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Author Topic: circular saw blades  (Read 1629 times)

Offline farmboy

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circular saw blades
« on: February 03, 2008, 10:50:00 PM »
My wife and I just finished our stackwall /strawbale home (4 year project). I'll now have time to pursue my hobbies again.....muzzleloading trapping and archery.

I would like to try building some knives.  From what I've read L6 steel from large mill blades is some of the best.  I dont have any right now.  What about using 8 1/4" circular blades.

If I can work them without annealing will I still have to harden/temper them?

I have some old files also that I'm going to try.....Is it best to temper slowly in an oven or can I temper to a straw color with a torch and quench in oil/water?

Thanx in advance!

Farmboy

Offline LAR43

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Re: circular saw blades
« Reply #1 on: February 07, 2008, 10:57:00 AM »
You can use just about any steel to make a knife.
The higher grade steels are predictable as to hardening/tempering & make it so you haven't wasted your time as to durability & edge holding ability etc.
Usually saw blades w/ carbide tips isn't suitable.
Keep it cool enough to handle & you might not have to temper it. Too hot to hold bare handed is usually going to effect the temper.
Here's a link to making file knives.
http:\\\\imageevent.com/paleoaleo/forgingaknifeblade

Good luck.

Larry
Age brings us the priceless gift of experience and knowledge. . . Priceless, but not free.

Offline Caveman IL

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Re: circular saw blades
« Reply #2 on: February 07, 2008, 06:33:00 PM »
farmboy,
    Did you use a book to help w/ your straw bale house?  If so which one?  How big a knife are you wanting to try?  Larry
PS I live in an underground house.
One of my favorite knives is made from a circular saw blade (not carbide tipped) w/ an antler handle.  My son made it w/o heating or tempering.

Offline el oso

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Re: circular saw blades
« Reply #3 on: February 07, 2008, 10:11:00 PM »
I want to know what a straw bale house is
short fat bald and broke is no way to go through life

Offline farmboy

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Re: circular saw blades
« Reply #4 on: February 08, 2008, 07:03:00 AM »
Caveman, el oso, LAR,43

Thanx for the input guys i appreciate it.....after I posted i went directly to the shop and sorted through my saw blades.....I had carbide and regular....I spark tested both and found that the regular blades had a spark that looked like a "party sparkler" similar to a file....the carbide was similar to angle iron....mild steel i guess?

For my first knife I think I will keep it small, a pelting knife for starting coyotes and foxes.  I plan to put an antler handle on it.

that same evening I put a small flat file in the wood stove and let it cook overnight.....when I took it out the next morning it was relatively cool and soft....not scientific but the natural heating cooling cycle seemed to work. I will try and use the file tang as a handle tang on the knife.
I used several books and asked lots of questions.....If tou guys are interested we have a blog.....google (loggingdays)....it will be the one that says "building a house is hard work" or somthing to that effect.......we havnt updated for a while but there are pictures of me family and friends and house under construction who were a huge help.

I gotta go to the job that pays in cash
we'll talk soon.

farmboy
I hope I dont get in trouble for discussing building on this site but strawbale seems to be in keeping with the Tradgang way of life, so here goes.

My wife lent our books and dvd out so I dont have titles for you I will post when they are returned....strawbale is built 1 of 2 ways load bearing strw and no loadbearing ie. built inside a post and beam frame to hold roof up.......post and beam is what we did.......after frame is up (like a hay shed) we stacked bales like largr bricks inside the posts as infill......held together with stucco wire inside and out laced to the bales with twine......finish is plater portland cement and lime troweled on by hand =r30 r40 insuulative value......it is easy to build once you get started.  Foundation is a heated slab.

Offline farmboy

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Re: circular saw blades
« Reply #5 on: February 08, 2008, 10:10:00 PM »
Hey guys I'm back from work

Thanx for the link LAR43 It was very helpfull

Next time I'm writing a novel here i'll use the full reply form  LOL.....my paragraphs seem to have been broken up but all the info is there.

Caveman must be easy to heat and cool that place!...what's your soil temp there.....45-55 degrees?  I love alternative building that works with nature instead of fighting it!

Farmboy

Offline Caveman IL

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Re: circular saw blades
« Reply #6 on: February 09, 2008, 06:48:00 AM »
It's never been below 60 in the house even w/o heat in the winter ( trip to in-laws).  We use a wood stove and some small gas heaters to keep cozy.
  I use the wood stove to soften steel too.  I get it red hot then move it to the front in some ash and take it out next morning.  Good luck on your saw-blade knife. Got any osage for scales? I'll check out our blog.  Larry

Offline farmboy

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Re: circular saw blades
« Reply #7 on: February 09, 2008, 09:54:00 PM »
Hey Larry

I dont have any osage but I have some hardwood pieces from my dad (sure wish I had a paid more attention when he was here on earth crafting stuff)....I think some might be walnut...I also have a lot of antler, deer and moose....Common wood around here is maple, oak, diamond willow and birch......Ive also started keeping my eye open for old hay rakes in scrap piles!

Scott

Offline Caveman IL

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Re: circular saw blades
« Reply #8 on: February 10, 2008, 08:01:00 AM »
Farmboy,
  I'm sending you an e-mail through tradgang.  Do you live in a stackwood house or straw house? The blog had some cool pics. Larry
PS I'll bet its cold there tis morning!

Offline farmboy

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Re: circular saw blades
« Reply #9 on: February 10, 2008, 09:51:00 AM »
Yes it is.  Our weather station read -52 with windchill last night....-35 ambient.....We used both techniques to build this house.

Will I get the email at the address I gave to enter the forum?

Offline Caveman IL

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Re: circular saw blades
« Reply #10 on: February 10, 2008, 12:08:00 PM »
Just click on the icon w/ the letter and 1 person (the 2nd one). They'll send your message.  I have to put your e-mail in my "OK" box for me to get it directly. Larry

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