curious forged tip.

[Lew]

Tim

These knives are forged from rebar steel which has a very low carbon content and even if given a proper heat treat would't harden more than 40 rockwell. Before I collected ethnographic weapons I was heavily into custom forged blades so I know a little about heat treating steels. I really think this is the result of some idiot trying to pry open a car door or something. I have one of these daggers with a bent tip and the steel is soft but I am not going to stick it in a vice and bend it just to prove my point no pun inteaded

Lew

[ham]

Lew's right. The thing has been used to [attempt to] pry something open, in 2 directions.
If handled carefully, it can be straightenend.

good luck

Ham

[ham]

Lew's right. The thing has been used to [attempt to] pry something open, in 2 directions.
If handled carefully, it can be straightened.

good luck

[Lew]

Originally Posted by ham

Lew's right. The thing has been used to [attempt to] pry something open, in 2 directions.
If handled carefully, it can be straightened.

good luck

Tim

Here is a Q and A from a blacksmithing website on rebar steel.
Is rebar good for tool making ? Can it be hardened ?
Mark - Tuesday, 01/16/01 19:29:13 GMT

Rebar: Mark, There are three different grades of rebar with different hardenabilities. Then there is OLD rebar which is generally non-specific as to specs or quality. No version is designed to be used as a tool steel. It IS done but I don't recommend it. You are much better off to use spring steel or recyle old tools

Mild Steel, Normal Strength or Ordinary Weldable Steel
These trade terms are often used interchangeably to describe standard carbon steels used for structural purposes, a typical example being AS3679 grade 250 or grade 300.

The term ‘mild steel’ is also applied commercially to carbon steels not covered by standard specifications. Carbon content of this steel may vary from quite low levels up to approximately 0.3%. Generally, commercial ‘mild steel’ can be expected to be readily weldable and have reasonable cold bending properties but to specify ‘mild steel’ is technically inappropriate and should not be used as a term in engineering.

So with a carbon content of 0.3% a smith would not be able to harden a blade making it very easy to bend when applying lateral force.



Lew

[Tim Simmons]

I cannot tell what type of steel this knife is made of but it is certainly well tempered, As I am able to inspect the bend I am going to hedge my bets and leave it as it is rather than take it into the workshop and do anything to it. I just cannot make up my mind. I have a small Dha knife that has definitely been damaged at the tip and it is kind of different and more obvious. Thanks for the comments.