Originally Posted by
george wilson
The blade was made of 1/8" thick annealed spring steel from Dixie Gun Works. The blade started at the ferrule about 3/4" wide,and the cutting edge tapered to the tip to 1/4" wide. The taper is on the cutting edge side. The blade was all hollow ground just on my Sears bench grinder. I had no special metal working equipment way back in the 60's. I heated the blade orange,quenched it in oil,then tempered it to a brown/bluish temper. Soft enough to not break off in my face again. The blade stays sharp,and has never failed(broken).
Spring steel is usually 1080. That means .80% carbon. LESS carbon than a razor blade!!!