticly also if quenched below critical.
I then made another blade, quenched it properly in the peanut oil and got a good, hard, flexable knife.
 

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Thanks guys.

Thanks Wayne,I can see where a magnet would be very important,when heat treating with a torch,as I do.

God bless,Keith
 
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