What kind of Stainless in butterknives

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paref

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Dec 3, 2005
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I am curious if anyone here knows whether the Stainless Steel used in butterknives that you see everywhere is suitable for knife making? What kind/grade of stainless is it? Will it hold an edge? Is it easily worked?
As you can see I am new at this and want to start with something that is cheap before ruining expensive steel. You can get the butterknives at the Goodwill store for practically nothing.
Maybe they need hardened or softened or annealed or something?
 
Darn if I know but If was to guess I would think it just about what ever is the cheapest at the time of purchase. What do they make butter knives for, I am figuring. Probably at best, I am guessing, 440A maybe 440B. Maybe just plated stuff. Good thread question. Let's see what the ones knowing about it says. My guess is forget about making a good knife from that type stock.

RL
 
Tableware is typically 304 which can't be heat treated. I can only be work hardened as it is in tableware.
 
Im sure the steel is worthless for edge retention but the shaped pommels on the old ones would sure look cool as a double guard on a dagger! Some are even silver plated!
 
I have several antique dealers keep an eye out for unique old flatware.The knives and forks often had fancy sterling handles with plain steel blades.Heat up the cutlers cement,change the blade ,and you have a sterling handled dagger or desk knife.Old wedding knives and cake knives can supply the handles for fancy bowies.
 
bladsmth said:
I have several antique dealers keep an eye out for unique old flatware.The knives and forks often had fancy sterling handles with plain steel blades.Heat up the cutlers cement,change the blade ,and you have a sterling handled dagger or desk knife.Old wedding knives and cake knives can supply the handles for fancy bowies.
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Hey that's a really great idea. Thanks! I took a metalsmithing jewelery making class in college and I used to go to garage sales and buy silver flatware to melt down to make ingots to roll out flat stock or use in casting.

Sterling flat stock is like triple or quadruple (or more) the market price for silver. Making ingots from flatware and rolling them in a rolling mill cost half the market price.
 
Yup, as mentioned most of it is 303 or 304 stainless. Also known as 18-8 or 18-10 stainless grade. The 18 stands for the 18% of chromium, 8/10 stands for the amount of nickel in them. Can't hold a sharp cutting edge as we know it, but they are very abrasion resistant, take a nice polish, are EXTREMELY corrision resistant and is really very tough and elastic.

They make great knife fittings, as you said - pommells, guards, although they are harder to machine, file and sand than say, 416SS, or brass. Jason.
 
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