A2 a well balanced steel

JTknives said:
You will love it, make sure to get some nice thin stock and make some kitchen slicers out of it. Out of all the knives i have made my wife loves the A2 kitchen knives the most. Ground extremely thin to a zero edge and given a course sharpening and a buff will make an edge that will cut chicken like a light sabre. But make sure that you go to cryo ASAP after the plate quench.
Click to expand...
I remember your post a few months back about that kitchen knife.
For new maker how would a2 compare to AEBL?
 
The warping problem with AEBL is bad enough that I don't use it, maybe i would in thicker sections but the shin stuff is like herding cats.

Flatground.com is where i have gotten alot of my steel from in the past.
A-2 Standard (18'' Length)
Thickness: 1/8
Width:2"
$20.58

that's 4.5 cubic inches for 20.58, so $4.57 a cubic inch.
440c is what $4.40 a cubic inch

what does 440c settle at after the temper 59rc I think for a stable usable hardness. Where A2 can be set at 62-63rc all day long but i have heard talk about going harder. I'm not factoring in the "stain-less" quality's.
I am not sure what the actual hardness jump is from one point to the next but charts show an average increase of about 10,000psi tensile strength from point to point.
 
Matthew Gregory said:
Out of curiosity, Scott, what were you making at the office, and how was it used?
Click to expand...
we made forged pieces(part that drives the wheel and part that goes in transaxle) for axle assemblies for Ford, Honda and Toyota. A2 was used in almost every machine as rails, gates, dividers, cutters, back pads, grippers for robot arms, wear plates, and many other pieces.
 
scott.livesey said:
prices at AKS
.104x12x2 A2 $11
.095x12x2 15N20 $5
.090x12x2 3V $14
.090x12x2 M2 $12
.104x12x2 440C $11
.098x12x2 AEB-L $5
.120x12x2 N690 $13
.104x12x2 D2 $12
.110x12x2 80CrV2 $9
yes you can get get A2 2 or 3 HRc more than 440C, N690 or AEB-L, but you loose the corrosion resistance. We make identical blades with 80CrV2 and A2. start the cold furnaces at the same time. one would be doing after temper grinding on the 80CrV2 while A2 blade is still at hardening temperture. from 12 years experience using A2 at the office, I will buy 440C or AEB-L and enjoy the corrosion resistance.
Click to expand...
The relatively high cost of 80CrV2 is a bit surprising to me.
 
D DevinT how do you like A2 in smaller blades? Fue to your work with AEBL it's pretty surprising that that's not your "go to" steel of choice. Thank you for sharing the info!
 
valknut said:
D DevinT how do you like A2 in smaller blades? Fue to your work with AEBL it's pretty surprising that that's not your "go to" steel of choice. Thank you for sharing the info!
Click to expand...


It's good for small blades.

I do love aeb-l, A2 has the same type and size of carbides as aeb-l but slightly more carbide volume. Because A2 had less chrome,
it is a little tougher than aeb-l.

I've done considerable testing on A2. More than a hundred heat treat coupons and dozens of knives. It's a good one. Those that try it usually like it.

Hoss
 
I've always loved A2. My personal knives are usually A2 or AEB-L but I'm really liking 4V lately. My only gripe with A2 is alloy banding. Anybody have a source for CLEAN A2?
 
DevinT said:
It's good for small blades.

I do love aeb-l, A2 has the same type and size of carbides as aeb-l but slightly more carbide volume. Because A2 had less chrome,
it is a little tougher than aeb-l.

I've done considerable testing on A2. More than a hundred heat treat coupons and dozens of knives. It's a good one. Those that try it usually like it.

Hoss
Click to expand...
Ok I'll get some to try. Along with AEBL and 3v.
 
I love A2, one of my two favorite steels. I've mostly been switching over to 154cm and cpm154, but A2 will make a damn good knife, and is great to work with
 
I have to admit I know far less about the steels then you makers as far as how they are to work with ... but after many years and many knives of use ... A2 and 52100 are 2 of my favorites followed by a good 5160 ... and they perform great for me.

Then I have my SS and newer steels that have some Im growing to like alot for various reasons ... and have my favorites in that type.

But I still lean back on the older HC steels for most my fixed blades and for some slip joints I prefer it ... takes a great edge and can repeat that edge simply and quickly.
 
"Clean A2" .The proper metallurgical term 'clean' refers to non-metallic inclusions !
What you are looking for is a low banding steel. We have spent years trying to make banding free steel but now certain people actually want banding .I guess they think it's ''cute" or something ! :(
 
Timing can be a funny thing. So yesterday after typing the above (post #7), I'm grinding a small group of 25 blades to go to ht. Now lo and behold I'm grinding one of the skinner patterns mentioned in the post. I'd not done one of these in some time, maybe six or seven months. This is the very first one since the initial test that has not been in A2. What steel is it a guy might say? Well to make it funny for this thread in an ironic kind of way, its some of Hoss's stainless damascus what else.

I've always done a scothbrite finish and have not had any of the banding problems I've heard others speak of with A2.
 
Horsewright said:
I've always done a scothbrite finish and have not had any of the banding problems I've heard others speak of with A2.
Click to expand...

You probably have, you’re just not apt to see it through that finish.

One of the appeals to me of A2, when it’s good A2, is the wonderful luster of a good, clean 800 grit hand satin finish. Maybe my favorite steels for this. The carbide banding I’ve seen in most of the stuff I’ve gotten is why I don’t use it much, anymore.
 
Yes sir you're right, I've seen it. Just wasn't an issue the way I finished. Guess I could of been clearer.
 
The best results for me was forging esr A2 from round at moderate temperatures, sub-critical anneal, heat treat.

Hoss
 
I agree about A2's balance. While it won't take the low edge angle of 1084, it does take a *wicked* edge and the heat treat is clean and simple (no oil) with high dimensional stability.
I've been trying to settle on two carbon and two stainless steels as my standards, one simple and one 'fancy' in each category. I settled on 1084 and A2 quite awhile back. Stainless is more complicated, but I'm leaning toward AEB-L (maybe Nitro-V instead?) and S35VN or CPM154.
 
DevinT said:
The best results for me was forging esr A2 from round at moderate temperatures, sub-critical anneal, heat treat.

Hoss
Click to expand...
ESR (Electro-Slag Remelt) process has a very rapid solidification rate that leads to low segregation and carbide banding compared to conventional casting. In terms of reducing segregation it is even better than Vacuum Arc Remelt (VAR). The solidification is not as rapid as powder metallurgy, but the cleanliness (in terms of inclusions) is likely better for ESR than most PM.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top