17-4 Stainless For Traditionals?

ScarFoot

ScarFoot

Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
Joined
Sep 16, 2021
Messages
968
I intend to start trying to make traditional folders this year and I’ve been researching liner, bolster and pin materials. Everyone seems to like 416 SS but it seems to be getting hard to find at least from reliable sources. I’ve noticed a few sites selling 17-4 and it seems to be a viable option but I was curious if anyone on here had any experience with it?

I’m somewhat familiar with the differences between it and 416 but I’d like to hear from anyone with real world experience working with it. It looks like it could even be hardened to the point of using it for backsprings with a fairly simple H900 heat treat. I think it was mentioned in another traditional post here earlier but I don’t remember which one.

Have any of y’all ever used it? I’ve find suppliers for sheet, bar and pin stock but didn’t want to order if it was too tricky for a beginner to work with.
 
Been looking into this a little more since some of the material I found is annealed and some has been H900 (900F for 1 hour) hardened. It looks like a lot of machinists prefer to perform an H1150 (1150F for 4 hours) or occasionally H1025 over-aging heat treatment on it as it makes it less gummy and easier to machine. In the H1150 state the 17-4 hardness can actually be lower (27-35HRc) than the annealed hardness range which is 30-38HRc from what I’ve read. You can go straight from annealed or H900 to H1150 but have to anneal to go back to H900 from H1150. It’s also used heavily in the H1150 state in marine and highly corrosive environments as it’s much less prone to stress corrosion cracking. Not sure how much that matters in the knife world but thought it was interesting.

I’m still looking for good sources of 416 that’s actually in stock and not sold in bulk quantities only but, I’ve been seriously thinking about getting some 17-4, running the H1150 heat treatment on it and giving it a try.
 
I’ll check them out. I’m starting to feel like a crazy person in here talking to myself about 17-4.
 
Just curious what thickness material you are looking for? Sheet or plate? Integral bolsters?
 
C_Claycomb said:
Just curious what thickness material you are looking for? Sheet or plate? Integral bolsters?
Click to expand...
416 sheet is what I’m having the most trouble locating. Since I don’t have a mill I’m planning to solder bolsters to start out. Most of the knife making suppliers seem to be out so I’ve been looking at steel suppliers.
 
ScarFoot said:
416 sheet is what I’m having the most trouble locating. Since I don’t have a mill I’m planning to solder bolsters to start out. Most of the knife making suppliers seem to be out so I’ve been looking at steel suppliers.
Click to expand...
Contact Atlantic Stainless. They are a big supplier, but they will do small orders for individuals like us. I get my 416 from them and it also ends up being cheaper than from knife supply places.
 
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