# Self Sufficiency/Living off the Land or Off the Grid > Making Stuff >  Knife steel ??

## 93wrangler

I am interested in knife making and was wondering if this steel would be good.
It's 4062,  4063, and a 4015 steel they sell it at the local tractor supply.any help I see everyone using 1080 steel but I don't know anywhere close to get any!    Thanks in advance

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## hunter63

Hunter63 saying Hey and Welcome.
Maybe stop over at the intro section and say hello?

http://www.wilderness-survival.net/f...-Introductions

There is a knife section with several well informed and skilled knife makers as well, at
http://www.wilderness-survival.net/f...ves-amp-Blades

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## crashdive123

It's a steel that I have never seen used in knife making.  That isn't to say it hasn't been, but I've never seen it.  It is also a steel that none of the suppliers sell for making knives.  I suspect it is a mild steel that will not harden the way it needs to.  Sort of like buying steel from Home Depot or Lowes - there is not enough carbon content to properly harden it.

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## tidefan93

None of the steels you mentioned are suitable for knives, other than 1080. You need at least .50% carbon for the steel to get hard enough to hold an edge. 5160 is a good steel to start with as it is very forgiving during the heat treat. 1080, 1084, 1095, 52100, are all excellent steels and you can find older leaf springs made from 5160. If you are doing the heat treat, make sure your soak time at temp is right as well as the tempering phase. Alabama Damascus has 1/4x1 1/2x 12 pieces of 5160 for 5 bucks I think. Just remember that the heat treat is critical. 5160 needs around 1500 degrees and a quench in parks 50 or something similar....Jim

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## 93wrangler

Thanks I just order some steel and be done with it

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## Lamewolf

Find some old files at fleamarkets, great steel for making knives !

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## 93wrangler

I will look around the family farm there should be some laying around

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## randyt

check out new jersey steel baron.

http://newjerseysteelbaron.com/

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## Hopper1987

Hey, yeah I just got set up in here. I've used and still use 4062 steel. It's easy to grind away and cut out, but a real pain to harden. I use it for decorative knives. Out of 6 attempts to make a knife with it, I've only got 3 to come out worth a damn. Just saying it's not very good at all. Don't waste your time like I do lol.

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## WalkingTree

...and make sure you know what you're doing, what to look for, how to test, etc, if trying to use a lawnmower blade. Might even need to communicate with manufacturer. Some are of the right steels, some aren't. A crapshoot. And I understand that older mower blades were of a different steel than newer.

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