Marking gauge cutter material?

[Frank Strazza]

If you have some junk bandsaw blades laying around, take one over to a metal vise and snap off a small piece. Then you can simply file it and sharpen it up. I have made several gauges using these blades and they work great. I like to use an old 1" blade, I get them from a mill that has resaw blades, but any bandsaw blade should work. Just don't try to cut it with a hacksaw because the steel is so hard, it just won't cut very well. As I mentioned just put it in the vise and it will snap off nicely.

[Steve Voigt]

I'd agree with George about the thin blades. For cheap, you really can't beat jigsaw blades. The thickness is ideal, and you can get high-carbon blades for almost nothing.
In my earlier post, I recommended getting a blade from Hamilton tools. Since then, I built the gauge below with one of his blades. It worked beautifully, and my favorite thing is that shipping was A DOLLAR. How bout that? I HIGHLY recommend them.

photo-173.jpg

[Derek Cohen]

If you plan to use jigsaw blades for knives, then get HSS. They tend to be flatter than the HCS and, more importantly, you can grind them without fear of affecting the temper.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Steve Voigt]

I guess it depends on your sharpening preferences. I'd much rather sharpen a high carbon blade.

[Fitzhugh Freeman]

You've already got a bunch of good options, but if you just want to have fun making the blade and heat treating it yourself send me a PM with your address and the rough dimensions. I've got
a few feet of 1084 steel which is a great choice: it is about as easy to get right when low tech heat treating (torch, canola oil, oven) and makes a great blade. I'd be happy to send pieces for smaller blades to anyone interested enough in the topic to read this thread until I use up the extra and have to order more. It's not a whole lot but if you want to make a marking knife or small blade send me the rough dimensions. I've got 2" wide in both 3/16 and 1/8 thick, so say a couple feet total cut up to pass around. It's not very expensive because you have to buy 4 feet minimum and pay shipping on a long heavy piece of metal it costs more than you'd want to spend to get a bit just to try it for just a project or two. I've made a number of tools of various types and am still working through the first 3/16 piece I bought a while ago, and have the 1/8 piece arriving Tuesday (that's the thinnest they sell and is closer to what I want for some tools, still has to be filed or ground down for some things like this, but it's nice and annealed).

I've been so inspired by many who answered here and post in this section in general and was so excited when I realized I could make my own blades - this would be a small way to give back. PM if interested.

[Matthew N. Masail]

I'd agree with George about the thin blades. For cheap, you really can't beat jigsaw blades. The thickness is ideal, and you can get high-carbon blades for almost nothing.
In my earlier post, I recommended getting a blade from Hamilton tools. Since then, I built the gauge below with one of his blades. It worked beautifully, and my favorite thing is that shipping was A DOLLAR. How bout that? I HIGHLY recommend them.

photo-173.jpg

Great looking gauge, I like that it's not laminated. but at 12$ a pop.... X10 at least not counting making them as gifts.... no thanks, I'd rather grind a jigsaw blade.

[David Barnett]

I've got a few feet of 1084 steel which is a great choice: it is about as easy to get right when low tech heat treating (torch, canola oil, oven) and makes a great blade.

1084 is my favorite tool steel these days. Easiest heat treat and takes an edge like nothing else. I've been buying both 1084 and W-2 from Aldo Bruno and am delighted with his quality, prices and service. Nothing else comes as close to the best simple vintage steels. I've been using 1084 for tiny carvers, gravers, knives and other tools and nothing gets as sharp and stays that way so easily. Forges nicely, too, which is how I thin mine.

Your offer is very generous and a credit to the Creek.

[Fitzhugh Freeman]

Thank you David. I've received some incredibly generous help that way outweighs this.

Aldo is where I've purchased mine. I meant to add that but got distracted. http://njsteelbaron.com/

I learned about it from the knifemaking forums when looking for more detailed information on heat treating. Great resources for information on such things whether you're trying to make a knife or a tool blade.

I would love to see what you've made, can you pm me with any links? I don't want to hijack any more than I have.

Thanks

[Steve Voigt]

Great looking gauge, I like that it's not laminated. but at 12$ a pop.... X10 at least not counting making them as gifts.... no thanks, I'd rather grind a jigsaw blade.

Thanks Matt…I completely agree. If you are making in bulk, the premade blades get expensive. They're nice for one or two though.
I'll be interested to see what you come up with for fixed mortise gauges. I've been thinking about doing that myself.

[Steve Voigt]

1084 is my favorite tool steel these days. Easiest heat treat and takes an edge like nothing else. I've been buying both 1084 and W-2 from Aldo Bruno and am delighted with his quality, prices and service. Nothing else comes as close to the best simple vintage steels.

Vintage steel? Who'd want that? Blech!

Seriously though…that's interesting about the 1084. I assume you've tried 1095. How does it compare? Is there much difference?

[David Barnett]

Seriously though…that's interesting about the 1084. I assume you've tried 1095. How does it compare? Is there much difference?

I've used 1095 for years but so much prefer 1084 many of my other steels just sit on the shelf. While 1095 has often been recommended as a beginner's steel, it really requires a more sophisticated HT to get the most from it, the same as O-1. While I'm quite comfortable doing temperature-controlled soaks in my heat-treat furnace, actually a repurposed small electric kiln with an accurate digital pyrometer and other add-ons, 1084 lets me do one-offs and small pieces without the need for that precision or planning—on the fly—almost casually where the heat treat is concerned. Beyond that, the grain fineness and downright delightful sharpening feel and result for 1084 would be reason enough to choose it.

Now that I'm just getting back into the shop, I'm spending more time doing smaller, less physically-demanding tasks and projects. Previously, most of my woodworking sharpening was freehand and standing and aggressively quick but until I get more stamina and confidence, I've switched to mosly sitting and have redeployed jigs that I hadn't picked up in years. I'm taking my own sweet time, too, and enjoying it again.

I've always owned a few exceptional vintage irons and chisels that are a pleasure to hone and use—tools with fine-grained steels that hone with a velvety almost buttery feel and take extremely sharp low angle bevels. 1084 comes closer to this feel and performance than another other steels I've used; O-1, 1095, and so on. 1080 and W-2 are nice, too, but 1084 holds an edge better than 1080.

Really, one can make truly fine edge tools with the simplest equipment—a plain plumber's torch or even a hand-held butane micro torch, maybe a fire brick, a file or two, a cup of peanut or canola oil, a few other odds and ends, sandpaper, whatever, and you're good to go. To forge tiny knives and gouges you don't even need a proper anvil—a largish ball-pein hammer held in a vise will do just fine and a couple hammers to tap the metal into shape.

Too much fun not to try it and 1084 gives the easiest shot at first-time success. Maybe I'm just getting lazy and spoiled by 1084. Nothing wrong with 1095—nothing at all.

By the way, 1084 is made for stropping. Can keep an edge going with nothing but a strop for hours.

Here's a more in-depth comparison from a blade forum.

[Fitzhugh Freeman]

Another thing I should have made more clear... I'm so totally far from an expert on this it's a joke. This is a case where I'm regurgitating what I've read as truth, only difference is, well, that's the while point. 1084 is great for people like me who are learning as they go because it is forgiving and still nice. The blades I've made take and holds an edge really well compared to a many or mist purchased tool blades I have, which says a lot to me. The main difference in heat treatment from 1095 is the soak time. As I've read and been doing it 1084 just needs to get to the point where it is nonmagnetic, plus "a little more" (see? Forgiving. I think it was 50* F but the numbers don't help without a way to measure and colors? I'm colorblind). Try to keep it there for a minute or two and quench in hot canola oil.
Anneal in oven a few times at temp appropriate to desired hardness.

1095 wants to be held for 10 minutes at high temp, just over nonmagnetic (10 minute soak). As mentioned, that's not that easy with super basic equipment.

Or to simplify it to my level: it actually works when I try.

[Steve Voigt]

I've used 1095 for years but so much prefer 1084 many of my other steels just sit on the shelf. While 1095 has often been recommended as a beginner's steel, it really requires a more sophisticated HT to get the most from it, the same as O-1.

David, thanks for the detailed info and the links. It's funny, I never considered any possibilities other than 1095 and O1, but I will definitely give 1084 a try now. I'm using a charcoal forge, so I can see the advantages of a steel that's easier to use. It's probably ideal for my very low-tech setup. I've made a few things from O-1--forged a travisher blade the other day--and the results are good but not spectacular. I can tell that I'm not getting the absolute most out of it.

I've always owned a few exceptional vintage irons and chisels that are a pleasure to hone and use—tools with fine-grained steels that hone with a velvety almost buttery feel and take extremely sharp low angle bevels.

Me too. The first vintage plane iron I scored--an old "Humphreysville" iron--was a mean-looking, rusty SOB with only about an inch of life left on it. Didn't seem very promising. But the first time I put to the stones, I kind of did a double take. It felt different from other irons--your use of "buttery" and "velvety" is very apt, I think. That iron is a pleasure to sharpen and to use. Maybe the edge doesn't last as long as some other things, probably, but I don't count strokes.

[Steve Voigt]

Hey, one more question for David, Fitz, or whoever: Have you tried quenching the 1084 in brine? I've had reasonably good luck with some vintage steels in brine, and have not cracked anything yet.

[Fitzhugh Freeman]

As David suggested works, I have a forge made from two fire bricks hollowed out and use a basic MAPP Pro torch and a 12 lbs sledgehammer head in an end-up log as an anvil.
forge.jpg
My biggest issue is workholding (as with woodworking). I've decided to hold off on trying any more forging until I put together the tongs I have water jet cut parts for (cheap, from polarbear forge, but now on ebay you can get new finished tongs for not much either, or wait for a deal on old ones). That's really the one thing I would suggest another novice get their hands on - if forging, make sure you have a solid means of holding it.

I finally bought some honing compound and made a hone a couple weeks back. I was amazed at how sharp my tools can get. I thought hair shaving without much effort was sharp, but this was something all together different, and the fact blades I'd made got so sharp was just so cool.

Of course, my attempts at forging little blades didn't do as well. If by forging you mean banged it with a hammer until it's smooshed. I was having fun and think I kept them in and out of the fire for way too long. They feel very different to (try to) sharpen and just don't take an edge. I'm guessing I burned off a bunch of the carbon. Live and learn.