Bed frame steel?

D

DustinHall

Joined
Dec 31, 2008
Messages
687
I read somewhere that a metal bed frame can be used for making blades. I think the guy mentioned that it acted like 1080 and that he made some good knives out of it. Can anyone verify this before I go and cut up my bed frame? lol. Thanks.
 
I do not know the carbon content, but bed frames are tougher and harder than mild steel. They resist sawing noticably more than common angle iron.
 
It would probably matter where the frame comes from,too. The cheap freebies that come with a mattress set are surely just angle iron. The frame rails that slot into a good headboard/footboard set are much stronger.
Stacy
 
Thanks for your thoughts guys. I may just have to test a piece and see. I'll report my results. If anyone else knows something about this feel free to chime in!
 
I'm leaning towards what Stacy said, but I do remember reading about a guy making wood working tools from a bed frame and supposedly hardening them. I even want to say that I read on here that mete made some corner chisels from them. But I sure won't swear to it!
 
I found a bed frame in the alley, it was leaning up against the back of somebody's fence for about a month so I snagged it for the angle iron to build my forge with.

There's two different types of angle 'iron' on it; the usual angle iron and this other stuff that is made from flat stock and bent to make the angle. That stuff that is bent is definitely not your regular mild steel and I can say from cutting it with a cutoff wheel that it has a higher carbon content than mild steel.

I still have some left and I'm contemplating hitting the forge today so I could try to harden a piece.
 
I cut a chunk off of the end... seemed to be a little more than just mild steel. Waiting right now for it to heat up so I can quench it and see if it hardens.
 
I am pleased to report that the bed frame steel did indeed harden. It passed the file test with flying colors. :) Looks like I've got a lot of knives to make! :D
 
I think you will find is that it is like rebar. It is composed of what ever was cheapest at the time of making. No consistency.
Just what I do,
Lynn
 
I've never used it but, I know some guys that have and they say it makes a good knife.

A spark test and a quench/hardness test are good ideas for stuff like that.
 
My experience cutting bed frame and constructing parts out of it also told me it is some sort of carbon steel. I agree with the post that it is probably some sort of hodge-podge structural steel.
 
Somewhere I heard that they are made from recycled RR track !! If so they will harden .
 
mete said:
Somewhere I heard that they are made from recycled RR track !! If so they will harden .
Click to expand...

Here is a link to the website of a company that recycles rail. The link labeled virtual shop tour is an interesting 10 minute video on their process. It does mention bedding.
I have used bed rail for fabrication and can attest to the fact it is not mild steel.
Have Fun!
Alden
http://www.jssteel.com/index.asp
 
From that site: "The furniture and bed frame industries are the largest consumers of Jersey Shore Steel angle"
 
I don't a metallurgy book in front of me, so it's like 1065 with other stuff tossed in?

Interesting find and if the world ends and I can't get Aldo 1084, I might consider it.
 
That explains why I quickly destroyed 2 Hilti bi-metal blades on a sawzall trying to chop one up a few months back...:foot: I figured it was cold rolled hard.
 
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