52100?

There is much hoodoo attached to 52100, mainly because it can achieve such a fine grain. I would not trust a maker that is making huge claims about the steel and then using a torch to heat treat it. It requires a lot of precision to get it right, and once you do the final product can be really good, but not so incredibly different from other bladesmith favorites like O1. Fine grain only gets you so far in producing toughness.
 
RX-79G said:
There is much hoodoo attached to 52100, mainly because it can achieve such a fine grain. I would not trust a maker that is making huge claims about the steel and then using a torch to heat treat it. It requires a lot of precision to get it right, and once you do the final product can be really good, but not so incredibly different from other bladesmith favorites like O1. Fine grain only gets you so far in producing toughness.
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^
Well said.

Nathan,

It's a great steel if you like to sharpen and favor high levels of sharpness with high maintenance

It has great edge taking, ease of sharpening, toughness, and edge holding relative to each other.

It doesn't hold a candle in the corrison resistance and working edge wear resistance of high vanadium steels.

It will rust quickly if put away without cleaning off caustic finger oils or in humid environments without oil.

You really have to do your research if you want to know how a steel can perform

by itself

52100 or any steel is only the uncooked ingredients for a knife.

You need to know who is making it, how and for what to really understand what the capabilities are.
 
52100 is the reason why I bought an Evenheat KH 414.
 
Thanks for the info, gentlemen. I know there are other threads around about this steel, but I always like to have more discussion on something I know little about.

Spyderco is soon to release a sprint run Military with a 52100 blade and apparently rough CF scales. I really, really want that knife, even though it's going to cost about 300 beaverbucks. I'm willing to pony up for it, though I'd like to know for sure if the materials will be worth it.
 
A well-ht 52100 at 63rc (iirc hrc mentioned by Sal) would be a fun blade to use. However if toughness of this 52100 blade behaves like zdp-189/s110v/s90v at similar hardness, then make a drink by adding sugar & ice.

Kwon Kwang said:
Thanks for the info, gentlemen. I know there are other threads around about this steel, but I always like to have more discussion on something I know little about.

Spyderco is soon to release a sprint run Military with a 52100 blade and apparently rough CF scales. I really, really want that knife, even though it's going to cost about 300 beaverbucks. I'm willing to pony up for it, though I'd like to know for sure if the materials will be worth it.
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Busse/Swamp rat/Scrapyard run their 52100 (what they have named SR101) at that hardness. It is fantastic steel.

They have pretty involved heat treat for their steels, and seem to get crazy performance from what ever they use.
 
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nvm... I mis-read, your replied to OP.

Bigfattyt said:
Busse/Swamp rat/Scrapyard run their 52100 (what they have named SR101) at that hardness. It is fantastic steel.

They have pretty involved heat treat for tear steels, and seem to get crazy performance from what ever they use.
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DeadboxHero said:
^
Well said.

Nathan,

It's a great steel if you like to sharpen and favor high levels of sharpness with high maintenance

It has great edge taking, ease of sharpening, toughness, and edge holding relative to each other.

It doesn't hold a candle in the corrison resistance and working edge wear resistance of high vanadium steels.

It will rust quickly if put away without cleaning off caustic finger oils or in humid environments without oil.

You really have to do your research if you want to know how a steel can perform

by itself

52100 or any steel is only the uncooked ingredients for a knife.

You need to know who is making it, how and for what to really understand what the capabilities are.
Click to expand...

Thanks
 
I have several fixed blade knives that have 52100 steel blades with HRc ~59. They all sharpen quickly to a very refined edge and have proven (surprisingly) tough enough for my uses. They have a trait that I value highly - edge stability; the ability to hold that razor edge for a long time, before deteriorating to an edge that's just "usable". That's what is compelling about the steel, for me, because I never let my knives go for long, without a screaming sharp apex.
I also have other steels, like AEB-L, 12C27, O1 and Aldo's 1084 that exhibit the same traits, to a large degree . Love 'em all, but 52100 seems to be my favorite among this class of steels, judging by the number of knives I own in each flavor. It's just a bit tougher than the others mentioned, in my experience.
 
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It's a great steel if done right but honestly it's a pain in the ass to keep from rusting. It can be done but requires conscious effort.

If things are done right and left at a high hardness it will have adequate toughness to maintain an edge through those characteristics rather than high carbide volume.

If it's not done right or left soft it'll act like any other steel, it'll chip or roll, depending on how it was processed, just the same and has no carbide content to lean on.

Some people may be disappointed, some may not be. The two 52100 knives I have used and abused both came from Bluntcut and both were fairly high hardness and have been great to use. One in the kitchen and one as a hard use work knife.

I probably won't get another work knife in something like 52100 because it is a pain to keep even decent looking. Its a performer though. As a kitchen knife, well, it's the best kitchen knife I have and would not trade it.
 
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