# Bent stock steel



## Seffers93 (Sep 20, 2020)

Hello again everyone!

Just wondering where you stock removal guys get your steel? I’ve noticed most of the bars I have are bent a little. Not sure if they came that way or if it happens over time somehow? I guess I’m not sure if asking for steel to be granite-surface-flat upon arrival is reasonable or not? I guess I’ll just to heat it up and clamp it between some angle iron before I grind out profiles!


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## RDalman (Sep 21, 2020)

If you don't buy ground flat stock. Cut up strip steels are often going to be a little bent. But in knifemaking you're going to have to learn straightening anyway so don't stress about it, it's annealed soft steel, just straighten it up. You will very often find yourself straightening before profiling, during grinding, before, during and after heat treatment. Have fun


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## Kippington (Sep 21, 2020)




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## Matus (Sep 21, 2020)

What Robin said.


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## Seffers93 (Sep 21, 2020)

RDalman said:


> If you don't buy ground flat stock. Cut up strip steels are often going to be a little bent. But in knifemaking you're going to have to learn straightening anyway so don't stress about it, it's annealed soft steel, just straighten it up. You will very often find yourself straightening before profiling, during grinding, before, during and after heat treatment. Have fun



Thanks for the info! Good to know!


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## gregfisk (Sep 21, 2020)

Thank you for the information. The issue I’ve had is when the steel is warped or twisted. When it’s bent like the video just in one direction, no problem. But when it’s bent and twisted I’ve had a heck of a time trying to straighten it out.


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## RDalman (Sep 21, 2020)

gregfisk said:


> Thank you for the information. The issue I’ve had is when the steel is warped or twisted. When it’s bent like the video just in one direction, no problem. But when it’s bent and twisted I’ve had a heck of a time trying to straighten it out.


Sounds like hammer time then.


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## Kippington (Sep 21, 2020)

RDalman said:


> Sounds like hammer time then.


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## HSC /// Knives (Sep 22, 2020)

Your material is likely annealed
You can set it on something flat, anvil, wood stump etc and whack it with a dead blow hammer. That’s just one way


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## HSC /// Knives (Sep 22, 2020)

gregfisk said:


> Thank you for the information. The issue I’ve had is when the steel is warped or twisted. When it’s bent like the video just in one direction, no problem. But when it’s bent and twisted I’ve had a heck of a time trying to straighten it out.


When you have a twist or propeller you have to find the high point or ridge line

It can help to visualize if you take some stiff paper or cardboard shaped like the blade and create your own twist to see the ridge line peak.


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## gregfisk (Sep 23, 2020)

Thanks Robin and Harbeer, I think I have a better understanding now. The concept of stretching and compressing steel is a new one to me but it’s slowly sinking in.


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