A custom made bowie of DC53 steel

[Ashenden]

This is a custom bowie, made of DC53 steel of which tanks armor are made. The DC53 is mainly used for military purposes. The steel is too strong to grind or even to file. Does anyone else have a knife made of DC53 steel?

 

[idaho]

DC53 is an industry tool steel, not an armour grade.
It is "similar" to A2 steel.

 

[marthinus]

Those are some bold claims for DC53.

From the manufacturer:

DC53 is a general purpose cold work tool steel with
exceptional Toughness, Wear Resistance, Compressive
Strength and Temper Resistance. These properties
are obtained through its chemistry as well as its unique
manufacturing process of ladle refinement, vacuum
degassing and forging methods. DC53 also has
excellent machining characteristics and is well suited as
a substrate for PVD surface treatments. DC53 can also
be hot process CVD and TD (Thermal Diffusion) coated,
however post heat treat is generally recommended.

http://www.alro.com/datapdf/metals/dc53_complete.pdf

Here is specific heat treatment.

http://www.bssteel.co.th/download/dc53catalog.pdf

More data:

http://www.moldsteel.com/pdf/DC53_Heat_Treat.pdf

 

[idaho]

Nothing special in that data. Any modern tool steel will have such claims

 

[The Mastiff]

Lower carbon and chrome and vanadium than D2


Etc.

looks ok. Tougher than D2, though not up to 3V. Not all that much better than the A2 class. Looks ok though I'd still prefer my mastiff...er, Cruwear. Still, I'd try it.

It's composition does seem familiar to me but I'm not going to bother researching. Now I'm officially retired I can be a man of leisure ( mostly because I'm not married anymore! )

 

[Neo]

It's composition does seem familiar to me but I'm not going to bother researching.

It makes me think of Uddeholm Sleipner

 

[Neo]

I was searching for the DC53 knife in the picture below.
But I could not find a source which ships to Europe.
(my google fo is not strong enough )