A203e who has tried it?

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skillgannon

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I was looking at admiral steels page checking prices and came across this stuff. I like 15n20 a lot and this has more Ni and comes in thick stock. Does anyone have much experience with it?
 
203E is steel with around.20% carbon (or less) and 3% nickel. It was made for reactor shells and other pressure vessels, and is very tough. It was popular in making damascus at one time because it made a very bright contrast. But since a blade of 203E and 1095 ends up with around .60% carbon content, I think most switched to 15N20 ... which has nearly the same nickel content but .75% carbon.

203E is still used in san-mai and in some high contrast damascus that is not for a cutting edge.
 
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Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith said:
203E is steel with almost .20% carbon (or less) and 3% nickel. It was made for reactor shells and other pressure vessels, and is very tough. It was popular in making damascus at one time because it made a very bright contrast. But since a blade of 203E and 1095 ends up with around .60% carbon content, I think most switched to 15N20 ... which has nearly the same nickel content but .75% carbon.

203E is still used in san-mai and in some high contrast damascus that is not for a cutting edge.
Click to expand...
Thanks. My bad I missed the 0 when reading the chemistry. I thought it said .9 C instead of .09. I guess that would make a difference :oops:
 
I've used it for years, good stuff & etches much nicer than 15N20. But like Stacy said you have to watch your carbon %. For fittings I like 1080/203E. For blade steel I might add one or two pieces in a billet for extra bright lines, but I make sure carbon total at .80% or higher.
 
I used to make up billets with 1095 core and 203E in the side mix. IIRC, it was a 1/8" core and two 1/8" pieces of 40 layer 1084 and 203E twist on the sides. This got welded and drawn to around .15". It made very bold contrast sides and a great edge.
 
I have used it for a long time making San Mai. It makes great cladding layers and almost has an appearance of Damascus when etched. The steel must have some banding because it looks like layers. You have to be careful of the steel not splitting down the spine during the quench, I think it has much different cooling properties than carbon steel sand wants to pull away. You can remedy this with a clay coat for the spine, at least that worked for me.
 
Here are a couple 203E laminates as inspired by Matt Bailey - see his post above.
His work is always so tidy and precise, it inspired me to use some 203 myself.
This is an example of the banding he mentions:
(These were about 8 years ago.)

W2 and 203E was the go-to Damascus recipe for almost 2 decades through the 80s and 90s for many makers.
c4pHdA8.jpg


hzsJNgp.jpg
 
That is cool. I'm back to being interested in this steel.

Admiral has 0.25 stock. They also have 8670m and that looks kinda interesting too.
 
Stack up six alternating 1/4" thick pieces of 203E and O-1. Weld and fold four or five times. Pattern as desired ( ladder and twist work well), and use as san-mai on a core of 52100 or W2. Makes a very attractive knife.
 
Karl is the guy that told me a while that you can get that cool banding with 203E. Sexy stuff when used properly.
Karl B. Andersen said:
Here are a couple 203E laminates as inspired by Matt Bailey - see his post above.
His work is always so tidy and precise, it inspired me to use some 203 myself.
This is an example of the banding he mentions:
(These were about 8 years ago.)

W2 and 203E was the go-to Damascus recipe for almost 2 decades through the 80s and 90s for many makers.
c4pHdA8.jpg


hzsJNgp.jpg
Click to expand...
 
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