Cts-xhp vs d2

The non-CPM version of D2 has chromium carbides that can get very large, up to 20-50 microns at times. As I understand it, CTS-XHP is a powder metal tool steel, meaning it's carbides should be much smaller (probably smaller than 5 microns, at least) and more evenly distributed throughout the alloy. So, even if both share similar elemental makeup in essentially the same proportions, the smaller carbides of the powder metal alloy will make the steel easier to grind and also easier to shape to a keen edge. This is the same reason why CPM-D2 (a powder metal version of D2), should be much easier to sharpen, as compared to straight D2, which was not made using powder metal technology.


David
 
As Obsessed notes, probably smaller carbides. D2 and its cousin S30V seem to have larger carbides, which gives them a 'bite' that makes them cut very well. CTS-XHP takes a very fine edge and holds it just about forever. All three of these steels are about as good as it gets, IMHO.
 
The carbides in Crucible's S30V, because it is a PM steel, are in the 3-6 micron range, both the 4% VC and 10.5% Chromium carbide. D2, regular ingot D2, has carbides that are far greater in size, 40 micron+. What makes it worse with ingot steels with plenty of carbon and carbide formers, they tend to clump together.
 
Stuart^ has it right on S30V. It's carbides aren't very big, as he mentions; that's also due to the powder metal process used to make the steel. Crucible has described the carbides at around 2-4µ, in their PM process steels. But S30V's vanadium carbides are about 50% harder than the chromium carbides in D2, and in sufficient quantity to make grinding the steel and shaping & polishing a fine edge a bit more difficult, needing harder abrasives like diamond or CBN to do so effectively.

Ingot (non-CPM) D2 and it's large chromium carbides become much easier to grind with more suitable abrasives, like silicon carbide and diamond. They make it pretty easy to deal with.


David
 
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Thanks guys for the fast replies! What you say about the smaller particulate size makes sense.Thanks again for all your input.
 
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