5160 vs 1084v

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zhangmaster12

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Hi guys,
5160
vs
Aldo's 1084v
If both are heat-treated properly, which one is tougher and which one hold a better edge?

Thanks!
 
1084 will hold an edge longer because it has more carbon. 5160 will be tougher because it's lathe martensite. That said, 1084 is already super tough and one would never notice the difference.
 
I find that in extreme cases 1080 is more prone break at stress risers. A chip in the blade can result in the whole thing breaking. I tested a few 1080 blades that had the spine clay coated, I could bend the blade in the vice, yet if the edge chipped it broke in half.... I guess this is how they cold cut railway tracks. I have never tried 1084 however. But 1060 and 5160 does not do this.
 
Thanks!
I think Ill go with 5160, and later with 1084.
Still, not final decision, more opinion would be awesome!

:D
 
john0270 said:
I find that in extreme cases 1080 is more prone break at stress risers. A chip in the blade can result in the whole thing breaking. I tested a few 1080 blades that had the spine clay coated, I could bend the blade in the vice, yet if the edge chipped it broke in half.... I guess this is how they cold cut railway tracks. I have never tried 1084 however. But 1060 and 5160 does not do this.
Click to expand...

Yeah I've seen it happen too but a lot of it has to do with the heat treat. Keep in mind that 1084 is one of the hardest steels there is (as-quenched hardness 66-67 rc) and it tends to be run harder than 5160 (more brittle). If you temper 1084 at 400F (double temper 2 hours each) and bend it in a vise, the steel will simply not break. There is no way to snap it, you'd have to bend it back and forth many times to finally tear the knife apart.
 
1084 is a deep hardening steel, clay coating the spine is sub-optimal, save it for Waterhardening steels

-Page
 
I love 5160. If you look at Kevin Cashen's site; apparently he likes/uses 5160 too.

My largest complaint with it however is the problem with imperfections/inclusions deep in the bar, right from (some of) the factorys! You work and work on a blade only to find as your doing your finish grinding after hardening, that theres some nasty little line in the steel and the more you grind/sand, the larger it becomes. No doubt there are better sources for this steel than "Security Steel" as thats who I bought from. They, Security, are big suppliers to the auto and trailer industy and to be honest, they make a good product for that; they don't give a damn about knifemakers...
I ordered several times from them and it wasn't always a problem. Smaller stuff like 3/16x3/4 was fine, and, their 1084 (all in small sizes) was fine; but the 1/4x1.5 and 1/4x2 in 5160 would have these imperfections. Kevin talks of this problem as he's tested a number on factory runs of steels and found them inconsistent in their cores before ever lifting a hammer over them. There are a couple of good threads where he's discussed/commented on this. Ditto "Mete" (userid).

If you go with 5160, ask Kevin where he gets his. I've become a scrounger for old car spring steel and hardly ever buy anything anymore, the old stuff is just super consistent throughout the spring. Not so apparently these days. If and when you can find a good stash of something and it hardens, have it tested. I now have 1000 lbs. of 1084 Caterpillar grader blade edges.... the stuff is 1/2 inch wide and I'm fixed for this steel till the cows come home.

m
 
I get my 5160 from Kelly Cupples and never had a problem with it. I have Aldo's 1084, too (2008 melt), and it's real nice stuff. But, I can tweak my 5160 to where it exhibits greater wear resistance, and tougher, too. (Interrupted sub-critical quenching between heats and sub-critical cycling prior to hardening; triple quenched.)
 
Old thread but fair question. Aldo Bruno is a steel merchant specializing in metals for knife making. He is very highly regarded here. Google "New Jersey Steel Baron" and you'll find him.
 
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