Bandsaw Blades

[hillbilly61]

Do the bandsaw blades like they use for portable sawmills work for making broadheads? I can get about 8 of them. They look to be about 10' long. They are rusty and didn't want to waste my time if they can't be used. I would be keeping a couple for myself and try trading the rest if they will work.

[JustinNC]

The ones I have are exactly as you describe. They cut and heat treat great. They came in light at mid 80s grain. Might have to wire wrap.

[Lombard]

Mark, sounds like the type a friend of mine uses to make some fine knives out of. If it is the same stuff, then it should work just fine.  He builds a good fire, lets it burn down most of the way. He then throws the blades up on the fire, sometimes adding some more wood. Then just lets it set all night. He said this takes the temper out, and allows him to shape and cut the stuff with less difficulty. When he makes a knife, he then heats the metal back up carefully until it is just beyond magnetic. At that point he quenches the blade in a bucket of what I can only call goop, thick nasty looking stuff. He says he gets from around 54 to 60 on the Rockwell hardness scale. If you can do that, it should not be to much of a deal to get broadheads that will take and keep a keen edge.

[hillbilly61]

 Well. That sounds a little beyond my skills. I thought you just had to cut the patern out and sharpen Oh well. It was a thought. I'll post them on the trad board . Maybe someone that has the skills can use them.

[Lombard]

Mark, I wonder if one could use a cut off blade on an angle grinder, to cut out the basic shape with the material that you have as is? It would be worth a try if nothing else. Cut out the shape you want, smooth the rough stuff, grind your bevels, and then hone to a razors edge. Seems a cut off blade would generate enough heat from cutting to facilitate cutting tempered steel. Just me thinking out loud...kind of.

[hillbilly61]

That might work. I can use my Dremil tool And cut one out and see what happend. Maybe I can get one done by the weekend.

[Pat B]

You can score the metal with a cold chisel in the shape you want then break it apart.

[Pappy]

I use a dermal with a cut off wheel,the band saw blade I use is 50/1000 thick .Just be sure and keep the cut off wheel very straight as you cut or it will eat the wheel up very quick. GregB just marks it and grinds them out on a bench grinder,he keeps a pan of water handy and dunks it on a regular basis to keep it cool.Works just fine.Just take you time. 
   Pappy

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[stickbender]

     
     Hillbilly61;
     It isn't that big of a deal.  If you can get those blades get them.  You just take a plain ol little shop blow torch, or if you go to the hardware store, or Wally World, and get some Mapp gas, you just heat the blade, cut it with a hack saw, or score it with a triangular file, and break it.
You just heat it up to a nice cherry red or a little hotter, and let it cool.  Bingo, it is annealed.  You use a hack saw, or dremel, and cut out a two and a half inch long section or so, and grind it to shape, or file it, or use a bench grinder, and get the shape, and bevels you want, and then just light up the Mapp gas again, and heat it to a nice cherry red, and drop it in a little pot of oil, or water.  Or if you want to go real hard, use a pot of acetone, and dry ice.  Then you are subquenching it.  Nice and hard.  Brittle maybe.  Depends on the carbon content of the blade.  But it really isn't a big process.  You could use your bar b que grill, or any heat source to anneal the blade.  Just do like they said, and use a file and put a groove across the blade, and snap it.  Then go about annealing, and shaping, and putting on the beveling, and then harden it, and then final sharpening.  Not a lot of intense labor, or rocket science to it.  Trust me, if I can do it, you can!   So go for it.  At worse, it will be a learning process, at least , a couple of nice trade points.  But at least try it.  It really isn't a big deal.

                                                                                       Wayne

[hillbilly61]

I might try that after church tomarrow. Being a plumber I have mapp gas and acetylene. Will old motor oil work? I have a little of that too.

[stickbender]

     Yep old motor oil, or crispy new oil.  Some people prefer oil, some like water, some like their own home brew.  Use what ever floats your boat.  I have used oil, water, and ice water, and haven't seen enough of a  difference to write home about.  Yeah, heat it in semi shade, so you can see the colors better.  Try a few, and if it seems to be too much trouble, at least you know how to make them, should the urge strike again.  But there isn't a bunch of work to it.  You can use a hack saw on the annealed blade, to cut out the shape.  Whatever comes to mind to get the shape, you want, then just put on the edge bevels, and smooth them up, and heat treat, and final honing, and you have a nice trade point.   You can try a single bevel on each side.  Right side down, then turn the Blade over and repeat for that side, and you will have the right side down, and the left side up.  A single bevel is easier to sharpen, especially in the field.  Depending on the angle, you want, you can make the edge longer, or shorter.  The longer will dull easier, but the shorter is more difficult to get on the stone, so something in between, will be best.  I hope this helps, and doesn't confuse you.

                                                                         Wayne

[Justin Snyder]

If you choose to use oil, just remember that the oil is flammable when you start running the blow torch and dropping finished blades into the pot. You probably wont have a problem, but the stakes are high if you do. Stay away from the house or any other structure you don't want burned to the ground. And a fire extinguisher that puts out oil fires might come in handy.

[stickbender]

     Yep, and a box of baking soda, or a lid to the pot.
 
                                               Wayne

[hillbilly61]

     Yep, and a box of baking soda, or a lid to the pot.
 
                                               Wayne

I like that one