Kayser Ellison

[Bernard GreatrixParticipant @bernardgreatrix61453]

[Bernard GreatrixParticipant @bernardgreatrix61453]

Hi All,

I've inherited various bits and pieces from my late father and amongst the metallic finds is a 16" length of 16mmx16mm Steel wrapped in oily brown paper

Labelled :-

Kayser Ellison & Co

Best Warranted Cast Steel

And what might be a large figure 7

I've found out some of KE's history via the Grace Guide via Google

but what I want to know is :-

Is this steel of any major use to a novice engineer. I've suceeded in cutting a small piece of the end to the complete detriment of a new 18T hacksaw blade, so I've come to the conclusion that it is quite hard.

Any thoughts are welcome

regards

Bernard

[Roderick JenkinsParticipant @roderickjenkins93242]

Many woodworking tools are stamped "Warranted Cast Steel". I also recall that Kayser made saws and these are sometimes described as being made of silver steel. I therefore suspect your material is essentially a large lump of hardenable silver steel and very useful. Sounds like it might need to be annealed before shaping and then hardening and tempering.

HTH,

Rod

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Yep, it will be a hardenable tool steel, in the absence of any data you can experiment and it will probably behave like gauge plate (an oil hardening steel).

These days you won't want to use it for general purpose tools but if you even want to make 'specials' such as form tools it could come in very handy.

Machine/file to required shape. Heat to red hot for ~10 minutes. Quench in vegetable oil – rapeseed is good (with a lid to make sure no fire). Clean off to bright metal and heat gently on a bed of sand or in an oven until at a 'light straw colour'. Hone the edge and use.

Neil

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Bernard,

As Rod indicates … This will be a piece of very high quality steel, which should take [and hold] a fine cutting edge.

You may have already found this from Grace's Guide, but … **LINK**

http://strazors.com/uploads/images/articles/kayser.pdf

Treasure it …

MichaelG.

.

P.S. … It may be worth asking Mr Ellis at West Yorkshire Steel:

 https://www.westyorkssteel.com/?s=kayser+ellison

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 02/06/2017 08:58:53

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 02/06/2017 09:01:03

[Bernard GreatrixParticipant @bernardgreatrix61453]

Hi guys,

Many thanks for taking the time to reply to my query.

I will follow the links given, but I'm now a little puzzled as why dad had it in the first place.

He invariably worked in wood with hand tools and had little to do with metalworking, but I suppose he may have wanted it to make a chisel or similar.

My time has also been spent making wooden items and only since retiring have I ventured into metalwork, having bought a small Warco lathe, to learn a new skill

regards

Bernard

[Bernard GreatrixParticipant @bernardgreatrix61453]

Follow up.

According to Mr Rob Ellis, I should treat the steel as if it were type 01 or D2.

So Rod/Neil your suggestions were spot on

regards

Bernard

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