D2, A2 or O1 for outdoors/bushcraft applications?

DarkPatriot

DarkPatriot

Joined
Aug 12, 2011
Messages
221
Hey guys I need a weigh in. I've decided to order the bushcraft knife from the backyard bushman. I have every aspect of the knife picked out except the steel. I've only owned knives in D2 out of the three choices. I'm going with the flat grind and am going to use it for typical wilderness tasks ( mostly woodcraft and fire craft.) I carry my sharp maker in the field so sharpen ability isn't a huge deal. Does A2 or O1 offer any advantages over D2?
 
Heat treat is everything but I prefer them in the opposite order of your title.
 
What does O1 offer, I've never used it, although I know the spyderco bushcraft is made of it and people like that knife.
 
No experience with A2. However, I like to make and use knives out of 01, and I have had a decent experience with D2. Are you talking about CPM D2 or regular D2?
 
DarkPatriot said:
What does O1 offer, I've never used it, although I know the spyderco bushcraft is made of it and people like that knife.
Click to expand...

01 is easy to machine/grind and is easy to heat treat. I temper mine to about 59 to 62 HRC, and they don't seem to chip or roll. 01 is the same as 1095, which is the steel used in ESEE/Becker knives.
 
Cool so the O1 has a better chance of getting a good heat treat. I'm under the impression that he sends the knives out for the heat treat but I may be mistaken. I know A2 is tougher but doesn't hold an edge as well as D2. Is that it's main advantage or are there others I'm not aware of? It doesn't appear that that particular knife is offered in INFI at this time, and that knife has pretty much the design and features I'm looking for.
 
Tagged for interest. I am looking at the spyderco bushcraft knife (O1) which i love the feel of but not sure what the Rc comes out at.
 
Yes O1 is the traditional Bushcraft steel. It takes a fine edge you can bring the Rockwell to 61-62 . I have done a few Bushcrafters out of regular D2 and have had good results. A2 I am not big into it. I know a lot of guys use it and love it. Ih ave had a few that have been made out of but I have never heat treated or built a knife out of it. Maybe I will try it out sometime. Nothing wrong with good old 1095
 
O1 and 1095 definately aren't the same. O1 would be my choice, though A2 would be vvveerry close.
 
Cool I was leaning towards the D2 but now I'm thinking I may go with the O1. Here in Colorado it's pretty dry so rust isn't a huge concern, and it's nothing that a good patina or a tuf-cloth couldn't take care of. And the O1 is $10.00 cheaper which means I could go a little more ornate on the handle.
 
I like O1 it takes and keeps a great edge and is so easy to sharpen plus it is very tough. I have never used d2 or a2 so I cant judge them.
 
DarkPatriot said:
Cool I was leaning towards the D2 but now I'm thinking I may go with the O1. Here in Colorado it's pretty dry so rust isn't a huge concern, and it's nothing that a good patina or a tuf-cloth couldn't take care of. And the O1 is $10.00 cheaper which means I could go a little more ornate on the handle.
Click to expand...

What part of Colorado if you don't mind my asking? I live in Boulder, which is near Denver.
 
I've only recently embraced carbon steels with the acquisition of my khuk made of 5160. Justin at RSKT is holding a sweet utility blade for me in 1080, but really 5160 is the only non stainless I've ever used, love it so far.
 
Spydercobenchmadekai, I live in Denver during the week, Sedalia on the weekends, I'm moving to englewood in a couple weeks and do most of my bushcraft in Pike national, although I have gone to the flat Irons a few times as well :).
 
Also in regards to your D2 question, which I just noticed, I assume it's regular D2, I would think if it was a powder metal the maker would draw attention to it as in my experience cpm is generally preferable.
 
From what I've read, toughness and strength are most important for a bush knife, especially if you carry a sharpener.

Having watched ppl beat the life out of esee 1095, I would say 1095 is the best, followed by O1.

Don't know about A2

D2 will chip, not good.
 
You will like the 01 ..It is very predictable . I was doing a test with the old standard D2 not the CPM D2 . I heat treated it to 61.5 Rockwell and scandi ground 1/8 stock and the edge bent and chipped right out. I went the grinder and blunted it and just put a regular edge on it and tried the same test and got really good results. Holds a edge well.I don't think 1/8 thickness with a scandi grind is a good combo.

But I think if you use D2 in a thicker stock like 5/32 or better yet 3/16 and do a scandi grind on it would do much better due to having more steel behind it. I have found that the D2 is a lot less prone to rust. I made my wife a Kitchen knife out of D2 and it has not rusted or changed color. That says a lot because my wife never wipes a blade down when she is done. It also holds an edge for a long time.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top