Steel Recognition???

[desert_emperor]

I was asking around at work for a piece of high carbon steel which i could use (when i get round to it!!) to make a knife. One of the engineers at work gave me a piece of gauge plate and said that it was high carbon tool steel. Just wondering the best way to tell if i have the right steel or whether it is only case hardened. Are there any tell tale signs or do i need to cut a piece off to check???

All the best...Paul

 

[mick spain]

I was asking around at work for a piece of high carbon steel which i could use (when i get round to it!!) to make a knife. One of the engineers at work gave me a piece of gauge plate and said that it was high carbon tool steel. Just wondering the best way to tell if i have the right steel or whether it is only case hardened. Are there any tell tale signs or do i need to cut a piece off to check???

All the best...Paul

If it is gauge plate, it's o1 tool steel, you could cut a piece off and heat treat it and see if it hardens up test it with a file or grinder, or maybe it's got a cast number on it check it out with your firms paperwork , test certs and all that