Making An Iron Knife!

[Gene]

I know this sounds dumb, guys, but I want to make an IRON knife,
and I'm hoping you can tell me how to go about that! And where to get the iron, and what to do about heat treating it, and all the other good stuff which goes with making an IRON KNIFE!

The one knife on earth which is the most historically significant - at least to me - is the "Seax of Beagnoth" also known as the "Thames Scramasax. In beautiful condition, 2' 8" long, tang and blade, by 2 3/8" by 5/16" or 3/8", it was made around 600 AD, and was found in 1857 under the Thames River at Battersea (London). And not only is it COVERED on both sides with exquisite copper, brass and silver inlays, but, on the reverse side, those inlays include the world's only extant complete copy of the ancient Anglo-Saxon Futhorc ("runic alphabet"), plus the name of the owner or maker of the blade, "Beagnoth".

Every time I look at it, I am instantly transported back in a time machine 1500 years! It is as though I am there at the Thames -back then.

I've got scads of supporting documentation and photographs, but I can't put them all in here, and I have $70 worth of enlargements on their way to me from London right now. But two of the world's leading museums and two of the most highly credentialed Anglo-Saxon historians have all reported that it is "made of iron".

And - being more than ten years old - they know the difference between iron and steel.

I know, I'm goin' in the wrong direction!

Everybody on this Forum is trying to get the newest and finest and latest steels for their knives - while Dumbo here is tryin' to make one out of iron - ha ha ha!

Talk to me. Please.

What do you suggest (other than psychiatric assistance!).

But always bear in mind, when you talk, if you talk heat heat treating, that I do definitely want to inlay mine just exactly like the original.

Thank you very, very much!

Gene

[J.Arthur Loose]

Gene,

The difference between iron and steel is carbon content. Iron is an element. Steel is an alloy of iron and carbon. At .40 carbon content steel becomes heat-treatable. After about 1.7% carbon you enter the realm of cast iron, which is just as useless as iron for blades.

You *can't* heat treat iron.


Here is an article detailing some contemporary seaxes with a metallurgial detailing demonstrating the sophistication of construction and heat-treating for that time period...

*If* the Thames Sax was made out of pure iron it was probably tossed in the river for it's poor quality.

Ask your Historians for the metallurgical anaylsis of the blade.

I am tracking down the same info.