Cultivator tine steel?

[Tad Lynch]

I am building a knife for a friend who is letting me take a ton of burl wood off of his property. He and I both think that recycling some of the metal on their old place would be cool. He has a lot of old farm stuff scattered around that he is about to haul off for scrap. My question is: Does anyone know what kind of carbon content a tine from an OLD cultivator would have? Trying the old spark test, it throws a compound spark much like 1095, but other than trial and error, I don't know how to test it. I usually use known, new steel but these tines are approx 5/16" thick and begging to be forged. Thanks.

 

[CrowValleyForge]

Nearly imposable to tell for sure, but think 1080/1085 ?

I made a few knives with old rotter-tiller tings, they came out cutting better then JD-5160, making me think they might have the properties of old-school 5180?

Cultivators had to have good wear properties to dig in the dirt for an extended time.

Experiment!

 

[Ed Schempp]

Most shanks are 5160. Shovels and point can vary quite a bit for 41-43 series to 1080. Pitch forks, baler tines, some harrow tine 1075-1095 mostly 1080. With stuff made pre 1930's you can have quite a variance from one end of the piece of steel to the other. Newer and heavier harrow tines are not worth the effort of forging, the material has been low specced by accountants and metallurgists.

Good luck with a good idea...Take Care...Ed

 

[Mungo Park]

I would not have a hot clue what type of steel it is but I would agree %100 they are calling out to be forged. I have a whole bunch of them, and made this from one of them, it is not finished yet, have not decided on scales.
Cheers Ron.