Best Steel for Prybar - 154CM or S30V?

D

digdeep

Joined
Mar 19, 2005
Messages
1,739
Been thinking about getting a Graham Razel and was wondering what kind of steel (either 154CM or S30V) would hold up best to heavy duty prybar use.

Thanks for your help.
 
Both steels are not intended for making prybars, but if you really insist on doing that, I believe it would be 154cm and you definitely would not want it to be tempered over 58HRC, or I will guarantee you it will snap like glass after you bend the blade past 30 degrees. I know because I tried it!:)

I have a BM Nimravus 1/8" thick blade 154cm (tempered between 59-60Hrc), I was bored one day and I just wanted to see how far I could go with the knife if my life depended on it. I placed about 1/4" of the blade in a vise, and glued a protractor and stuck a 3 foot bar on the handle.......

10 degrees, blade returned to true.

20 degrees, blade returned to true.

25 degrees, blade did not return to true, about a 2-3 degree plastic deformation.

30 degrees......31......32......snap!:eek:

I reprofiled it and it is serviceable again. I still kept the 1/4" blade tip to view it under a microscope. compare it with ats-34, the grain size of 154cm is smaller, therefore it is better than the japanese stuff.

Oh yeah.... did i mention I did it to both of my Nims.... one in ats-34 and of course one in 154cm. I also have a sample of Aus-8 and the grain size is the same as ats-34.:D
 
Some people have had problems with S30V chipping, no stories heard lately though. But it bering prone to brittleness may carry over to this application as well.

You can't have it done in a carbon or high-speed steel?
 
softer steel would be better wouldn't it?
better to bend a pry bar than to shatter one.
 
Either of them is pretty poor in that they have low ductility and flexibility. If either are hardened to where they're normally run for knives, they'll likely shatter. I'd look at 5160, the low 10 series (1050, 1065) and some of the shock steels like S5. There's always good ol' 4140, too.
 
Even though it's designed to be much tougher for prying than other knives, I still wouldn't subject a Razel to "heavy prying". I'd think of it as more a knife capable of light prying, compared to most other knives which are capable only of breaking while prying.
 
I think it would be 154 cm but i doubt it would be good for heavy prying. It could probalbly handle ok th ough for pryin. Sweet looking knife either way
 
A razel is like 3/16 do I don't think it will matter all that much for reasonable values of prying.
 
Nimravus Nut said:
Both steels are not intended for making prybars, but if you really insist on doing that, I believe it would be 154cm and you definitely would not want it to be tempered over 58HRC, or I will guarantee you it will snap like glass after you bend the blade past 30 degrees. I know because I tried it!:)

I have a BM Nimravus 1/8" thick blade 154cm (tempered between 59-60Hrc), I was bored one day and I just wanted to see how far I could go with the knife if my life depended on it. I placed about 1/4" of the blade in a vise, and glued a protractor and stuck a 3 foot bar on the handle.......

10 degrees, blade returned to true.

20 degrees, blade returned to true.

25 degrees, blade did not return to true, about a 2-3 degree plastic deformation.

30 degrees......31......32......snap!:eek:

I reprofiled it and it is serviceable again. I still kept the 1/4" blade tip to view it under a microscope. compare it with ats-34, the grain size of 154cm is smaller, therefore it is better than the japanese stuff.

Oh yeah.... did i mention I did it to both of my Nims.... one in ats-34 and of course one in 154cm. I also have a sample of Aus-8 and the grain size is the same as ats-34.:D
Click to expand...

And there is no chance to repeat this with a M2 version?

You have sacrificed your knifes for the sake of enlightement(:D ). Thank you!:thumbup:

Result: If your knife starts bending, stop prying. Do we had to break so many knifes to learn that?:D
 
I would think neither of them would be very effective prybars. There are MUCH better materials for prybars.
 
Well, since you are getting it custom made, I would suggest either A2 or a stainless steel and would go with a bit thicker stock. The rest has been said already: There is hardly any stainless that is suitable for heavy prying. Just my $0.02.
 
Get ya a 5160 knife for that coated to aid in reducing rust. .

STR
 
Blop said:
And there is no chance to repeat this with a M2 version?

You have sacrificed your knifes for the sake of enlightement(:D ). Thank you!:thumbup:

Result: If your knife starts bending, stop prying. Do we had to break so many knifes to learn that?:D
Click to expand...


Ohh yes.... that's is the info i think i should share with everyone, i believe there is quite a few people would like to know what their knives' limits are. So someone is gonna do it. Ha.. Ha..:D

also the breaking point of an aus-8 at 58Hrc heat treated by Knives of Alaska is around 45 degrees before breaking. Gerber Freeman (earlier production is 440c at around 57Hrc) is 60 degrees bofore breaking.:p

Sorry I just can't do the test to my M2, by god i love that thing.
 
When I started this thread I was intrigued by the chisel-like end of the Razel which could do double duty as a knive, scraper, pybar, chisel, etc. plus serve as a knife.

Since they only come in 154CM or S30V I really wanted to know if spending the extra money for S30V would serve better without it breaking.

I am getting the impression from the responses that either steel may be adequate for light duty prying.

Thanks for the responses so far. :thumbup:
 
It is 3/16" with no taper, sabre ground with a lot of full stock, it should be capable of more than light prying. An average man should be able to do a pull up off it readily. If it had to be restricted to just light prying, people would be tying full flat ground 10" bowies in knots easily.

-Cliff
 
I also think tool steel would be better.
Definitely NOT S30V. It's a pretty brittle steel, and I think if you used a knife with an S30V blade for much prying, you'd end up with a shorter knife and a nice broadhead arrow tip. :p

Peace.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top