Bed frame steel?

Don't thank me, thank Google. :)

Yeah, it's pretty close to 1065 with more silicon and some sulfur. Mete could probably explain what that does to the alloy. I know sulfur can make the steel brittle if you get too much, and I'm not really sure why it's in there… machineability maybe?
 
From Admiral's catalog: Some very cool reference material and info in there.

http://www.admiralsteel.com/pdf/catalog.pdf

SlLICON - (Chemical Symbol Si) - Element No. 14 of the periodic system; atomic weight 28.06. Extremely common element,
the major component of all rocks and sands; its chemical reactions, however, are those of a metalloid. Used in
metallurgy as a deoxidizing scavenger. Silicon is present, to some extent, in all steels.

SULFUR (Chemical Symbol S.) - Element No.16 of the periodic system; atomic weight 32 06. Non-metal occurring in a
number of allotropic modifications, the most common being a pale-yellow brittle Solid. In steel most commonly encountered
as an undesired contaminant. However, it is frequently deliberately added to cutting stock, to increase machinability.
 
I guess the question is,... will that amount of sulfur make it significantly more brittle than 1065?... or just try it and see? :)
 
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Cool stuff, 69 Knives.

Ok guys, so now I got all this angle steel... what would be the best way to cut it so I get 2 'bars' from the piece??
 
DustinHall said:
Cool stuff, 69 Knives.

Ok guys, so now I got all this angle steel... what would be the best way to cut it so I get 2 'bars' from the piece??
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I've seen where guys have just forged it out flat and used the full width. You could forge it flat then hot cut or saw it.
 
Tai Goo said:
I guess the question is,... will that amount of sulfur make it significantly more brittle than 1065?... or just try it and see. :)
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I don't really have any credit in metallurgy as I'm just a newbie but, .03% sulfur doesn't sound like enough to make it significantly more brittle. I could be wrong though...
 
Tai Goo said:
I've seen where guys have just forged it out flat and used the full width. You could forge it flat then hot cut or saw it.
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Well, you see, I don't have a forge... or cutting torch. I do have a hacksaw but, the blade wears out fairly quick when I saw it. Hm, I guess I don't have many options here..
 
Your options are limited by your imagination.... If you have a circular saw you can get metal cutoff blades for them. You can buy a 4 or 4 1/2" angle grinder and use a cut off wheel. You can use heavy waxed thread and sand to saw it, you can rub a rock on the cut line to wear through. Some methods are faster than others :p
 
Lol Will. Thanks for the suggestions. A metal cut off wheel for the circular saw is a good one. Too bad I'm broke atm. Haha, damn... guess I'd better get started rubbing it with that rock. :p
 
I remember fooling around with an old bed frame one time, using it for guard stock as it was the wanted thickness. I concluded that is was rather poor quality steel and not worth the time. NOT because the steel analysis is unsuitable for a blade, but because it is basically the chaepest grade of steel, very rough and full of dirt and slag stringers. Remove the heavy enamel paint and the stuff I had was very rough on the surface, lots of crap rolled into it. (but then maybe there are cheap bedframes and then expensive bedframes that are made of a cosmetically better grade of material.)
 
DustinHall said:
Lol Will. Thanks for the suggestions. A metal cut off wheel for the circular saw is a good one. Too bad I'm broke atm. Haha, damn... guess I'd better get started rubbing it with that rock. :p
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You should be able to get set up for cutting fairly inexpensively. I picked up a 4.5" angle grinder kit on boxing day complete with 20 cutting and grinding discs and molded plastic carrying case & 3 year in store warranty for 38 bucks on sale...
 
I run a bedding store and it really depends on the frame. Some of the Heavy Duty frames from Instamatic or Glideaway are tough as nails. The freebies are imported from China which I understand was scrap from the U.S. The 777,761,753 or 738 from Instamatic should make for a decent blade. But I would confirm the steel first. You could contact one of the comanies I listed earlier or contact Leggett & Platt as well.

Good Luck.
 
mnyshrpknvs said:
I run a bedding store and it really depends on the frame. Some of the Heavy Duty frames from Instamatic or Glideaway are tough as nails. The freebies are imported from China which I understand was scrap from the U.S. The 777,761,753 or 738 from Instamatic should make for a decent blade. But I would confirm the steel first. You could contact one of the comanies I listed earlier or contact Leggett & Platt as well.

Good Luck.
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Just about every piece of new steel produced today was made from "scrap" steel!!!! Very little of the steel that we purchase is actually brand new steel made from iron ore. Most of the steel has been remelted many times. I've been in dozens of steel plants as part of my day time job, and all of them make their steel from scrap.

So, just because a steel was made from "scrap" from the U.S. doesn't mean it's bad steel. It just means that it's steel, made like every other country makes steel!!
 
.03 % Sulfur is farly typical for steels. For free machining grades .10 or more are typical. At these higher levels there will be limits to both cold and hot working.
 
scottickes said:
Just about every piece of new steel produced today was made from "scrap" steel!!!! Very little of the steel that we purchase is actually brand new steel made from iron ore. Most of the steel has been remelted many times. I've been in dozens of steel plants as part of my day time job, and all of them make their steel from scrap.

So, just because a steel was made from "scrap" from the U.S. doesn't mean it's bad steel. It just means that it's steel, made like every other country makes steel!!
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Thats really not what I meant. I think I just mentioned the cheaper freebies are imported from China and that the steel used was from here! What I meant is it may be easier to track down what type of steel it is if you have an American Company to talk to.Try finding out what type of steel it is if it came from China. You think you are going to get a # let alone someone who really cares enough or can speak english to talk to you about knife steel.Not only that, in my 11 years in the furniture industry and 9 years in the bedding industry, 99% of the steel mechanisms and frames that come from China are lighter weight and cost less. The lighter weight frames I have had experience with have been junk. That is why we do not offer them. I run a 50 year old locally owned one store operation who has to back his own warranties himself. I refuse to put my beds on the lighter frames because they twist and torque which adds instability to the support of the bed.


Now, the heavier frames I have are MUCH better and I am sure would be better for a knife application. They may have a more scientific approach to manufacturing steel and thus would be a cleaner product for use in cutlery.
 
I've made large wood carving V gouge tools for myself out of bed frame. Push tools. After a heat treatment they kept a reasonable edge.
Lots of wood carvers have made tools from bed frame steel.

Scott

http://www.caribooblades.com
 
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bladsmth said:
Which is what my origional answer was.
Stacy
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I agreed, thus adding to your post. Names of companies that can be contacted to find out what type of steel is being used. I was being talked down to buy another member and accused of saying something I clearly did not. That was not directed at you.
 
You probably have a better shot at having decent steel using old car springs than bed frames. I think bed frames would be a real crap shoot. You would have little to relate one frame set to another. Some of it is probably decent steel, but saying bed frames are usable is like saying mushrooms are eatable. If I was going to use salvaged steel I would go find an old truck with some hefty leaf springs and either spark test and experiment with the HT until I had it down or sent a piece in for testing.
 
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