D-2 vs 1095 cv

Xr6x

Xr6x

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Sep 17, 2015
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Just wondering anyone's thoughts about thease two steels as far as durability as in chipping . With D-2 it seems a little brittle to me compared to 1095 cv .
 
Kabar does a good HT on their D2 -- no issues with chipping that I'm aware of and my BK24 has seen plenty of use.
 
chipping is less common on smaller knives, in big choppers D2 is harder but 1095cv is tougher. D2 holds an edge longer and takes longer to corrode but is more brittle because of it, so each have tradeoffs.
 
I have never had chipping issues with D2 or 1095. It's kind of a trade off with both steels. D2 has better edge retention and is a semi stainless, so it is fairly corrosion resistant, but it is a very hard steel, so it is more prone to chipping and can be tough to sharpen. 1095 is easy to sharpen but very prone to rust if not properly cared for, and less likely to chip. If properly heat treated, both steels will get the job done.
 
Whilst it is true that D2 is harder and 1095cv is tougher and theoretically the harder a steel is the more prone to chipping etc., keep in mind there is a very good reason the industrial sector use D2 for large scale manufacturing.

It has a very high resistance factor to abrasive wear which means it will stamp out parts out of other metals all day without the constant need for engineers to have to retool their equipment. Hence the moniker 'tool steel'. No, it's not invincible but it sure as hell is close. Abrasive resistance generally comes with the territory when the hardness factor is increased (think diamonds).

The conjecture begins when it's used for items like knives as knives are very different shapes to industrial dies therefore knives get used in different fashions. When you bash a knife against a branch or log to chop it, the force exerted across the width of the knife is a shear force whilst the force exerted through a stamping die for instance is compressive stress. Now obviously there are myriad different mathematical factors to have to take into account when determining these stress and shear forces and I sure as shit am not an engineer but the men and women that design industrial equipment are and they factor all of these things in so they get the most use out of a tool before it needs retooling. Ergo, D2 exhibits a greater coverage of the factors related to successful manufacturing with as little failure as possible.

Now at this stage, I am accutely aware that I may be talking directly out of my poo poo valve. IF this is the case and someone more knowledgeable comes along and states "Springy, you're talking out of your poo poo valve" then I shall print this garb out, fold it up and eat it along with my pride. But this is how I understand this subject. Courtesy of Yr12 Engineering Science (18yrs ago)..
 
the other thing yo keep in mind is that D2 got its reputation for chipping as a knife steel largely from folks who had it hardened up to 62 RC,sharpened to a less than 30 degree inclusive angle and didn't consider a blade properly sharpened until it's got a mirror bright 8000 grit polish --- and 20 or so years back, the grain structure on D2 was not forgiving of such behavior and the "large" carbides in the steel matrix would not stay put under hard use. i.e. it's all about HT and edge geometry.
using current alloys (esp CPM-D2, which has a uniform grain size), HT protocols (like Kabar's 57-59 RC), and a proper edge geometry (inclusive angles in the 34-40 degree range), those problems are not so prevalent.
Aside from Kabar, Knives of Alaska and Bob Dozier have produced a LOT of D2 blades over the years and neither of them has a bad rep in the knife industry or among knife users.

The other thing folks "know" is that D2 is hard to sharpen -- again, at a 62 or higher RC, everything is hard to sharpen unless you have the right tools -- and in those cases, a washita/novaculite stone generally isn't the right tool.
 
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Got some small chips in the edge of my BK24 but I was using it to remove camper trim and pretty sure I hit some staples, so this probably qualifies as abuse.

Had a Kabar D2 extreme that I used to chop through the pelvic bone of many deer and it still had a nice edge that needed very little touch-up.
 
I have a 24 and the spear point 1461 Impact. I have found both just as easy to sharpen as 1095 with a diamond stone and zero chipping, but have not chopped with either. I'm talking cutting and other knifey duties, as for chopping...no clue...
My guess is that heat treat is softer, but I'm no expert.

ETA: Neither has the original factory edge and both have been reprofiled to about 40di
 
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