Subject: Metals sources in Cincinnati area

From: [email-masked]
Date: 11 Jan 94 16:57:36 GMT

I am interested in starting to make my own knives (hunting, throwing), but
don't know where to go to get some steel to get started in the Cincinnati area.
  Any suggestions?
     Thanks,
   Brian

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From: [email-masked] (RICHARD ALLAN JOHNSON)
Date: Tue, 11 Jan 1994 21:45:45 GMT

>don't know where to go to get some steel to get started in the Cincinnati area.

	This depends on your fabrication method.  If you just want to grind 
them out of flat bar stock then you probably will have trouble finding 
stock.  My experience has been that it is possible to find high-carbon steel 
in mill bar (ie with a HARD black scale) but I prefer the precision ground 
stock as I do not have as much warp in heat treat with it and I don't dull 
my grinding belts removing the scale.  In any case first try using the phone 
book and calling any and all steel suppliers in the city.  Also try custom 
leaf spring manufacturers. If that fails then pick up a knife magazine (
Knives Illustarated, or Blade) and choose one of the many suppliers who 
advertise.	
	If you want to forge them, which is not all that expensive 
to start.  Just go to just about any scrap dealer and buy spring steel (coil 
or leaf) for pennies a pound.  A freind of mine just bought at least 20 feet 
of usable steel in coil spring form for 15 cents a pound.  Considering that 
I bought my anvil for 50 dollars (halfsies with this same freind) and built 
a propane forge (small but very workable) for 60 dollars and I don't have to 
pay anyone for heat treating I think that this is the way you should go.  
Sorry if this sounds like an ad for smithing.

Rick

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From: [email-masked] (Joe Landau)
Date: Wed, 12 Jan 1994 04:48:05 GMT

>>don't know where to go to get some steel to get started in the Cincinnati area.

I've seen lovely knives made from old files purchased at garage sales.
--Joe