confused about h1 steel

[socalkid]

Hello,

In the last week ive heard 3 people mention that H1 is a work hardened steel and by sharpening it the edge will get harder. Is this correct? I was under the impression that you work hardened steels by squeezing, bending, drawing, and shearing it. Sharpening the way most of us do it doesn't seem to put enough stress on a blade to change the crystal structure. Any info would be great!

Thanks,

Chris

 

[knarfeng]

sharpening it the edge will get harder.

I'd like to help, but the idea of H1 getting harder by sharpening runs counter to both my understanding of "work hardening" and my experience with H1. I do not find H1 to harden when I sharpen it.

I've also heard that H1 work hardens through the process of the knife maker making the serrations. I don't use serrated blades, so I can't comment on that one.

 

[like em sharp]

Any stresses that cause plastic deformation will harden a work-hardening steel. So yes, sharpening will harden the steel (burr formation is plastic deformation), but the actual amount it's hardened is negligible. You'd have to be sharpening for a very long time to see noticeable differences.

Also, in my experience it doesn't really matter how hard H1 steel is, the wear resistance is very low and edge holding tends to be mediocre at best. It also scratches if you so much as glance at it sidways.

 

[spydusse]

I've noticed a huge difference in edge holding between the pe and se h1 blades I've owned. With se being the better ,that's all I can say on that