Your thoughts on stretching steel?

OconeeDan · January 20, 2009, 07:51:00 PM

I don't forge myself, but make knives from barstock.
Lets say I have a short piece of good knife steel, long enough for a blade but not long enough for a blade plus handle.
I can weld.
What if I weld some cheap mild steel to the blade steel...it would be in a handle and doesn't need to be heat treatable?
Just trying not to throw away a short piece of good steel.
Dan

kbaknife · January 20, 2009, 07:55:00 PM

Do it.
A lot of guys weld stub tangs and such onto their knife steel for ease of threading and such.
I would make sure that you get some of the knife steel back into the guard/handle area so it doesn't have a different appearance, but other than that, I'd go for it!
Is this a full tang or a hidden tang?

Doug Campbell · January 20, 2009, 08:03:00 PM

Done it many times Dan. But depending on the type of knife steel it is you might want to preheat it pryor to welding, then do everything you can to slow down the cooling after welding. Some steels are much friendlier to welding than others, some will kinda crystalize and crack just at the weld if cooled too fast... I've found that clamping both pieces to a thick, 1" copper block that's heated works well and your weld doesn't stick to the copper. Best way to find out it experiment...

kbaknife · January 20, 2009, 08:23:00 PM

Good idea, Doug!

OconeeDan · January 20, 2009, 08:26:00 PM

Thanks guys. Of course, the knife steel would be the only steel exposed in the blade. I am specifically talking about full tang right now, should be no difference in appearance.
I have done hidden tang before, no problem.
When welding, I just weld as usual and let it cool on it's own. Will heat treat and temper later.
Thanks, Dan

OconeeDan · January 20, 2009, 08:28:00 PM

Doug, if I had a 1" slab of copper right now I could sell it and retire!
Seriously, I'll see what I can do about heat control.
Dan

KHALVERSON · January 20, 2009, 08:45:00 PM

dan
what kind of knife steel are you talking
if it is o-1 or simular preheat to 450F
if you are gonna do d-2 heat to at least 600F
and do a good post heat back to 600f and use a bucket full of warm sand or wood ashes to keep from cooling to fast
i hope this helps
kevin

Kevin Evans · January 20, 2009, 08:59:00 PM

Dan
I am not as good as these guys but I've made 10 or 15 Damascus knives and I do every one like that ( think cause I'm trying to make my Damascus go a long way).
I cut and V it out on both pieces, weld and stick in vermiculite.seems to work OK
Hint stick it in your etching liquid to make sure where your Damascus starts

OconeeDan · January 21, 2009, 06:59:00 AM

Specifically, I want to use D2 for the blade and cheap mild steel for handle.
I have done this with damascus blade and same damascus scrap for hidden tang, no preheat and no problem.
I am using a Lincoln arc welder and my favorite 7014 rod. Like I said, it was easy with the damascus. I bevel all edges but don't "V" anything as the weld pretty much will fill in/melt everything.
After weld up, I grind flat and you can't see the weld. Then finish the knife as usual with heat treat/temper.
I will clamp with "duckbill" vise grips to try to get it straight. The jaws are about 3" wide and flat. I will likely clamp to flat piece of steel to help, then tack it.
I just hate to throw away good steel.
Dan