On Fri, 16 Jan 2009 8:42:58 -0600, Ed Edelenbos wrote
(in message ):

Being a little bit of a packrat, over the years I've collected a bunch of
tools. I have several old and mistreated (but not over heated) lathe tools
that I can reshape into some custom profiles. I was eyeing up some beat
screwdrivers in my junk box and wondering about the suitability of any of
those for some mini tools. Has anyone here had luck doing this? Shaping,
tempering (if necessary), and using?

What sort of stock is good to use for homemade tools?

Ed


some screwdrivers will be too soft to keep an edge, and may not be
hardenable. If the screwdriver *is* hardenable, though, you can get some nice
small tool from it.

Generally, if the metal is soft enough to cut it with a file and not dull the
file... it is too soft. Hardenability in steel is a whole 'nother field of
knowledge... analyzing the spark pattern when grinding the metal in question,
or simply trial and error are two "tells" for a piece of mystery metal.

I've had good results with old files. Anneal, grind smooth, reshape, braze to
a suitable tool shaft, and re-harden.

tom koehler

--
I will find a way or make one.