ice skate blades for knife making?

Post by danmc91
Anyone have any experience using old ice skate blades for knife making?

Having been born in AZ I don't know anything about the steel used in
ice skates. :/

Is it stainless steel?
If so, don't bother. :/

If it's carbon steel how hard is it?
Is it easily filed? New file needed?
If it's carbon steel we'll need a spark test, up for that?

Post by danmc91
I have a small handful of blades from my hockey skates which have
been ground down enough by repeated sharpening that they are no
longer good for skates.
I'm open to suggestions as to what sort of knife would be best suited
for these blades.

Start with something small first, like a paring knife, IMO.

Post by danmc91
On thought is a nice fillet knife although as a total beginner I'm
a bit nervous about how thin I'd need to grind the blade. I've
also thought about making some wood turning tools out of them.
My guess is that the width of the blade (from cutting edge to the
back edge) isn't quite enough for something like dressing out a
deer. Besides I haven't had time to take up that hobby yet.

Deer skinning can be done with a 4" stockman pocket knife.

The main need there is a good piece of steel that'll take and
hold an edge worth anything.

That could even be a 2"x 3"x 1/2" piece of quartz tho...

http://www.panix.com/~alvinj/oldest.htm

Post by danmc91
I do plan on using what ever I make, not just displaying it.

We need help. (like someone that knows what an ice-skate is;)

Bill H?

Post by danmc91
The blades are 0.11" thick, about 12" long, and about 0.5" wide.
The width varies a bit as you go down the blade. If you set them
on edge, the ends are about 3/4" off the table. Most of the curve
is in the last 2" or so on each end of the blade.
-Dan

Cool idea, hope it works out for you. :)

Since they are plentiful(?) might as well get busy grinding and find
out if they are worth anything as knife blades?

My favorite tool for that work has turned out to be a "little hand
grinder" (catalog name: 4+1/2" angle grinder) using Norton wheels.
(the cheap wheels are false economy and sometimes just a plain-ol'
pain in the ass;)

C-clamp the soon-to-be-knife to a piece of wood and carefully grind
away what you don't want on the new knife blade. ;) Finish up with
a file and sand paper?

It's not rocket science, it's simple sculpturing.

You can do it. :)

Alvin in AZ
ps- I need to get off my lazy-ass and get the HSS blades sent out
I promised... I want to include known-samples for spark-testing
pps- my son's girlfriend got hit from behind by a van while riding
her bike "in the provided bike-lane" it's been over a week and
she hasn't said a word and don't expect a word for another
month... she's getting a chest tube today for her newly
calapsed lung :(

danmc91

2005-07-27 01:49:11 UTC

Post by danmc91
Anyone have any experience using old ice skate blades for knife making?

Having been born in AZ I don't know anything about the steel used in
ice skates. :/

I'll bet they play hockey somewhere in AZ!

Post by a***@XX.com
Is it stainless steel?
If so, don't bother. :/

I'll reveal myself as a total beginner here... How does one know for
sure? The blades will rust if left wet, but no where near like what
soft iron would do.

Post by a***@XX.com
If it's carbon steel how hard is it?

I've struck out so far in terms of trying to find a machine shop that
would take pity on me and stick it in their hardness tester.

Post by a***@XX.com
Is it easily filed? New file needed?

With a moderately new file, I'd say it files about 1/2 as fast as an
old cabinet scraper I have. Not a super scientific experiment, 100
strokes with the file on each and eyeball the result. The skate blade
had about 1/2 as much material removed than the cabinet scraper.

Post by a***@XX.com
If it's carbon steel we'll need a spark test, up for that?

I suppose it is a skill I need to acquire. Is the best way to try and
obtain some more or less known samples to compare too? Should I order
some stock from MSC or some other industrial supply house for known
samples? Currently my only grinder is a DeWalt 4 1/2 inch hand held
angle grinder with the original type 27 (fast cutting aluminimum oxide)
wheel. It only has about 2 lawnmower blades on it so it should be in
decent shape. I've been debating getting a bench grinder though.

Start with something small first, like a paring knife, IMO.

ok.

Deer skinning can be done with a 4" stockman pocket knife.
The main need there is a good piece of steel that'll take and
hold an edge worth anything.
That could even be a 2"x 3"x 1/2" piece of quartz tho...
http://www.panix.com/~alvinj/oldest.htm

nice.

Post by danmc91
I do plan on using what ever I make, not just displaying it.

We need help. (like someone that knows what an ice-skate is;)
Bill H?

Cool idea, hope it works out for you. :)
Since they are plentiful(?) might as well get busy grinding and find
out if they are worth anything as knife blades?

At least moderately plentiful. I haven't checked with the local hockey
equipment supplier, but it wouldn't suprise me if they were willing to
give me a tub of them. The fact that I've held on to the ones I've had
to change out is mostly due to me being a packrat.

Actually, if someone on this group has some experience with different
types of steel, I wouldn't mind sending out one of the blades (return
not needed) for further comments.

Post by a***@XX.com
C-clamp the soon-to-be-knife to a piece of wood and carefully grind
away what you don't want on the new knife blade. ;) Finish up with
a file and sand paper?
It's not rocket science, it's simple sculpturing.
You can do it. :)

Thanks for the encouragement! One thing that I'm hoping will help is
that this thing is already a blade, it's just not a cutting blade. But
it does mean I don't need a torch or bandsaw to cut out a blank from
something like an old HSS saw blade (yes, I have one of those lying
around too with some vague notion of making a knife out of it too).

Oh, I guess for you folks from non-ice producing states, a hockey skate
blade is slightly curved from front to back so you can contact the ice
throughout your stride and as you extend your leg. If you look at the
bottom, it is ground somewhat hollow so that you really have 2 edges,
on on the left and one on the right. The 2 sides are parallel so there
is no taper moving from top to bottom like on a kitchen knife.

Post by a***@XX.com
Alvin in AZ
pps- my son's girlfriend got hit from behind by a van while riding
her bike "in the provided bike-lane" it's been over a week and
she hasn't said a word and don't expect a word for another
month... she's getting a chest tube today for her newly
calapsed lung :(

I am very sorry to hear that. I really do wish her and your family the
best and speediest of recoveries.

-Dan (currently in the south, but formerly from a hockey state)

a***@XX.com

2005-07-30 20:29:08 UTC

Post by danmc91
I'll bet they play hockey somewhere in AZ!

Yeah the gov't owned universities have IH teams. :/

Post by a***@XX.com
Is it stainless steel?
If so, don't bother. :/

I'll reveal myself as a total beginner here... How does one know
for sure? The blades will rust if left wet, but no where near
like what soft iron would do.

For me I can just look at it and tell if it's stainless or not.
But not sure I could ever describe how tho. :/

Hmmm... stainless steel looks like shit? ;)

Post by a***@XX.com
If it's carbon steel how hard is it?

I've struck out so far in terms of trying to find a machine shop
that would take pity on me and stick it in their hardness tester.

Post by a***@XX.com
Is it easily filed? New file needed?

Sorry, my original post wasn't worth posting really. :/

A file test is more about "bite" than material removal.
How much pressure (by feel not measured;) does it take to get a new
and old file to bite?

With high pressure does a new file slip over it with a nice shiny
groove on the new file's teeth? ;)

That's how hard I like my knife blade if I expect it to take and
hold an edge. :) I'm weird tho. :/

Post by a***@XX.com
If it's carbon steel we'll need a spark test, up for that?

I suppose it is a skill I need to acquire. Is the best way to try
and obtain some more or less known samples to compare too?

You got it, that's almost all there is to it really.
A little knowledge of steel metallurgy that you can get here on r.k
and you got it.

I already went through most of it in another post.

Post by danmc91
Should I order some stock from MSC or some other industrial supply
house for known samples? Currently my only grinder is a DeWalt 4
1/2 inch hand held angle grinder with the original type 27 (fast
cutting aluminimum oxide) wheel. It only has about 2 lawnmower
blades on it so it should be in decent shape. I've been debating
getting a bench grinder though.

Wow, you already have the best tool for the main job.

When you do get around to buying another type 27 wheel get a Norton.
BTDT... but the DeWalt ain't bad.

As soon as you get the least bit serious about this knife grinding
save-back the dewalt wheel for rougher work (or a loaner?).

It won't take long before you'll need a bench grinder of some sort.
You'll see the need as soon as you need it. For now do what you can
with the hand-grinder. :) There's a lot that can be done with that
and maybe add a 4+1/2" Norton Zircon-grit flap-wheel before the
bench grinder purchase?

Also I much prefer the type 27 wheels with the 7/8" hole to those
with the built-on thread-hub... even most of the Nortons are
crooked. :/

(for the 4" hand-grinders they have a simple 5/8" hole)

Start with something small first, like a paring knife, IMO.

ok.

That was disagreed with. :)
For good reasons, I guess. :)

All I'm saying is... since you are working with a narrow piece of
steel better to figure on a short blade than trying to go straight
away for a long fillet blade? <shrug>

Oh heck missed that the first time around. :/

I really like the idea of trying them out as wood turning tools. :)
You'll soon find out if they are worth anything right away.

Post by a***@XX.com
That could even be a 2"x 3"x 1/2" piece of quartz tho...
http://www.panix.com/~alvinj/oldest.htm

nice.

Cool huh? :)

Funny thing about it, I was offered that before and turned it down.
I kind of like leaving old stuff like that where it is.

Later I found out it had been offered to others too then dawned on
me if I don't accept it, it'll be gone... and after all it was a
-knife- so if someone's going to carry it off it'd be better off
being me? :)

Dangged cowboys will give-away just about anything. ;)

Post by danmc91
I do plan on using what ever I make, not just displaying it.

Cool. :)

Post by danmc91
At least moderately plentiful. I haven't checked with the local
hockey equipment supplier, but it wouldn't suprise me if they were
willing to give me a tub of them. The fact that I've held on to
the ones I've had to change out is mostly due to me being a
packrat.

That makes at least two packrats here on r.k. ;)

Post by danmc91
Thanks for the encouragement! One thing that I'm hoping will help
is that this thing is already a blade, it's just not a cutting
blade.
But it does mean I don't need a torch or bandsaw to cut out a
blank from something like an old HSS saw blade (yes, I have one of
those lying around too with some vague notion of making a knife
out of it too).

Before you go to any work on that HSS sucker we need to find out
what type it is...
a) bi-metal with a HSS welded edge
b) all high speed steel but with a flexible, soft back
c) all HSS but full hard with a hard back where the back is as hard
as the tips of the teeth

Off hand probability... the power hacksaw blade will need -no- heat
treating and the skate blade can prob'ly be improved by re-heat
treating. Weird huh? :/

What paint and letter colors, size, brand and anything else you know
for sure about the power hacksaw blade?

Post by danmc91
Oh, I guess for you folks from non-ice producing states, a hockey
skate blade is slightly curved from front to back so you can
contact the ice throughout your stride and as you extend your leg.
If you look at the bottom, it is ground somewhat hollow so that
you really have 2 edges, on on the left and one on the right.
The 2 sides are parallel so there is no taper moving from top to
bottom like on a kitchen knife.

That's all I did-knowed;) about them actually! :)

Seen 'em a couple times, dirt cheap in second hand stores where some
snow bird moved out here and brought those and some other weird-ass
cold weather stuff with them ;) like fancy ice scrapers for example.

Post by danmc91
-Dan (currently in the south, but formerly from a hockey state)

So you "sound like a dammed yankee" too huh? ;)
(that's what relatives in the deep south claim I sound like;)

Alvin in AZ

Rust

2005-07-27 03:32:36 UTC

Post by a***@XX.com
pps- my son's girlfriend got hit from behind by a van while riding
her bike "in the provided bike-lane" it's been over a week and
she hasn't said a word and don't expect a word for another
month... she's getting a chest tube today for her newly
calapsed lung :(

Very sorry to hear this. I hope she makes the fullest recovery possible,
and in the shortest time.

-Rust

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Greyangel

2005-07-27 03:31:06 UTC

Post by danmc91
Anyone have any experience using old ice skate blades for knife making?

Having been born in AZ I don't know anything about the steel used in
ice skates. :/
Is it stainless steel?
If so, don't bother. :/

Bet it is. Even if it does rust some when left wet. I tried skating on
them a couple times. I'll stick to my roller blades thanks. Ice skating is
surprisingly bone jarring.

Post by a***@XX.com
If it's carbon steel how hard is it?
Is it easily filed? New file needed?
If it's carbon steel we'll need a spark test, up for that?

Post by danmc91
I have a small handful of blades from my hockey skates which have
been ground down enough by repeated sharpening that they are no
longer good for skates.

Try hitting them with the grinder and see what the spark looks like and then
come back and tell us if it looked orange or white. Whether it shot
straight out without much forking or if the sparks exploded all over the
place.

Post by danmc91
I'm open to suggestions as to what sort of knife would be best suited
for these blades.

Start with something small first, like a paring knife, IMO.

Dunno Alvin, I think a bigger knife is easier to work on than the smaller
stuff. Not as easy to heat treat but easier to grind and fit.

<respectfully snipped>

Post by a***@XX.com
Alvin in AZ
ps- I need to get off my lazy-ass and get the HSS blades sent out
I promised... I want to include known-samples for spark-testing
pps- my son's girlfriend got hit from behind by a van while riding
her bike "in the provided bike-lane" it's been over a week and
she hasn't said a word and don't expect a word for another
month... she's getting a chest tube today for her newly
calapsed lung :(

So Alvin, I promised you some known samples... I never did get that 52100
but I got 1095, 5160, O1 and 15N20. You ready for it or do you want to wait
for a smorgasboard? ;-) The 1095 and 15N20 is thin stock that I got for
forge welding. O1 is eighth inch and the 5160 is quarter in.

GA

Rust

2005-07-27 04:35:23 UTC

Post by Greyangel
Try hitting them with the grinder and see what the spark looks like and
then come back and tell us if it looked orange or white. Whether it
shot straight out without much forking or if the sparks exploded all
over the place.

Hold up; what is the rule of thumb on this? What do the colours mean, and
what do the forms of sparking mean?

By the way, I'm pretty sure that most skate blades are not stainless steel.
I'm not absolutely certain about that, but something makes me doubt it.

-Rust

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Greyangel

2005-07-27 23:17:22 UTC

I'm no expert on any of this, especially what ice skates are made of. I
would have thought that since the skates are exposed to a lot of moisture it
would make sense to use stainless steel to make the blades. Stainless
doesn't make the best cutlery but it should be suitable for riding ice. It
is possible to have stainless that isn't brittle which would be one of the
serious considerations there. But what do I know?
As for spark, its been my observation that clean steel has a brighter
spark while chromium makes it color more to the orange. I'm assuming but
don't quote me on this that other alloys will have the same affect. I know
that 5160 is darker than straight carbon steel spark and I've sparked other
stuff that was a lot darker (but not knowing what it was). I just went and
sampled some of the stuff I've got out in the garage and O1 has a almost
pink tinge to the sparks.
The forking of the sparks as it shoots off the wheel seems to be
directly proportionate to the amount of carbon and the length of the spark
seems to be inversly proportionate to the carbon content. - but again, I
could be only seeing part of the picture here. As a rule of thumb, long
straight bright spark without much forking means clean iron. A high carbon
steel will fan out and go dark in a few inches from my bench grinder. Ever
heard of the Pandrol Clips? A kind of railroad hardware. They have a
fairly dark spark and not a great lot of forking but I know for a fact that
they make great knives (shrug). Go figure - I'll let someone else try to
explain that one. I will say that contrary to popular speculation, they are
not much like the 5160 that I have and they also seem to have a higher phase
change temperature.

If you really want to know that mystery steel, you should do your own
comparisons from known samples. Perceptions vary with the individual and
the scrap metal guides will only tell you what is "popularly used". You can
end up with vastly different material.

GA

Post by Rust

Hold up; what is the rule of thumb on this? What do the colours mean, and
what do the forms of sparking mean?
By the way, I'm pretty sure that most skate blades are not stainless steel.
I'm not absolutely certain about that, but something makes me doubt it.
-Rust
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a***@XX.com

2005-07-29 21:07:09 UTC

Post by Rust
Hold up; what is the rule of thumb on this?
What do the colours mean, and what do the forms of sparking mean?
-Rust

Colors are mentioned quite often but they don't do anything for me.

It's the bursts, where they are, how many and what form they take
that tells me what the steel is.

I figure color is another clue but isn't one I need since I'm simply
trying to figure out if it's a high alloy steel that I can't heat
treat myself from those that I can heat treat.

For example M2 HSS makes a red colored streak with almost zero
bursts, the lack of bursts tells me I can't heat treat it.

There is a learning curve to spark testing and a need for known
samples but that's about it. Kinda fun really. :)

Automotive suspension springs are a low alloy medium carbon steel.
Like 5160. I'd guess that ice skates are too, maybe 4140 tho?

Moly makes a separated arrow head at the end of the stream.

Cold chisels are about 1080 (.8%C).
Rusty Old Timers and Old Hickorys are 1095 (1%C).
Files are 1.22% carbon steel and tough to see the added carbon over
1095 at 1%C.

--------------

Gotta go to the horsepital, Brooke woke up and said "hi" and smiled
at me last night. We don't know what else she was trying to say
"what's going on?" maybe?

Alvin in AZ

Fraser Johnston

2005-07-30 12:59:03 UTC

Post by a***@XX.com
Gotta go to the horsepital, Brooke woke up and said "hi" and smiled
at me last night. We don't know what else she was trying to say
"what's going on?" maybe?

Glad to hear she is making a recovery mate.

Fraser

a***@XX.com

2005-07-31 21:06:27 UTC

Post by Fraser Johnston

Post by a***@XX.com
Gotta go to the horsepital, Brooke woke up and said "hi" and
smiled at me last night.

Glad to hear she is making a recovery mate.
Fraser

Her first clear word was "hi" and her second clear word, while
trying to set up (but still tied down) was "fuck". :)

Alvin in AZ

J Craggs

2005-07-31 23:32:35 UTC

Post by a***@XX.com
Her first clear word was "hi" and her second clear word, while
trying to set up (but still tied down) was "fuck". :)
Alvin in AZ

Sounds like a survivor to me ;-) Best wishes
to her.

Gyppo

John Craggs - Writer - Adult Tutor - Storyteller
and All-Round Rogue
Need a laugh? Then subscribe to the free Monday Silly Digest:
mail to: ***@ntlworld.com With 'MSD SUB' as subject.

a***@XX.com

2005-08-01 20:05:48 UTC

Post by a***@XX.com
Her first clear word was "hi" and her second clear word, while
trying to set up (but still tied down) was "fuck". :)

Sounds like a survivor to me ;-) Best wishes to her.
John Craggs

She was a pretty strong headed gal anyway, now being half crazy... ;)

Didn't get to go yesterday but last night she calls me wanting me
to come get her and take her home. :) She's still in the ICU and
has a feeding tube etc. :)

What a difference a day can make... when the first week she seemed
to be getting worse instead of better.

Alvin in AZ

Bill

2005-07-27 23:43:07 UTC

Post by Greyangel

Post by a***@XX.com
Start with something small first, like a paring knife, IMO.

Dunno Alvin, I think a bigger knife is easier to work on than the smaller
stuff. Not as easy to heat treat but easier to grind and fit.

I'm with GA on that! First knife I ever tried to hollow grind was a paring
knife, ruined some good steel real fast. If you start with a big-assed bowie
you can screw up a few times and have a paring knife by the time you're done
grinding away your mistakes.

I like using wooden paint sticks (the ones the hardware/paint store gives you
for free) for trying out shapes and angles before I waste good steel. Since I
can't draw to save my life, I can even do a little design experimenting.

--
Bill H. [my "reply to" address is real]
www.necka.net
Molon Labe!

danmc91

2005-07-28 01:22:27 UTC

With regards to skate blades being subject to moisture, there is no
doubt about that. The material probably can't be too wimpy though. At
170 lbs, I'm a little guy, but my edges hold up reasonably well if I
don't bang them into the steel posts at the net, hit someone elses
skates, or step on concrete.

True they're cutting ice, but they take a pretty hefty amount of abuse.
Picture a 220 lb skater who can stop quick. I doubt many kitchen
knives see that sort of pressure. Of course skates get sharpened a
bunch. I don't think the steel is too brittle. I've never seen a
blade break even when hit by a hard slapshot although I've heard that
it can happen. I guess I'd put that at least in the rare category.

Post by Greyangel
Try hitting them with the grinder and see what the spark looks like and then
come back and tell us if it looked orange or white. Whether it shot
straight out without much forking or if the sparks exploded all >over the

place

So I tried a spark test, but I need to try again with a collection of
known samples. The sparks forked a decent bit. I'll have to try again
with my wife around for the color. I'm a touch color blind and it's
red that I have troubles with so I'm not so good of a judge on the
orange vs white sparks. The one sample I was able to dig up was a
piece of Starrett No 496 Oil hardening precision gorund flat stock. On
the label it says AISI 01 Chromium, Tungsten, Vanadium tool steel.
This stock had not been hardened or tempered yet although the piece I
have had been cut at a forge if that matters. This reminds me, I need
to find someone with a forge so I can finish that adze blade! I think
I need to reconsider hardening at the forge though. Too big of a
challenge for a total beginner in that area. Probably should have
picked a soft iron piece instead of tool steel for a first project in
front of the fire...

Anyway, when compared to the tool steel, the skate blade sparks were
brighter, went further, and there were more of them. I had a hard time
deciding if an individual spark like burst out more on one sample than
the other.

-Dan

Greyangel

2005-07-28 02:42:00 UTC

Post by danmc91
With regards to skate blades being subject to moisture, there is no
doubt about that. The material probably can't be too wimpy though. At
170 lbs, I'm a little guy, but my edges hold up reasonably well if I
don't bang them into the steel posts at the net, hit someone elses
skates, or step on concrete.
True they're cutting ice, but they take a pretty hefty amount of abuse.
Picture a 220 lb skater who can stop quick. I doubt many kitchen
knives see that sort of pressure. Of course skates get sharpened a
bunch. I don't think the steel is too brittle. I've never seen a
blade break even when hit by a hard slapshot although I've heard that
it can happen. I guess I'd put that at least in the rare category.

Post by Greyangel
Try hitting them with the grinder and see what the spark looks like and then
come back and tell us if it looked orange or white. Whether it shot
straight out without much forking or if the sparks exploded all >over the

place

You would probably notice if there was a lot of chromium in them. It's got
a look and so does carbon steel. Pretty hard to miss really unless they
have a new polish. Rust on SS would be spotty while Carbon steel would kind
of look greyish all over pretty fast even if not rusted.

Post by danmc91
So I tried a spark test, but I need to try again with a collection of
known samples. The sparks forked a decent bit. I'll have to try again
with my wife around for the color. I'm a touch color blind and it's
red that I have troubles with so I'm not so good of a judge on the
orange vs white sparks. The one sample I was able to dig up was a
piece of Starrett No 496 Oil hardening precision gorund flat stock. On
the label it says AISI 01 Chromium, Tungsten, Vanadium tool steel.
This stock had not been hardened or tempered yet although the piece I
have had been cut at a forge if that matters. This reminds me, I need
to find someone with a forge so I can finish that adze blade! I think
I need to reconsider hardening at the forge though. Too big of a
challenge for a total beginner in that area. Probably should have
picked a soft iron piece instead of tool steel for a first project in
front of the fire...

You gotta be prepared to make the best of it whatever you do. If you can't
bring yourself to risk pricier material then find an old metal bed frame.
Some of that stuff is fairly high carbon - and there is always sombody
around looking to dump it ;-) What you should do initially is make yourself
up some strips of hardenable steel and play with it. Don't get all serious
about it. Just heat it up to non magnetic and quench it in some oil
(mineral oil is easy and cheap at the feed stores). Then break it in a vice
and see what it looks like. Practice normalizing it by heating it to non
magnetic and letting it cool at air temp. It's a revelation to take samples
and do one with a single normalizing and quench then do two normalizations
before quench, then three. Each time you snap it off and check what the
grain looks like. Then temper those pieces at different temperatures and
lengths of time and try snapping them off. Not only will you get graphic
examples of how to get the most out of the steel but you'll come away from
it a lot more confident about what you are doing. People talk about
testing knives to destruction but you can get most of the important
information with simple strips of metal. Pay attention to how far it bends
before failure and how much effort is required to get it to bend. Then when
you want a blade for keeps you know how it's going to turn out.

Post by danmc91
Anyway, when compared to the tool steel, the skate blade sparks were
brighter, went further, and there were more of them. I had a hard time
deciding if an individual spark like burst out more on one sample than
the other.
-Dan

If it was me I'd use an old file to compare. That would be classic example
of a simple high carbon steel. Steel that has close to a full percent of
carbon looks a bit like a sparkler against the grinder. As for "Quantity" of
spark, you can't rely too much on that as it is affected by things like
pressure against the grind wheel and surface geometry of what you are
holding against the wheel.

GA

Del Cecchi

2005-07-28 02:46:04 UTC

Post by Greyangel

Post by danmc91
Anyone have any experience using old ice skate blades for knife making?

Having been born in AZ I don't know anything about the steel used in
ice skates. :/
Is it stainless steel?
If so, don't bother. :/

Bet it is. Even if it does rust some when left wet. I tried skating on
them a couple times. I'll stick to my roller blades thanks. Ice skating is
surprisingly bone jarring.

Post by a***@XX.com
If it's carbon steel how hard is it?
Is it easily filed? New file needed?
If it's carbon steel we'll need a spark test, up for that?

Post by danmc91
I have a small handful of blades from my hockey skates which have
been ground down enough by repeated sharpening that they are no
longer good for skates.

anyone can watch the skates being sharpened and see the sparks.
Whiteish is what I recall from when my son played hockey.

Post by Greyangel

Post by danmc91
I'm open to suggestions as to what sort of knife would be best suited
for these blades.

Start with something small first, like a paring knife, IMO.

Dunno Alvin, I think a bigger knife is easier to work on than the smaller
stuff. Not as easy to heat treat but easier to grind and fit.
<respectfully snipped>

Prayers for her.

--
Del Cecchi
"This post is my own and doesn’t necessarily represent IBM’s positions,
strategies or opinions.”

a***@XX.com

2005-08-01 20:23:21 UTC

Post by Greyangel
So Alvin, I promised you some known samples... I never did get
that 52100 but I got 1095, 5160, O1 and 15N20. You ready for it
or do you want to wait for a smorgasboard? ;-) The 1095 and 15N20
is thin stock that I got for forge welding. O1 is eighth inch and
the 5160 is quarter in.
GA

Cool thanks, not ready just yet but soon maybe. :)

On that list would be 15N20 and a (really for real;) piece of 5160
is what I don't have.

The 52100 I'm planning to buy. Man that stuff is more expensive
than (the more common) A2. :/

And I'm planning to buy some 3/16" L6 too for throwing knives a
knife throwing gal wants me to make.

Alvin in AZ

Greyangel

2005-08-02 01:09:10 UTC

Cool thanks, not ready just yet but soon maybe. :)
On that list would be 15N20 and a (really for real;) piece of 5160
is what I don't have
The 52100 I'm planning to buy. Man that stuff is more expensive
than (the more common) A2. :/

It's cheap in the three quarter round but you gotta forge it down to make a
knife out of it.

Post by a***@XX.com
And I'm planning to buy some 3/16" L6 too for throwing knives a
knife throwing gal wants me to make.
Alvin in AZ

Hmm, yeah I'm planning to get some of that myself. Originally I shied away
from the L6 because I couldn't get it thick enough to suite me. That's not
such an issue now and I've been itching to play with it.

GA

a***@XX.com

2005-08-02 07:32:30 UTC

And I'm planning to buy some 3/16" L6 too...

Hmm, yeah I'm planning to get some of that myself. Originally I
shied away from the L6 because I couldn't get it thick enough to
suite me. That's not such an issue now and I've been itching to
play with it.
GA

Don't let that rather low .70%C fool you into thinking it won't take
and hold an edge... the Ni + Si add to the carbon's effect.

With an addition of too much carbon (not normally too much) with Ni
and Si you can get some graphite. So it's a balancing act (like
everything else;) and L6 (or something like it) is still being used
for bandsaw blades and circular saw blades with or without HSS or WC
for the teeth.

That alone is a pretty good recommendation for L6 huh? ;)

Alvin in AZ

Bill

2005-07-27 23:33:41 UTC

Post by a***@XX.com
We need help. (like someone that knows what an ice-skate is;)
Bill H?

Sorry, not a clue. I know what an ice skate is being as hockey is as big
around here as football, but not what they're made out of. In my day we used
leather thongs and sharp rocks ;-)

Let Jeffry and her family know she's in all our thoughts.

Alvin, I'll be in Tempe the week of Aug. 15th, you close enough to there for a
get together?

--
Bill H. [my "reply to" address is real]
www.necka.net
Molon Labe!

a***@XX.com

2005-07-30 21:51:40 UTC

Post by Bill
Alvin, I'll be in Tempe the week of Aug. 15th, you close enough to
there for a get together?
Bill H.

Cool thought. :)

I ain't worth visiting but if you're east of Tucson on I-10 might as
well stop by... or maybe meet you somewhere, then I won't have to
clean house? ;) (exit 279 and/or 281)

Sorry but I'm too wimpy to drive to Tempe, haven't been working on
knives or my pickup either one. A couple guys were riding in the
back of my pickup a few weeks ago and decided I need a new carrier
bearing or an axle re-build.

The rear axle's the one thing I haven't taken apart yet, had it out,
but not apart yet. The only other thing is I haven't taken the cab
off the frame either, loosened it up and scooted it around a couple
times but not off. That's it. :) Wanna try stumping me by naming
something? ;) Hmmm... I didn't overhaul the engine myself I wanted
a better job on that than I could do. And the expansion valve on
the A/C evaporator hasn't been off, but will be soon because it's
plugged up I figure. :)

'75 F150 bought it new when I lived in Bowie. :)

Need to get off my lazy-ass and get out there and figure out which
one it is, the axle or the carrier bearing.

Alvin in AZ
ps- it's Roger's girlfriend Brooke, her mom died when she was 5 and
her grandma raised her, her dad a few days ago is in another ICU
and not expected to leave there a live of course Brooke don't
know that yet :/
pps- "no mater how bad it is, it can always be worse"
ppps- compared to Roger's-n- Brooke's my life is going great!
How'bout yours? :)

Scott Newell

2005-07-28 00:54:17 UTC

Post by danmc91
Anyone have any experience using old ice skate blades for knife making?

Having been born in AZ I don't know anything about the steel used in
ice skates. :/
Is it stainless steel?
If so, don't bother. :/
If it's carbon steel how hard is it?
Is it easily filed? New file needed?
If it's carbon steel we'll need a spark test, up for that?

Googling for "ice skate steel rockwell" leads to some info...

--
newell

Greyangel

2005-07-28 02:51:50 UTC

Post by Scott Newell

Post by danmc91
Anyone have any experience using old ice skate blades for knife making?

Having been born in AZ I don't know anything about the steel used in
ice skates. :/
Is it stainless steel?
If so, don't bother. :/
If it's carbon steel how hard is it?
Is it easily filed? New file needed?
If it's carbon steel we'll need a spark test, up for that?

Googling for "ice skate steel rockwell" leads to some info...
newell

So it does! Going by what I just saw it's anybodies guess what he has. I
saw SS, "High Speed Steel", Carbon Steel and something called K190??? Never
heard of it. It looks like coated metals is a pretty normal practice too.
Chrome, Zinc, what have you. God help you if you're trying to make a knife
out of that stuff. It would be hard to know where to begin and if it's zinc
coated you could be letting yourself in for trouble if you weren't carefull.

GA

danmc91

2005-07-28 03:18:43 UTC

Post by Greyangel
It would be hard to know where to begin and if it's zinc
coated you could be letting yourself in for trouble if you
weren't carefull.

by "in for trouble" do you mean a poor blade in the end or some hazard
along the way?

Thanks
-Dan

p.s. I've tried more than once to contact CCM (the maker of these
blades, or at least the skates they came off of) to get some info but
got no response whatsoever.

Greyangel

2005-07-28 11:29:42 UTC

Post by Greyangel
It would be hard to know where to begin and if it's zinc
coated you could be letting yourself in for trouble if you
weren't carefull.

by "in for trouble" do you mean a poor blade in the end or some hazard
along the way?
Thanks
-Dan
p.s. I've tried more than once to contact CCM (the maker of these
blades, or at least the skates they came off of) to get some info but
got no response whatsoever.

An experienced blacksmith just recently died from breathing the fumes off of
some zinc coated material that he'd heated up. I don't know if the plain
dust from grinding it is a real problem or not but when you heat it up there
will be a nasty smoke from it that can kill you.

GA

danmc91

2005-07-28 03:11:31 UTC

Hmm. I could have sworn I did that once with no luck. Although it
seems that the ones I found this time were speed skates and "long
distance skates". Those seem to be Rc 58-64.

-Dan

Damion

2005-08-04 03:51:35 UTC