a2 vs 440c

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noob93

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Feb 6, 2016
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Just wondering what the appreciable difference would be in edge retention and toughness at around 59 hrc. also Im assuming a2 would be easier to sharpen?
 
I think both of these are easy to sharpen,a2 is stronger but will rust easily.
For edc :440c
For outdoor use （ big fixed blade）：a2
 
Except for rusting I doubt you would be able to tell the difference.

For what it's worth I found 440C held its edge better, but that was against CR's A-2 at 55 on a one-piece model vs 440C at 57.

Gaston
 
thanks guys its for a pocket fixed blade im trying to have made with a 3.5 inch blade. Iv tried 440c of course and it was pretty damn good but I have always wanted to try some a2. Just thought id get some opinions and so far it looks like I cant go wrong with either.
 
A2 is one of my favorite steels to work with. I've had good feedback. I run my A2 between 58-60.
 
If you are going to use A2 on a pocket fixed blade, why heat treat it so soft? I don't believe A2 is generally done less than 60-62 and can go higher with some makers. You should take advantage of the steel's ability to hold an edge for a long time but remain tough.

Warning that A2 will rust and take on a patina. If you want maintenance free, sweat a lot, 440C may be your better choice. You can heat treat 440C harder than 58 as well.
 
Ya I asked which was better at that rc just because 440c is usually kept around 59 or 60 on the high end to keep its toughness. Do you have any a2?
 
As much as I love high carbon and tool steel, for just about everything.
I have come to the conclusion that I prefer stainless for a pocket folding knife. Especially for hum drum EDC use.
They rust too fast in my sweaty pocket.
 
My one A2 is a very small custom that I keep in a sheath in my pants pocket. I oil or wax it to protect it from rust.

I have a damascus knife with L6 and 1095 steel, I carry it in a pouch sheath that clips to my pocket and it has a rare earth magnet to hold it in. I oil or wax that knife as well. Knife was made by Jodie Foster and the sheath by Don Cowles. I like his sheaths, he makes small knives too and has a website.

I have a very flat knife in a pancake sheath, with a magnet, that clips to my pocket; knife by Mike Franklin, sheath by me. It is either 440c or Ats34, I bought it used at a gun show w/o sheath and Mike could not recall the steel, but he buffed and sharpened it for me.

The two I carry clipped to my pants are about 21/2-3" blades with 3" handles.
 
People like to talk about abrasive wear resistance. I've gotten away from that the last few years as a deciding factor in knives. Knives are mostly about the cutting edge. In that respect A2 is far better than 440C. Yes, it's a tougher steel than 440C. More importantly A2 has a better grain structure than 440C for holding up during cutting at thin and sharp work. 440C has great pure abrasive wear but those large blocky chrome carbides are not good at the very thin edges I prefer. A2 is less resistant to corrosion but overall I don't consider that relevant to my needs. I can clean my knives when needed and paste wax them for storage. I have some A2 knives I've had for around 10 years that have no corrosion whatsoever. It's not bad at all in that respect and I consider it more corrosive resistant than O-1, 1095, etc. The finish and even heat treat can change the values on this as well as most steels though.

Joe
 
thank you for the explanation as i agree with many things you said. I find my old 01 kitchen knife to hold an edge great and its just some cheap piece of junk from the 50s. I Think a2 it is any makers here in canada using it other then gough?
 
noob93 said:
thank you for the explanation as i agree with many things you said. I find my old 01 kitchen knife to hold an edge great and its just some cheap piece of junk from the 50s. I Think a2 it is any makers here in canada using it other then gough?
Click to expand...

sure am... just started with it, but i have started using more and more A2 as of late.
 
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