home depot/lowes steel I know it's bad but why?

Mooseyard
Use Lexan or acrylic for templates. Super easy to cut and sand. Way easier to sand than AL or steel.
I usually start using Kydex as a template cutting it with tin snips. Then sand to shape after deisgn proofed I transfer that to Acrylic I get at Home depot or Lowes.
CW
 
Mooseyard said:
Does anyone see any issues with using the cheap Home Depot steel as pattern making material?

+1 for Aldo the NJ Steel Baron
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I would not suggest it. It can and will have a very wide range of chemistry, which can mess with the appearance of your steel quite a bit. I do highly recommend using 15n20 instead, as it makes a fine knife all by itself, and mixed with 1084 makes for a beautiful damascus that welds together nicely and preforms quite well. I only add mild steel to a billet if I'm trying to lower the overall carbon content, and that is very rare.
 
I think the OP meant using them as a pattern for blade profiles, not for damascus patterns.
 
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