metal for making blanks help

[grommit]

Hello Guys,
i found some 3mm sheet metal in the garage, so i got thinking could i use this as practice for making knife blanks.
I drew the outline and got to work with my grinder with cutting wheel, then grinding wheel.
i have a lot of wood in the garage so please advise on what i should be practicing now to make spines??
if i get proficient with making the blanks etc then later this year i will go for real.
what is the best metal i should be looking for here in the Uk for making blanks.
I look forward to any help,i have watched all the clips etc. thanks tons,
Brian

[Everything Mac]

have you made any blanks with this 3mm stuff yet?

you could use it to make templates for various shapes etc and practice your grinding along the way.

im not expert on steel - ive only ever really used old files. but i recently bought some 01 to play with - i have read on here that its very easy to work with.

i believe there is a metallurgy section somewhere.

i suppose it all depends on what you want to do really mate.

mac

[John N]

Unless your on a super tight budget I would buy some O1 ground flat stock from cromwells, and just get stuck in proper,

Its not really any extra work to use high quality steel and you will have a good knife at the end of it. there is probably less than £5 of O1 steel in a blade.

[I D Howe]

Check out cromwell tools site for ground flat stock (01) it's cheap at the moment.

[grommit]

thanks very much guys,
great advice, i am actually using the sheet for templates, i have used one to practice my grinding, spine placement, but the pin metal i have is too fat..i had problems with the tang earlier getting it nestled correctly in the spines.
i have learnt a great deal,so now i need to just take my time, i have no skills with grinding the bevel or jug set up either, so if anyone has any pointers where to look, i like the 20 degree angle.
off to look at Cromwells.
thanks,
Brian

[BigShot]

John and Seagull...
Is this the cromwell's you mean?
http://www.cromwell.co.uk/category_page/160202

I dunno what's resaonable and what's not when it comes to prices for steel so not sure if that's the place.