Best steel to use

seider

seider

Well-Known Member
I have acess to various steel types I can get ahold of some 3016 we also have some 4140 but it is already heat treated, how hard would that be to work? Would it just take alot more work. The 3016 is not treated and can get a good bit of that. Any help would be great..
 
I believe that 3016 is a stainless steel without enough carbon in it to make a knife blade from. It would be impossible to harden it enough for it to take and keep an edge. The 4140 is marginal for making a blade from. The chromium and molybdenum will makd it a little harder than 1040 plus make it more hardenable but it contains minimal carbon for quench hardening.

What I recommend it that you slow down just a little and get some reading done. The $50 Knife Shop isn't all that bad. It has a couple of technical errors in it but most of it is sound. The Master Bladesmith is better. It deals with knife making from a smithing point of view but smiths also have to do stock removal so it deals with it also. You can also search these boards for steel selection too.

Doug
 
I agree with Doug, do a little reading up front, this will give you a direction to head in. In most instances I would recommend 1084 or 1095 to start with, but 01 is also a good steel to use out of the box. They grind easy and are forgiving steels to work. They are also some of the least expensive.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top