My bandsaw was cutting out to one side, so I needed something to use to help correct that, and to test the results. Anyway, I ended up with a nice thick chunk the correct length to make a nice knife out of. This is not supposed to be a comedy by the way! Anyway, I put the steel in the mill vice and started to machine it down flat on the sides. Several experiments and two ruined endmills later, I decided that this was not going to work. I grabbed a cheap large flycutter and a new Chinese tool bit. I'll shave it down flat! Several hours later, after destroying two Chinese tool bits, carefully cutting and sharpening one of my hoarded American toolbits, and lowering the speed down to as low as it would go, I watched this steel just tear the bit end off in about 30 seconds. I don't know what this steel is, but it should make great knives. It work hardens in a heartbeat. I think you could harden the edge by peening enough to hold an edge. Anyway, I decided I would shape it on the belt sander. I now have a new grind/strip grade belt on the machine, and I am making some very slow progress. This steel goes from downright soft to hard if you look at it wrong! Wonder what a good forged blade out of it would be like?
Track Plate Steel
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