440C/M2 mismatch

[olivier coen]

If the M2 is not etching then it is probably under-tempered. You will need to temper at or above 1000F to get the M2 to etch dark. The problem you have is the two materials are not metallurgically compatible at all. Heat treat, corrosion resistance is all on opposite spectrums.

You might be right about the undertempered. Although I put it in the forge at +/-550°c 1000f it only stayed in for about half an hour. To be clear, I had no intention to make a perfect blade as it probably was already overheated. It was just scrap to do a little bit of testing.
When I finished grinding the one that worked out properly I'll send it to Austria for proper heat-treating.

I know the two materials have vastly different characteristics, I don't know if that makes them incompatible. There's lots of historical precedents that shows San Mai has its value. But at least in my opinion not when you use two similar steels. Wether that makes 440/M2 the 'mariage parfait' is still up for debate. I'll see when I destroyed the good knife

 

[olivier coen]

It s typo , I mean on 12c27 .
Look in this thread about different steel from Sandvik .All of them are good for sandwich with M2

14c28n heat treatment

Hello everyone, I'm in to knifemaking since a few years and I mostley use O1. Recently I bought some 14c28n and I have some doubts about the heat treat. On sandvik page they say that the hardening temp is 1922F but do I ramp it to that temperature or I put it in the oven at that temperature...

bladeforums.com

Thx Natlek, I agree it looks like a great alternative to the 440 I currently have.
Next time I order steel I'll definitely include some 12c27 or 14c28n. Have to look a little deeper to make a choice. They both seem quite affordable too which is nice when you do (destructive) experiments