8670 versus 26C3 - non toughness differences

C

Cushing H.

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So ... in my quest to limit the numbers of alloys I end up using, I have had a wrench thrown into my thoughts. So far, I had been thinking that for non-stainless blades that I wanted to push to a higher HRC (target ~64), that I would use 26C3. We also just had this thread about steel thicknesses, and (eliminate a lot of comments here) enter 8670, which pops offers in a 1/16" thickness. they sing the praise of this allow for getting to higher hardness levels - so it could be my HRC 64 non stainless alloy.... (scratch head here)

There are clearly differences between the two - 26C3 is higher in carbon, and does not have many of the alloying elements that 8670 has. There is a big piece of me that respects the experience and wisdom of the japanese smiths who have favored Hitachi White (comparable to 26C3), and yet the comments here have been really favorable towards 8670 - although many of those have been around its toughness. But, making cullinary knives (with the assumption they will not be abused....) I am not really so interested in toughness. So....

Does anyone have experience in comparing 8670 and 26C3 in other terms: behavior during grinding (grindability), ability to get to a really small BTE thickness without pull outs, stability in quench (pops says 8670 is great), wear resistance (though maybe larrins data has something on that for each of them. Any other general comments???
 
If I'm not mistaken 8670 was one of Larrin's lowest ranked steels for wear resistance lol

I imagine 26c3 would have better wear resistance... But somebody correct me if I am wrong.

That being said 8670 was pretty dang easy for me to heat treat. It grinds like any other low alloy steel and both 8670/26c3 will be able to hold a rather fine edge.

You won't get tear out with either of them
 
allenkey said:
If I'm not mistaken 8670 was one of Larrin's lowest ranked steels for wear resistance lol

I imagine 26c3 would have better wear resistance... But somebody correct me if I am wrong.

That being said 8670 was pretty dang easy for me to heat treat. It grinds like any other low alloy steel and both 8670/26c3 will be able to hold a rather fine edge.

You won't get tear out with either of them
Click to expand...

The 8670 was the lowest hardness sample too. In simple steels, hardness is the best prediction for wear resistance. The carbide volume is too low, and the iron carbides are too soft (softer than the abrasive in the CATRA tape) to make a big impact.

I have used a lot of W2, 8670, 15n20, 52100, 1095, and recently 26c3 for kitchen knives. The preference has been for the best geometry, not steel type. As my heat treat got better, and my geometry got better, 8670 and 15n20 outperformed “Better” steels with poorer geometry. Any of these steels makes a fine knife at Rc64.

My 8670 kitchen knives were 1525f for 10 min, quench in DT-48, temper at 200f, 2hx2.
 
26C3 isn't too shabby in the hamon department, whereas you can't do that with 8670. If I had to pick between the two, I would use 26C3, as it gets stupid hard after quench, has better wear resistance (not that I would call it a wear resistant steel by any means), has all the toughness you'll ever want for a culinary blade, and can develop hamon. Both steels are available, affordable, and respond very well during heat treatment with little distortion.
 
Thank you all for your input. Sounds like I will continue on the path with 26c3. I have a yanagiba with it I still need to finish ... looking forward to seeing how it turns out...
 
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