Where do I get old bandsaw blades and sawmill blades?

A

Anthony Strazhnikov

Joined
Aug 17, 2015
Messages
24
I currently live in the Bay Area in California and I am 14 years old. Could anyone possibly tell me where I can get "blanks" for knives that are just old cut up really wide and thick bandsaw blades. If anyone has any they would be willing to sell me/ give me please let me know. Or, if anyone knows where i can get them near me please let me know. Also, if anyone near me is willing to sell a nice old sawmill blade or knows where I can get them for cheap please let me know.
 
No idea.

Just go buy a file from harbor freight, lowes, home depot, or a garage sale and go to town on it.

If you look on YouTube, you can find a video by Dave Canturbury (wilderness outfitters channel). He has a video on the "$2 knife" or something like that. He makes, and uses a knife from a cheap file in that video.

It seems like an easy way to get started.

But yeah, no idea where to find saw blades. I guess id check antique stores, old sawmills, etc. There at also places you can just buy rolled bar stock (new jersey steel baron iirc). It might be easier to just do that, particularly if you buy simple steels like 1095 or 1084.

Good luck finding something.
 
Look around for scrap metal and recycler facilities. Many are bound to have all kinds of steel in various configurations and such. Want to buy threads belong in their section in the Exchange, not in discussion sections. I doubt you will have much lock with it as it's a pretty vague request. Check out junk yards.
 
Anthony,
Welcome to Shop Talk. A lot of the info you have been asking about over the past few weeks is in the Stickys at the top of the Shop Talk page. Also, please don't make offers or solicitations to buy/sell in this forum.

Band saw blade sections can often be found on eBay and other places. A trip to any large wood sawmill or yard will likely find many old large bandsaw blades. Northern California and Oregon are full of those places.

Since you are trying to learn to forge as well as make knives, you would do yourself a big favor to purchase a couple bars of 1084 or 1070 steel from a supplier like Aldo (New Jersey Steel Baron) or USA Knifemakers. Mow a few lawns, paint a garage, do some yard work for a local old lady...whatever yo need to do to earn the money will both help you grow as a person as well as help you make better knives.
 
Hey Anthony,
I think it's great that you are interested in learning about knife making and forging. I did a quick google search for black smithing classes for kids in the Bay Area and found this place in Oakland called The Crucible. It looks like they might be able to offer something for you. Check it out http://thecrucible.org . I would also keep an eye out for a " Hammer in" in your area. A Hammer in is a get together of knifemakers that teach about knife making . keep searching on the Internet and you might find some places to help you. Can't wait to see your first knife. READ ALL THE STICKIES! It will help you answer many questions.
 
Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith said:
Anthony,
Welcome to Shop Talk. A lot of the info you have been asking about over the past few weeks is in the Stickys at the top of the Shop Talk page. Also, please don't make offers or solicitations to buy/sell in this forum.

Band saw blade sections can often be found on eBay and other places. A trip to any large wood sawmill or yard will likely find many old large bandsaw blades. Northern California and Oregon are full of those places.

Since you are trying to learn to forge as well as make knives, you would do yourself a big favor to purchase a couple bars of 1084 or 1070 steel from a supplier like Aldo (New Jersey Steel Baron) or USA Knifemakers. Mow a few lawns, paint a garage, do some yard work for a local old lady...whatever yo need to do to earn the money will both help you grow as a person as well as help you make better knives.
Click to expand...

Thanks for that, I could only remember the "Baron" part, and forgot it is actually called "Aldos". Thanks for setting me straight :).
 
I have made a knife before and I have been to the crucible it's a very nice place, but unfortunately they only offer blade smithing to people over the age of 18.
 
If you're really intent on trying to get free, albeit unknown steel, I'd second the suggestion of visiting a mill. Larger ones will go through a couple of bandsaw blades a week and shear them into 3-4 foot lengths for the scrap pile. I can get 0.072-0.084 thickness and from what I understand is pretty much the same as 15N20
 
I agree, mills are probably a good place to find old sawblades. If there's none of those nearby, asking some family that live in the country (preferably a forested area) might have something you can use. My grandfathers farm is in an area like that and he has a couple 40-inch diameter circular blades from a logging camp he had on his land way back in the 60s.

-John
 
1084 from Aldo is cheap and easily available and consistent known quality. I don't see any advantage to hunting down inferior materials, spend that time reading and learning about making better knives with the steel available to you at a low price and consistent high quality.
 
Realize that it costs money to make found/scrap steel usable too. You'll be wearing out way more drill bits, band/hack saw blades, grinder discs and cutoff wheels, etc... than you will if you just buy some known, quality steel from a supplier, such as been mentioned already. Not to mention, it's just generally more time consuming and difficult to work with.

The time you save using a known steel can easily be used to pursue a few of the jobs that Stacy mentioned, in order to fund some quality steel, or better yet, for making more knives!

I'm not saying you should never try to use scrap steel, but if just starting out, you'll learn much faster if you can eliminate the easy problems.
 
knife to a gunfight said:
Realize that it costs money to make found/scrap steel usable too. You'll be wearing out way more drill bits, band/hack saw blades, grinder discs and cutoff wheels, etc... than you will if you just buy some known, quality steel from a supplier, such as been mentioned already. Not to mention, it's just generally more time consuming and difficult to work with.

The time you save using a known steel can easily be used to pursue a few of the jobs that Stacy mentioned, in order to fund some quality steel, or better yet, for making more knives!

I'm not saying you should never try to use scrap steel, but if just starting out, you'll learn much faster if you can eliminate the easy problems.
Click to expand...

^ Exactly this. ^
It may seem counterintuitive, but it is true. I found it was costing me 4 to 5 times as much using "free" than it was to just pony up and buy some 1080.

Good luck!
Chris
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top