I'm am planning to make my first knife , after reading countless hours of information A8 mod. Steel ( chipper) seems to be a great choice , however I can not seem to find a peice of this steel for sale anywhere , can anyone point me in the right direction? Thank you in advance.
-
The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is available! Price is $250 ea (shipped within CONUS).
Order here: https://www.bladeforums.com/help/2024-traditional/
About steel
- Thread starter Mikeynyc
- Start date
Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith
ilmarinen - MODERATOR
Moderator
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
- Joined
- Aug 20, 2004
- Messages
- 38,513
There are good reasons why certain steels are used extensively by knifemakers..... it is because they work.
While A8,S7, and other alloys will make a good knife, the standard steels A2, O1, D2 1084, 1095, W2, and 5160 are all available in annealed bar stock ( often precision ground), and in the sizes we need. HT specs for these steels for making knives are also readily available. The HT specs found for a steel normally used in far thicker and massive sizes may not be optimal for making a blade that is .125" thick or less and has a mass of 100-200 grams.
These steels will make excellent blades and with the proper HT will meet or exceed all normal blade use needs.
If you like the attributes of A8, try A2. I doubt you will be unhappy with the results.
While A8,S7, and other alloys will make a good knife, the standard steels A2, O1, D2 1084, 1095, W2, and 5160 are all available in annealed bar stock ( often precision ground), and in the sizes we need. HT specs for these steels for making knives are also readily available. The HT specs found for a steel normally used in far thicker and massive sizes may not be optimal for making a blade that is .125" thick or less and has a mass of 100-200 grams.
These steels will make excellent blades and with the proper HT will meet or exceed all normal blade use needs.
If you like the attributes of A8, try A2. I doubt you will be unhappy with the results.
james terrio
Sharpest Knife in the Light Socket
- Joined
- Apr 15, 2010
- Messages
- 22,618
That bears repeating, and has been proven true literally thousands of times. :thumbup: I would be pretty surprised if you found a source for A8 Mod barstock, and I'll bet you dinner you're not going to find any INFI barstock for sale... that's what you're really thinking of, yes?
If you endeavor to make a big, sturdy knife with very high toughness and quite good edge-retention (and it seems clear from your Busse pic/sig line and interest in A8 Mod that you are), take a good long look at CPM-3V.
It's a little pricy and it requires pro-level HT, but it makes one heckuva knife. I get my 3V from either NJSB or Alpha, and have it HT'ed by Peters.
Last edited:
- Joined
- Oct 17, 2007
- Messages
- 4,298
I have to agree with Stacy.
If this is your first knife, you want to stack any available odds in your favor. Start off with a simple, low cost, easy to heat treat steel. See how it ends up, how it performs, what you might change, and then make another with any minor changes you think would benefit the design.
Keep doing this until you've made about 10 or 15 knives, and then see if you're still looking for any performance enhancements that a more complex (and expensive) steel might bring to the table.
A well made and properly heat treated knife of a basic carbon steel will out perform a poorly made knife of a "super steel" any day of the week.
Buy a few feet of 1080 from Aldo. You won't regret it.
If this is your first knife, you want to stack any available odds in your favor. Start off with a simple, low cost, easy to heat treat steel. See how it ends up, how it performs, what you might change, and then make another with any minor changes you think would benefit the design.
Keep doing this until you've made about 10 or 15 knives, and then see if you're still looking for any performance enhancements that a more complex (and expensive) steel might bring to the table.
A well made and properly heat treated knife of a basic carbon steel will out perform a poorly made knife of a "super steel" any day of the week.
Buy a few feet of 1080 from Aldo. You won't regret it.
Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith
ilmarinen - MODERATOR
Moderator
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
- Joined
- Aug 20, 2004
- Messages
- 38,513
+1 on James' recommendation on CPM-3V for a super tough knife. It isn't cheap, it isn't easy to work, and HT is for those with metallurgical equipment .... but boy is it tough in use.
If I were to make a knife I was taking to the back country, I think 3V would be my choice. Actually, I would make two, a big chopper in 3V, and a super sharp utility hunter in W2.
If I were to make a knife I was taking to the back country, I think 3V would be my choice. Actually, I would make two, a big chopper in 3V, and a super sharp utility hunter in W2.