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Hello,
I would like to make my own razor and need some help for steel. I have the chance to work as an operator for a Iron company but I dont know wich steel to get to make a blade. Here's a link of some of the metal I can get:
http://www.russelmetals.com/pdf/engl...eel_Plates.pdf
THANKS FOR YOUR HELP!!!
cheers
Dominic
And theres some steel bars and Stainless in catalogue too...
http://www.russelmetals.com/english/...cts/index.html
I will let the MUCH, MUCH more experienced members point you in the exact direction, but start looking at 1084, 1085, 0-1.
Here are a couple of links Enco - Guaranteed Lowest Prices on Machinery, Tools and Shop Supplies Enco is a good source of precision ground O1 tool steel.
Here is another source http://goo.gl/Gz7h6
Charlie
How do you plan to heat treat it? If you have a heat treat oven I would use 0-1. You can find the heat treat sequence for O-1 in several places online. If your going to heat treat in a forge or with a torch with anti scale compound I personally would use 1095 and quench in veggie oil or brine. A torch would not be ideal but doable.
Ray
I went through the listed pdf's. The only cutlery grade steel in their catalog is 420 stainless. All the rest are mostly fabricating or structural steels. It will work for a razor but requires precise temperature controls over time. There is a ramp and hold time and then a ramp up to critical temperature. Plus you should control the atmosphere. I guess what I'm saying is that it's fairly specialized and not for a beginner without HT tooling. If you can find a HT shop that will do it then it's good enough. Some of the knife making supply houses (Jantz, the above link to the NJ site, etc.) will have predictable selections of steel for blades at fair prices. ENCO's good too.
Thanks for all replies!!!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike Blue
I'm a beginner so I'll go simple and will buy 01 steel. I have access to HT oven and found a source of carbon steel here near where I live. Thanks for looking at Pdf Mike and point me a direction!!
cheers
Dominic
Good deal. Where did you decide to get your O-1?
Janz knifemakers supply is less that US20 for a 1/4x1x18. I'm putting in an order today.
O1, good choice. Well known steel, no complex HT, reasonably priced, easy to work with and holds an edge. It is unlikely you will be unhappy with the metal. Take your time so you are equally pleased with your fabrication. I've made little mistakes on the 2 I am making right now, but I just remove a little more metal and bam back to happy.
Perfection isn't when there is nothing more to add, its when there is nothing more to remove. Saw that on a knife forum, thought it sounded cool.
Jeff
Jeff, that does sound kind of cool. I may make a sign with that on it and hang it above my work bench.
Mike or others, which is easier to work with hand tools, O-1 or 1084/85, 1095? Or so negligible as to not matter?
I think it is not that important. Of course I am a rank novice compare to Mike.
The main criterium for me is that it should be fully annealed.
Some stuff may be softer than other stuff, but generally annealed -> easy to work, not annealed -> not easy to work.
As Bruno says: if the steel is annealed, it's as soft as it's going to be. Buying from a supplier, I would expect that to be specified in the literature about the material. Or if hardened an Rc or other hardness scale reference number should be there.
Using files or hand abrasives should feel about the same for all of these. The difference is what they will each do in the heat treatment. O-1 is capable of some interesting phase changes, 1084 typically is foolproof and through hardens everytime, 1095 will do pretty much the same thing, but the stuff I buy is low hardenability and should not through harden. I depends on the chemistry.
What kind of phase changes does O-1 go through?
Most folks heat treating O-1 get it hot and quench in oil. It's hard = martensite. Then temper and done.Quote:
Originally Posted by medicevans
Quenching into oil, or other fluid capable, held at the correct temperature will get a phase transformation from martensite into bainite. Same hardness but with toughness not usually associated with a hard martensitic blade. More flex, less chipping. See austempering.
For tool steels, almost all will come fully annealed (any you will be making razors or knives out of). I am going to HT at work in a HT oven and draw back in an annealing oven. For the softened files I am making a couple knives out of I am going to use the gas single brick, magnet method and oil.
I see little difference in machinability in the fully annealed state.
Jeff
I've used FlatGround.Com - Precision Flat Ground Tool Steel Stock and Drill Rod in O1, A2, D2, S7, and Low Carbon. several times for my precision ground among some of the others listed. Have to check out enco....
Personally, I love Enco. One of their shipping centers must be close to my house, because I ordered a piece of O-1 at 0900 and got it before noon the next day! Can't get a whole lot quicker than that!
I meant ease in machinability between high carbon steels and O1. Other tool steels can be more difficult if not approached at lower SFM. Some like D2 can be downright miserable after hardening, but can take much more grinding heat before it affects their temper. Part of the difference for me is I will be doing a most of my shaping on a mill and not a grinder with my current razor projects. I do not think it will make a lot of difference to those doing all or most work on grinders.
TMI?
Jeff