choosing steel

[hardheart]

I dunno if there is a thread like this one, and it's a tough one to search for because of the common words.

Can you grade the steels you've worked with? Not just on strong, tough, easy to sharpen, etc., but on important factors for making the knives, not just using.

price
availability in forging stock
availability in stock removal dimensions
ease of forging
ease of grinding
heat treat requirements
difficulty to finish
customer demand
any I've missed

Feel free to also include any knife performance factors - edge holding, corrosion resistance, etc. How do you feel the steel affects your pricing, if it does?

Oh, and this isn't for me to choose steel, just wanting to know how you guys do it. Shoulda come up with a better title...

 

[Kunklec]

I have been following the posts here for about a year. Based on some past similar questions about steels, I will eagerly anticipate the response to this one. I estimate it will be complete about ... When does Hell freeze over around here?
Chip Kunkle

 

[Will Leavitt]

I started out with 1095 with stock removal methods early in this journey. I went to 1084 when I started forging because it was what the guy I know handed me a pile of. I found out that I really like 1084 after I got my HT down. 1084 isn't readily available so I'm doing tests with 1080, I can't tell the difference, so I'll most likely stay with it. I still use 1095 at times for chef knives but pretty much 1080/1084 is what I use.

Steel has little bearing on the price for a bladesmith (except for damascus) most of our steels are "affordable" and nowhere near the price of the super steels that some of the stock removal guys use (not saying this to start a fight but I can buy a lot of 1080 for what a small piece of SV30 costs.) My prices are dictated by the finish on the blade, the fittings and the handle material. The only way that the steel affects the price is if it's something I have to spend a lot of time working it down to blade size.

Just my views. I'm interested to see what others have to say.

 

[A C Richards]

5160 is probably the easiest to work. It is very forgiving, forges easy, HT's great, holds up great, is readily available, is inexpensive and available iv many sizes. Much of the 10xx and W series are getting very hard to find.

Chuck

 

[Sam Salvati]

I LOVE 1075, 1050, both forge like butter, HT up nice for stuff with hamons, 1095 is also good but makes me a bit nervous to work with in that I am not sure i can get the HT to it's best. 5160 is GREAT stuff, almost fool proof steel If I am any evidence, also forges like butter, tough butter. H13 is TOUGH to forge, along with 52100, both of which are kind of tough to acquire.