Best steel metal raw materials according to redditors

http://www.amazon.com/Rectangular-Precision-Ground-Thickness-Length/dp/B00CZDPBDQ/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1418599031&sr=8-2&keywords=O1+tool+steel

[~$20 for the steel; 1/8"x2"x 18"](
http://amzn.com/B000FMYFVI)
Everything for the jig ~$40; I bought two files and rod for the files. I am going to rebuild it with wood-plastic composite.
Micarta- ~$10 for the resin, and 5 minutes of convincing my SO to let me cut up one of her blur shirts :)
Forge ~$80 because of the MAP gas torch.

The super basic kit:

Go to a hardware store and buy needlenose pliers and some steel wire and start making rings! You will need a mandrel to wrap coils on, and something to cut the coils apart. I would suggest a long 1/4" bolt and some diagonal cutters. You can also use a hacksaw to cut coils apart. Or, if you aren't up to cutting steel wire, get some copper, aluminum, or brass wire, since they are softer and easier to cut and form.

Easiest way? check out aaron gough's videos on the filing jig. You can make really good knives with real steel and some files and a jig. Take it slow and you won't mess it up. Get some o1 steel, you can even get it from amazon, and it will make a good knife.

Easiest way to heat treat? Peters heat treat, 30 bucks. If only making a few knives, this is actually cheaper than anything you can do, and you will have a good heat treat, unlike what you will probably manage with coal/wood. Doing it yourself, even using the two brick forge, you will probably screw up a few knives and lose them completely.

http://www.petersheattreat.com/blades/pricing/

edit:
amazon o1 steel: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000FMYFVI
30 bucks, enough to makes 2 or 3 knives. A lot of the videos on amazon people are making knives from junk steel, quite literally. Rebar doesn't have enough carbon content, etc.

I would start on some tool steel blanks. Some generally like this. https://www.amazon.com/Steel-Precision-Ground-Standard-Tolerance/dp/B00CZDPAI2

Or cut up a steel circular saw blade, some things like that before you try a firearm.

https://www.amazon.com/Precision-Ground-Annealed-Thickness-Length/dp/B00CZDPAI2/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1518120890&sr=8-2&keywords=o1+tool+steel+flat+stock

EDIT: If you go this route, most options are prime eligible, but make sure you check stock sizes a little bigger or smaller than your ideal size. The price can vary wildly. For example, I was buying 3/16x1x36 for $50, then found that 5/32 was $25.

Maybe some spring steel? The link below you can buy different thicknesses to suit what you need.

https://www.amazon.com/Spring-Steel-Sheet-Temper-Standard/dp/B00AM8QGNK

Go get 25 feet of 10/3 SOOW cord (technical name for black rubber cord) and a NEMA 10-30P plug. It will probably be a lot that has blades you slide in to allow configurations for 10-30 and 10-50 plugs.

Others are correct. Solder is a bad idea for extending the cord. If you need 25'a new cord is in order.

Plug:
https://www.amazon.com/Hubbell-Wiring-Systems-tradeSELECT-Interchangeable/dp/B008KMTTQG

Cord:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00L2O3YL0/ref=mp_s_a_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1469812949&sr=8-8&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=soow&dpPl=1&dpID=51jXQDjbbSL&ref=plSrch

Heavy duty strain relief: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00RW79KOG/ref=mp_s_a_1_28?ie=UTF8&qid=1469813053&sr=8-28&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=kellems+grip

Lighter duty strain relief:https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B005QDQZ78/ref=mp_s_a_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1469813373&sr=8-6&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=c750+connector&dpPl=1&dpID=51nbYwJQe6L&ref=plSrch

All this stuff should be available at your local electrical supply.

I tried that a while back. Don't waste your time. The steel is VERY low quality and won't harden. If you want to go a simple route, use a reciprocating saw blade. That steel is already hard. You have to be very careful shaping it not to overheat it, but you won't need to harden it after.

Using good quality steel makes a BIG difference. You can get it from McMaster Carr, or even Amazon. I found this hunk on ebay and paid 3 dollars for it.

There are two knifemaking subreddits, /r/knifemaking and /r/Bladesmith. If you want to get him steel Amazon stock O1 tool steel which will be much nicer for him to work with than leaf springs - https://www.amazon.com/Precision-Ground-Annealed-Thickness-Length/dp/B00CZDPAI2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1482297534&sr=8-1&keywords=o1+steel. If you go with that I would suggest getting 5/32 inch thickness and 1.5 or 2 inch width, and whatever length you prefer.

Use music wire. It lasts much longer

It appears to be oos now, but I picked these up in the sizes for 5.56,308,9mm, and 22lr and they have worked very well. There is not guarantee they are straight, but mine had no bends in them when rolled on a granite surface plate at a friend's shop.

O1 Tool Steel Round Rod, Annealed/Precision Ground, ASTM A681, 0.328125" Diameter, 36" Length https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0050RIPVY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_Yz0zDbMP4MB5P

Amazon ships globally?

A2-

01-

Those nails are six inches? Those are longer than any I have, I'll definitely pick some up.

For the crs, would something like this work if I cut it?

And unlike the nails, they're reusable, right?

Amazon has 01 6"x18" in either 1/8" or 1/16" for < $70

http://www.amazon.com/Steel-Precision-Ground-Standard-Tolerance/dp/B00CZDPAI2

Here you go!

even cheaper if you don't mind seasoning it yourself.

https://www.amazon.com/Hot-Rolled-Steel-Plate-12/dp/B00YWBQ7W8/ref=sr_1_4?s=industrial&ie=UTF8&qid=1484068617&sr=1-4&keywords=steel+plate

So would this flat stock be annealed or not? Thats what i'm trying to figure out.

You can use a follower on BEST locks if they close with a clip in the back (as opposed to rivets). I bought a 10.5mm metal rod on Amazon (this one https://amazon.com/uxcell-Lathe-Round-10-5mm-Length/dp/B07KYB24VF/) and it works great for this. 11mm might work too, but I wanted to have a bit more clearance.
You have to open it with the operating key or pick it to operating, then you can push out the plug with the 10.5mm follower. The control sleeve stays held into the body; you can then pull out the driver/control/master pins and springs the usual way as you remove the follower.
Putting it back together with the follower is a bit tricky: when you're putting the first pin in, there is nothing holding the control sleeve to the body so it moves around and makes it difficult to get the pins in. Once you get the first pin in, the rest go a lot easier.

The oven pan, the frying pan, etc. Mittens breack. The tail of the frying pan melted.

The idea of grabbing anything hot, and securely move it from one place to the next. Key word is secure.

For example I love to cook potatoes on a metal plate. I cut them into round wheels nd place them on the heated steel plate. Let them cook then serve hot or cold with onions and sunflower oil.

Use knife to turn them bad boys while holding the plate with the other hand, using pliers.

Sorry, english is not my native tongue

This things https://www.amazon.com/Stanley-84-114-Piece-6-Inch-Diagonal/dp/B0006HVU4W/ref=sr_1_4?s=power-hand-tools&ie=UTF8&qid=1541369010&sr=1-4&keywords=pliers.


Steel plate: https://www.amazon.com/Hot-Rolled-Steel-Plate-10/dp/B00YWBQ5AW/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1541369144&sr=8-3&keywords=steel+plate

I cut out mine from a big sheet of steel using a grinder. Not sure about thickness tho.

Honestly, I learned the importance of pliers in the kitchen back in highschool and my burned fingers/ year dropped to 0. But, to each his oun.

Hand vise: IRWINQUICK-GRIPOne-Handed Bar Clamp, Heavy-Duty, 6", 1964711 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001VND4X0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apap_SKWbD2mBTHRZ9

Steel plates: Round Hot Rolled Steel Plate 1/4" x 4" Diameter Circle (Pack of 2!) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00YWBU1P2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_Mdufzb3Q4YDXK

Epoxy: J-B Weld 8297 HighHeat 550 Degree Epoxy Putty Stick - 2 oz. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007PP26RI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_ieufzbQD017AS

And turns out my stove is way easier to heat up the steel plates. But if you're interested in a heat gun I bought this one: Genesis GHG1500A Dual Temperature Heat Gun Kit, Grey https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EU2T8GG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_pfufzbAPGCZ11


Sorry about the formatting, I'm on mobile

http://www.amazon.com/Precision-Ground-Annealed-Thickness-Length/dp/B00CZDPAI2/ref=sr_1_fkmr3_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1421860628&sr=8-1-fkmr3&keywords=starrett+o-1+tool+steel+precision+ground

Here you go sorry I'm a little new to reddit I haven't quite figured out how to post tiny links like the other guy. Also for small-med size knives basically 10 in. and under I really like 3/32 for something bigger like a chopper go 3/16-1/4 in.

Depends were you live and it may take a visit to the place to see what they really have. I found a local store that had tool steel, O1 and W2, in both round bar and flat bar for reasonable prices BUT that isn't listed on their website. They also had a bunch of small cut off pieces of various metals for art projects which was really handy as well.

I know you didn't want to buy on line but Amazon has O1 with free shipping. Might be able to get a better deal locally if you look around.

I've got an ALO Metals ASAP in town, they do a ton of work in small sections for U of M so I'm super luck to have access to resources like that.

I'm starting to source quite a few things through Amazon Prime pricing is great plus you don't get reamed on shipping if you have Prime. 0.75" x 36" 12L14 is $18.24. 0.75" x 12" is a $8.

Amazon sells various types of metal plates that are precision ground. Here's aluminum in various thicknesses and square sizes. Here's steel. Pieces of thick plate glass can probably be had for pretty cheap if you have a glass shop nearby. Amazon's plate glass can be kind of expensive. If you can find someone tossing out an older 35-55gal fishtank you might be able to salvage a piece of glass from either the front or the back. Don't bother with the piece that makes the bottom as that will be tempered. Newer tanks in those sizes have thinner glass but it might still be serviceable.

Thanks! They are mahogany and the next step is to make a leather headband to hide the wires. ha ha I actually got the mesh from a mail holder that I bought from wal-mart. Cheap, but it works!

If you want something a bit more professional, amazon has perforated steel that you can buy for the grating:
http://www.amazon.com/Perforated-Unpolished-Finish-Staggered-Thickness/dp/B00CZDOR5E/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1371743761&sr=8-2&keywords=perforated+metal

Steel would probobly be cheaper and easier to buy, then either paint or plate with brass. This said, i think buying a solid metal bar into a cane would make it monstrously heavy.

I've found somewhere that sells brass hex tubing, but it expect it will be very expensive.

I think a better option would be to get a solid plastic rod, then with a homemade jig, cut it into a hexagon, then paint it brass.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0050R25FG/ref=biss_dp_t_asn

I followed this guy's instructions pretty much to the letter. I picked up some 12 gauge wire from a craft store and it's okay to start with but it's really soft, so maybe pick up a little just to practice with. I bought this 14 gauge wire which I really like. Much more sturdy, but also much more difficult to bend. The 12 gauge is usually available in a bunch of different colors though. I'm still just learning, have yet to make an actual "piece" but it's something to do when I have a few moments or while watching movies.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000FMYFVI/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1450143196&sr=8-1&pi=SY200_QL40&keywords=o1+tool+steel&dpPl=1&dpID=31xGT3DXKzL&ref=plSrch

This is where I've gotten my o1 for a long time. Look through the many different size combinations, you'll often find nonsensically cheap steel at certain dimensions. I recommend 1/8 thickness.