Plasma cutter?

[jgr1974]

I have a crazy idea!  I have several large buzz saw blades from a saw mill.  I would like to use a plasma cutter to rough them out.  I am not an expert on metallurgy.  I am wondering if after cutting out the blank if i would have to retemper it?

[greyhunter]

Pitchy uses one for blades I believe, but he has been awol lately. I hope he is well.

[pathfinder]

I would anneal just so you can do all the other work on it,the do the harden and temper thing.

Yeah,where is our old pard? He just dropped away. He was having some issues,but was an awsome guy,funny to boot!

[jgr1974]

Thanks guys!  I will have to learn how to do all the hardening and the like not really my expertise-yet!

I normally work in leather.  I have been gone myself for awhile, but miss it.  I am back at it or will be when i can get a supply of leather in!

[melsdad]

I'm not sure what a buzz saw is, but if the blade is old the steel should be suitable for knives, probably L6 material. There is just no way of telling what it is for sure without expensive testing. This is information is important if you need to anneal and re harden the blade. As far as the plasma cutter. The heat will damage the temper of the cutting edge of the blank. So annealing, hardening, and tempering will be necessary to get the benefits of a decent knife for your time invested in it. My suggestion is to buy a KNOWN steel like 1084, O1, or 1095. A piece of 1084 flat stock comes annealed and is very cheap and you will be able to get several knives out of it. Also your plasma cutter will do a fine job roughing your blanks out with no worry of harming the steel.

Just something to consider.

[Riley/MN]

Just talked to Pitchy last night - He headed to TX for a spell - ta thaw out...

[Gordon H.Kemp]

I was about to ask if anyone had seen or heard from him . {PITCHY}   Made some great gear and had some great ideas. He pickeda poor time to get out of he cold , we just had about a foot of snow and the temps arn,t that great.  I guess it depends on what area of Tx. he heads for . Glad to hear hes back up and running .

[greggholmes]

tempering carbon steel, page 361
I recommend the whole book

http://books.google.com/books?id=k-v2KD ... oggles-fcr

[greyhunter]

Melsdad, a buzz saw once was on every farm that had a tractor. Picture a large circular saw blade 20-30 inches mounted on a wood or cast frame, driven by a long flat belt on a tractors side or rear pulley.