D.O.M.:
If you are looking at really old pictures, those long bits might be plain old high carbon tool steel. i.e. Before HSS was invented.
Another approach is to WELD whatever you want to use as a cutting edge to an extension. It can be a "forge weld", also called a "hammer weld", done at the forge & anvil. Tools, particularly woodworking tools, were made commercially by forge welding a carbon steel cutting edge to wrought iron or mild steel as recently as the 1920's and some probably still are.
I've never seen HSS used this way, only high-carbon tool steel, but I don't know that it can't be done with HSS. QUESTION FOR THE GROUP: What would happen to HSS brought to welding heat, other than that you'd have to re-heat-treat it?
John Ruth