Thread: Re-using Sheffield Steel?

It is not technically difficult but the limitation will be the smith who has the needed equipment to do the job. Blacksmiths were the first recyclers. No good steel went to waste. Today, there is so much good steel to be found that even hunting through the scrapyard is looked down on for some smiths.

Old Sheffield steel would make fine razors today even resmelted. I know of only a few makers who could reprocess to a smelted bloom and forge out the material.

Pattern welding is less difficult. Stacking the materials, given the odd cross sections, to eliminate gaps would be a major trick. Losing some steel to the atmosphere of the fire because of the very thin section edges would be a cost. It could be done in a can to eliminate the atmosphere problem, but you'd have to consider using a fill material of equal quality to the Sheffield stuff. I don't know that the requisite powder metal would come close to the old stuff.

Not impossible for someone willing to collect all the broken bits and see it done.

I have thought about it too, kind of a remedial type project, picking up some good modern steel is easy and you can buy about any type that will fit any application, O1 or 1095, stainless in 12C27 ?