ATS-34..There is no Conspiracy

[Les Robertson]

As has been stated by others, 15 years ago Bob Loveless anoited ATS-34 as the "Wonder" Steel.

At the time he was right, it was an excellent steel. Now there are better steels.

Who still has the computer they had 15 years ago. Remember when the Comodor 64 was the PC to have. Pocket Rolodex's that are given away as gifts now have more memory than that did.

Time passes things improve. BG-42, M-2, Talonite, Stellite, CPM 440V, CPM 420V. There is always something better, but are you willing to pay for it.

Knife buyers world wide have been sold on ATS-34 for years. I remember when people were saying that 440C was the end all steel!
They were right, 25 years ago.

Marketing in knives takes a while. 5 years from now it steels like BG-42 will be common place. As more demand for it happens, the suppliers will find a way to fill the demand.

ATS-34 isnt a bad steel, it's just no longer the best.

Personally, I think overall D-2 is a superior comprimse to most steels. This is just my opinon, so dont pull out your soap box.

The best way to vote in any election that offers a product is with your dollar!



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Les Robertson
Robertson's Custom Cutlery
www.robertsoncustomcutlery.com

 

[dp]

Hey Les, sorry I missed meeting you; just moved from Augusta, GA to here at Ft. Hood last month...

Knowing that ATS34 and other steels become outdated...what about different approaches to those same steels. M-2 has been around for a while, but wasn't suitable until blade coatings became more common and proficient enough to apply.

What about E. Mayer's (BCK) "cryo-quenching" process he does on ATS34 and A2 steels?

Just wondering, since I have one of Ernie's blades which went through his process.

Dave

 

[madpoet]

Hey Les, I like D-2 too ;-)

Technology doesn't stand still, nor does the discovery of new and better steels, or methods of getting the most out of them, and the ones that are out there.
When I was making knives ten years ago I was out there with the masses, turning out 440C blades, and some D-2, and ATS-34 was something for the big guys to play with. Steel I sent off to be heat treated was tempered once for 440C, and twice for D-2.

Flash forward ten years, and athough the steels haven't changed, the heat treatment processes that are available has. Cryogenic treatment isn't just a fad any more, done by a limited number of makers, but pretty much the only way some commercial heat treating operations advise customers to go. Ernie may have been on the 'cutting edge' for knife makers, but a lot of folks are following!

Bob Engnath, while he was still with us went to the point of putting a reference into his catalog saying that if someone wanted to use 440C, that you could "enhance toughness and hardness remarkably" by freeezing in dry ice for a couple of hours before tempering.
When I went back to the same shop to have blades done after a respite of several years, the first thing the shop manager did was recommend that I let them change how they heat treated my blades. Now both D-2 and 440C get an overnight cryogenic quench after cooling to air temperature, and then are tempered twice. The changes are not earth shattering, but they are improvements, and I'm not sorry they talked me into the change. Whenever you can make a tool steel or stainless tougher, and improve its edge holding, why stick to the old ways?