Flat stock blades versus forged blades,,,

[aarondhgraham]

I know a man who makes nice knives from old railroad spikes,,,
After forge heating the metal to a bright reddish glow,,,
He hammers them down to an approximate shape,,,
Then goes to town with the sander and stones.

Other knives he makes start out as flat stock steel,,,
Then they get the sander and stones.

What is the correct name for each type of blade?

Is one inherently better than the other?

I have an inquiring mind,,,
And I really would like to know.

Thanks in advance,,,

Aarond

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[Snipe]

The railroad spike would be hand forged. The flat stock would be considered stock removal. Niether way produces a stronger blade, it all has to do with the type of metal and the heat treat process

 

[Snipe]

No railroad spike has high enough carbon content to make a "good" knife. It's medium carbon at best. It can still get sharp it will just never hold a good edge long

 

[SoonerP226]

FWIW, Dr. Larrin Thomas has a short chapter about forging vs. stock removal in his book Knife Engineering. Basically, all knife steel is forged unless you're using a specialty cast steel (which, he says, are rare), and even if you're forging the blade yourself, most of the forging was done at the foundry during the processes that produced the steel.

In short, he says forging provides limited performance benefits, but there are non-performance reasons to forge, like making pattern-welded Damascus blades, making curved blades without converting a lot of steel to dust, making rustic-looking blades, making blades traditional ways, or just because "you like hitting hot steel with a hammer."

 

[Johnny]

I agree with what everybody else has said. I will say that forging is a whole other art form in itself. Above and beyond being able to produce a knife.

 

[aarondhgraham]

Thanks gentlemen,,,
Stock Removal" was the term I lacked.

or just because "you like hitting hot steel with a hammer."

Now that actually makes sense.

Aarond

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