<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Hello all,
Let me straighten out some of the misinformation being spread about steels in use by ourselves and most other factories.
1) Hitachi Metals is not ceasing to produce ATS-34. In fact, they are in the process of trying to improve their manufacturing operations so that they mat provide a cleaner melt and finer end product. ATS is not garbage and is one of the best steels available.
2) We use 154CM because Crucible Steel approached us 2 1/2 years ago with the
proposition of producing 154CM in usable sizes (sheets) and wanted to know if knife companies were still interested in their steel.
We consulted with Microtech who were already starting to use 154. They were extremely pleased with Crucibles processes, delivery, and product. The steel had a proven battle record for blades and I had used it almost 20 years earlier on my custom blades.
154CM is the parent steel of ATS-34 and is U.S. made. We are extremely pleased with 154CM and have never had any complaints about the performance of our steel.
We produce tens of thousands knives per year and have well over one hundred thousand out in the hands of users. Bear in mind that these really are hard use customers and we are completely satisfied with the performance of 154CM.
It is heat treated per my specs and use a double temper and -120 cryogenic treatment. This can be varified through our heat treater whose number I will gladly provide to anyone who so desires.
3) Latrobe BG-42 is a good steel, even a great steel. The heat treating is not exotic and any commercial heat treater can heat to specs required including the -120 treatment which is the standard cryo figure.
Unfortunately, Latrobe Steel provides BG-42 for bearing applications and not specifically for knifemaking applications. This is handled by their specialty steels
division. They produce the steel in bar stock and in small runs of such. Bar stock
will not work for major manufacturing processes. Most companies use lasers like
ours that require sheet stock material.
Yes, Latrobe will do a run for a certain quantity and dollar amount. It is not always the price but the ongoing availability of raw material that is the determining factor in choices made by manufacturers.
Our factory is set up on a just in time model and long lead times and guarantees of only small quantities, prohibit the use of this steel.
The Latrobe company does not look at the knife industry as a large enough customer to release mill time to address to address cutlery in the tonnage needed to supply major manufacturers at this time.
Perhaps this will change in the near or distant future. Remember, they make this
steel for turbine bearings and almost all of their production goes to that application.
I hope this helps address and clarify some concerns that you all may have.
Sincerely,
Ernest Emerson
Emerson SpecWar Knives
Emerson Knives Inc.</font>
