Thread: Re-using Sheffield Steel?

You all are working out the thought problem nicely. Non-magnetic is a cheap and easy way to test the steel's readiness for the quench. Cangooner's summaries are good, and his point about testing is what drives us all. Mystery steels are the worst to work with because of their unknowns.

I suspect that a collection of bits from old Sheffield will be a high carbon low hardenability steel that is very clean (without a lot of minor alloys) crucible steel, aka Huntsman stylee. Using a crucible to recycle the steel is a good way to solve the problem. It's time consuming and needs the right equipment. Re-forging into a billet using pattern welding techniques will work but there may be a little percentage of steel lost to the process depending on techniques used.

Non-magnetic and quench in oil would be a good first step. If it was hard enough to hone, you're done. If not hard enough, then the next step is to quench in water. Either way whoever does this will be learning something.