Alloy 20

SteelSlaver

SteelSlaver

Joined
Feb 17, 2007
Messages
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A fellow pipe guy and I were talking and he knows I do knives and damascus. He asked if you could use alloy 20 and I said no because it has no real amount of carbon, But, then I thought what about San Mia. I can often get short pieces of alloy 20 pipe from 1" to say 4" and about .250 to .375 walls.

Here is the alloy 20 specs.

Nickel, 32.5–35%
Chromium, 19–21%
Carbon, 0.06% maximum
Copper, 3–4%
Molybdenum, 2–3%
Manganese, 2% maximum
Silicon, 1% maximum
Niobium, (8.0 X C), 1% maximum
Iron, 31–44% (balance)

Would the copper be a problem??

Thanks Jim
 
Quoted from my knife steels app on my iPhone: In large amounts Cu is detrimental to steel performance. Between 0.2% and 1% it helps with preventing surface oxidation.
 
Well, the alloy 20's copper shouldn't end up anywhere in the edge as the core would be something like 1095 and once forged and ground the alloy 20 would be higher up the sides and the 1095 would be exposed for at least 1/4" on the edge and more near the tip. I wouldn't think the copper would migrate like carbon in the forging process. But, would the alloy 20 forge weld to the 1095. Data sheets say you can hot forge it and I know they make forged high pressure valve bodies with it. It is used to resist corrosion in hot sulfuric acid processes and the like so it would definitely not etch while the 1095 did in ferric chloride.

I guess I need to get home, finish up the shop and my new welding forge and find out. Worst I can do is waste a small piece of 1095. Jobs complete and signed off, I am mostly packed and loaded. Probably won't have time till after hunting season. Priorities.
 
I would not worry about the copper or the low Carbon . What would probably be a problem is trying to weld the high percentage of Ni/Cr to the 1095.
 
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