Camping knife 440B and wallnut.

K

knifemaniac

Joined
Jan 19, 2007
Messages
288
I finished this yesterday. Steel 440B, 304L bolsters, wallnut slabs with leather spacers and stainless pins. Blade shape is like on a Cold Steel Long Hunter. Customer request. :)


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Nice looking knife.

440B isn't a steel I see used much in custom knives. I'm curious how you came to choose it?
 
Nathan the Machinist said:
Nice looking knife.

440B isn't a steel I see used much in custom knives. I'm curious how you came to choose it?
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Thats what i was going to say, i can remember the last time i saw a custom sport 440B. i know dive knives can be made from it but i have always considered it to be a steel for cheep production knives. but maybe he stumbled onto a secret we don't know about. but what ever its made from and why you picked it, its still a great looking knife.
 
It is not that I choose it. The steel choose me. :D It is only steel that I can purchase in sheets from Austria. When I ask for 440C - they say - if you purchase 2 tons - no problems :foot: I have RWL34, but it is brittle for such big knife. I have Latrobe14-4CrMo from UsaKnifemaker.com, but it is only 38mm wide stock. Only good stuff i had for long and wide camper like this was 440B on a sheet. It is not a bad steel. 0.80-0.95C is good amount of carbon. 56-58 rockwells are most common hardness for it. I dont need harder blade for that knife, don't I. :)
There is no secret for that steel. HT - 1050C, quench in oil (I cover it with clay to avoid decarb and scale). Temper - 2x2hrs on 220C.
 
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RWL-34 ,if properly heat treated should not be brittle !
I have an AG Russell kukri of 440B and it's been fine for a chopper. Your knife looks like 6" blade ?
 
Don't take us wrong. We occasionally stick our feet in our mouths, we mean no offence. (Damn JT, show some tact dude)

440B has better hardenability than 440A, and smaller carbides than 440C. In theory, with an optimal HT, 440B would probably show better fine edge stability than the other two.
 
I don't know, Mete. Users of RWL34 knives says, that the edge chips when they work choping and carving wood. Hunters just love it, but for short knives and hunters. And I have short and thinner piece from it. Preety expencive stuff. 440B is also cheep, thick (4.8mm), and I don't have to worry about the widht. I say again, friends - I don't have wider stock other than 440B. :)
It is 17cm blade. allmost 7"
 
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I'd rather have properly heat treated 440B than O1 heat treated with an oxy torch, A2 heat treated in a forge, etc. I think you made a nice looking knife. I'm sure it will serve its intended purpose dutifully.
 
Nathan the Machinist said:
Don't take us wrong. We occasionally stick our feet in our mouths, we mean no offence. (Damn JT, show some tact dude)

440B has better hardenability than 440A, and smaller carbides than 440C. In theory, with an optimal HT, 440B would probably show better fine edge stability than the other two.
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O sorry I was not meaning it in a bad way at all. I just have never used it and I had onley seen it on production knives. But we all know that most production knives lack in quality heat treating area. But it is a great looking knife and you should be proud. I actualy have a knife that is 440B. It's a milatary knife that I got because I like to pattern but then I thought maybe I would just re heat treat it. It is just really soft so I guess if I bump up the HRC It would be good.
 
Hi _____________ (Knifemaniac),

Well done! Looks like it will serve it's user well through some pretty tough jobs, and stay shiny too. As an aside, I especially appreciate hearing about the various details of knife making in other lands, such as the steels you can source, etc. Thanks for posting!

All the best, Phil
 
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