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A8 VS S7

J

jrrock

Joined
Aug 17, 2017
Messages
8
Hey everyone, I am looking to make a handful of tomahawks for me and a couple friends and am struggling with all the steel options. I am able to get a large piece of S7 from Ellwood Specialty Metals from there ExELL line for a good price but could also get some A8 as well. If I wanted to avoid shipping there is a facility close to me that has some 52100 but after reading multiple threads on here it seems like the lesser option. If money were no object I would just get cpm3v but that, 80crv2, 5160 and 8670 are proving difficult to source living in northern British Columbia. So after all of that what would make you choose A8 or S7. Would the low wear resistance of the S7 be a pain in the but having to resharpen constantly and while it is crazy on impact toughness is it overkill for a tomahawk? Has anyone made tomahawks from A8 and I am meaning plain A8 not modA8. I would be sending these out for professional HT so would the A8 be more forgiving in HT? Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks
 
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Both S7 and A8 are known for being very tough. Im not an expert on the subject at all, but for a true impact tool.. Id go for S7. S7 can hold a decent working edge - Heat treatment is everything. A8 seems to be similar to INFI steel, extremely tough, not as tough as S7 though. Busse used S7 on the Scrapyard knives for ahwile - they are basically unbreakable. Gossman uses S7 on many of his knives - pretty much indestructable, hold a working edge about as well as 01. Ranger Knives used S7 - Bomb proof. Please post some pics when you can.
 
S7 with the right heat treat takes a great edge, is easy to sharpen, and is nearly indestructible.


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Don't discount the 52100. There is a reason it has been a custom knife maker favorite for a long time.
I've used a Swamp Rat hawk in 52100 (they call their 52100 steep SR101 with their proprietary heat treat).

I did some silly things with that, with a crazy thin sharpened beard/beak on that hawk and showed no ill effects.


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The 52100 seemed to hold an edge a little better than Busse's INFI.
 
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