one way to test and you would need extra metal to this, a good heat source, magnet. heat the metal until it very red try and touch the magnet to it when the magnet is no longer attracted to it the metal is hot enough to quench in water when its cold try and break by putting it in a vise or hit on a hard surface if it breaks easy like glass and doesn't bend at all than it is good knife making metal.magnet that you can get from auto zone with telescopic handle works best .