A2?

blackboogers · Jan 27, 2003

Has anyone ever used A2? I would HT myself and wonder if anyone likes or recc. it. Thanks-

C L Wilkins · Jan 27, 2003

Phil Hartsfield uses it quite a bit. It really is enhanced by cryo...

Nathan House · Jan 27, 2003

I bought some PG A2 of ebay for cheap.I ground one knife from it
.I have not sent it away for HT yet.I can tell you it is a tool steel
used for high impact,one down fall to it is the low chrome in it.
I have seen some big makers use it for fighters.

Don Powell · Jan 27, 2003

I only made one knife of A2 ( heat treated by Paul Bos ). It is my
Grandson's main hunting knife. I ground the edge to about .015, and
it really cuts! The edge holding is not as good as D2 at HRC 60, but
very good. It has very good toughness thereby allowing the edge to be ground quite thin. A2 only has enough chrome to make it air hardening, so the stain resistance is like any high carbon steel, almost nil. I would be reluctant to heat treat it myself unless I had
good equipment and access to cryo, and a Rockwell hardness tester. If you want to heat treat yourself, go with O1.

Kit Carson · Jan 27, 2003

I made a small Model 4 for a customer while back. He wanted two blades made to fit it, one of S30V and the other of A2. You can read what he said about A2 here..
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=238224
It's in the Knife Review forum, started by db

I'm a big fan of A2, I just don't get that many orders for it.

southriv · Jan 27, 2003

I'll mirror Kit's thoughts and his customers comments. I just finished a couple fighters in A2 that I had Paul Bos heat treat. It cuts like the dickens and hold it's edge. I side by side tested mine with another makers blade in S30V in rope cuts.... The A2 held it's own and then some.....again, though - no one asks for it. It is nice to work with , as it is readily available in all sizes and percision ground to boot.

Bob

db · Jan 27, 2003

I have only had and used the A2 for a short time, since Sept. I really like it alot. Cuts like crazy. Good stuff.
I also have a D2 knife that is pretty close to the same size and grind. I really like D2 maybe my fav steel, but I wouldn't put money on it holding an edge longerthan the A2.

Raymond Richard · Jan 28, 2003

Hardening temp is 1750-1800 and let it soak for about 8 to 10 minutes at that temp. Its air hardening. I'd wrap it in heat treating foil if I was doing it. It also needs to soak for a couple hours 350 to 400 degrees and do this twice.

Trace Rinaldi · Jan 28, 2003

A2 has been a GREAT performer for me, as HT'd by Paul Bos.. I have lots of guys using Armageddons in A2 that REALLY like them.. Except for it not being stainless, its got everything else you want in a good blade steel, and then some..