reciprocating saw blade recycling

Seem rather thin for most lathes. Might make a good flat spring for a firearm.

Wes

Hacksaw blades do not make good lathe tools. They are fairly good for knife making.

does anyone know enough about those blades to say if they are tool steel right through or if only the teeth are?

i think the teeth are.

If they are at all flexible then only the the teeth are hss, but you can always cut new teeth in them with a cutoof wheel and sharpen them on a belt sander to be good enough for wood and demolition.

Sawzall blades are very highly sought after in prison, where they make wonderful weapons.

I volunteer in a maximum security prison ..

Grant

Most high quality recip blades are bi metal, meaning that the backs are soft and can bend without snapping and the teeth are hardened and bonded to the softer blade. Just not much there for recycling.

Good knives for one use, maybe. I ground an edge on the back of one to make a collapsible survival knife. The saw teeth hold up well but the blade dulls after sharpening one or two oak tent pegs. I filed the teeth cross-cut and carry a small triangular needle file to keep it sharp.

"beecrofter" (clip) you can always cut new teeth in them with a cutoof wheel and sharpen them on a belt sander to be good enough for wood and demolition. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ If you hold a dull blade gently against a belt sander, so that the worn tips of the teeth are cut off, the blade can be used some more. It won't be the same as new teeth, because the tips will be flat, but it will still cut better than a totally dull blade.

Have a look at

Apparently a plastic phone card with nicks cut in the edge is good for use as a weapon too.

Chris