Trad Gang

Main Boards => Hunting Knives and Crafters => Topic started by: ALW on March 11, 2009, 01:06:00 PM

Title: Bed frame rails?
Post by: ALW on March 11, 2009, 01:06:00 PM

I have seen here and a few other places of people using old bed frame rails to make knives from.  What kind of steel were these made from?  Do they harden up well?  I have a pile of old bed rails (probably 30+ years old) that I thought I'd give a try.  I searched here for posts on this and couldn't find anything.  Thanks in advance.

Aaron

Title: Re: Bed frame rails?
Post by: kbaknife on March 11, 2009, 01:28:00 PM

Personally, I wouldn't waste my time.
You haven't got A CLUE what they're made of.
Consider what they do!
Nothing.
There is absolutely not one reason why the people who manufacture beds would use high quality steel to make a bed frame.
Just buy yourself some knife steel and make a GOOD knife!
It's cheap!
When you consider what you're doing with it.

Title: Re: Bed frame rails?
Post by: ALW on March 11, 2009, 02:09:00 PM

Thanks for the advice.  I'm a scavanger so I didn't want to waste something that might be useful.

Aaron

Title: Re: Bed frame rails?
Post by: chiger on March 12, 2009, 12:25:00 AM

Are you kidding Aaron...waste it?  Angle iron (bed rails) is a knife maker's best friend.  Machine and vise stands, work benches and even home made grinders are all made out of that stuff in most shops.  

Heck, I'd run out of welding rods in about 2 days if I had a pile of those things.  ;~)

Oh, and you can use it for fittings on knives.  It'll take bluing really well and it's easy to work cause it never gets hard.  

Wish I weren't on the far end of Kentucky from ya, I'd help ya use it up!  ;~)