HOW TO - Test Lawnmower Blades - Do they harden?

[@mbbailout]

Cherry reddish/ orange to quench, your had the metal way to hot...nut great video

[@PetesCreativeRecycling]

It was the right color, the camera just made it look otherwise. Thanks for the input though!

[@dyoung2437]

What kind of forge are you using and what type gas

[@PetesCreativeRecycling]

NC Tool Knife Makers. Propane.

[@nathanielwenger8500]

Man thank you for this. I have a bunch of lawn mower blades. I reached out to one of the knife maker groups im apart of and they advised to test the steel to see how it hardens or if it does at all. Do you recommend tempering at 400 degrees for an hour and a half?

[@PetesCreativeRecycling]

Some of them I would say just don't temper them at all. If they get hard, but not really like glass hard, then don't temper them. You can test this by quenching a test piece then trying to break it in your vise. If it breaks, temper it (yes 1.5H@400F). If not, then don't. Some of these blades, like the Gator Blades, are made of such tough steel that I don't even test them any more and no matter how thin I make them they are still crazy strong and hold an edge about as good as a store bought machete. These aren't going to make razors, but they do make really great swords, Crocodile Dundee Bowies, and Machetes.

[@nathanielwenger8500]

Thank you sir

[@redlinebo]

i hardened a mower so hard i was able to drive through a welding pipe with no damage to the mowerblade knife

[@PetesCreativeRecycling]

That's amazing! I've made all sorts off stuff from these pieces of throw-away steel, such as a Japanese Chefs Knife, Viking Dagger, Wall hangers, Shelf brackets, Fishing knife, and on this channel I even made blacksmithing tongs with them. As long as the steel tests to the harness required to make what you want, these can be made into awesome stuff, and most of them are so tough that even after quenching the steel it's incredibly hard to break yet RHC into the high 50s and low 60s.