D2 Chinese steel

Freeman's D2 is very tough and holds a good edge. I've yet to really need to do a proper sharpening, instead I've touched it up on a ceramic hone or leather belt.
 
unwisefool said:
Freeman's D2 is very tough and holds a good edge. I've yet to really need to do a proper sharpening, instead I've touched it up on a ceramic hone or leather belt.
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Yeah, my 451 is D2 and it's probably the best I own in terms of edge retention, though I don't have anything by Bob Dozier. I also have D2 knives from Benchmade, Fox and Viper as well as CJRB and CIVIVI. I've never tested them in any scientific manner, but the Freeman is the only one that particularly stands out from the pack in my experience. Though, that could be confirmation bias since it was much more expensive than the others, so I definitely WANT it to perform better. :p
 
OrangeBlueOrangeBlue said:
I was talking about readily available production knives, but if you think a Bob Dozier custom or a microbrand like Freeman are relevant, tell us all about their D2.
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Bob Dozier knives ARE readily available (fixed blades anyway) in D2 and they perform excellently. There's a reason why people call him the master of D2, and every sign points to his protege Dan Krots being just as good. Holds a fantastic edge, easily resharpened, and best of all, an American maker who I'm pretty sure isn't getting his steel from China.
 
S-3 ranch said:
I have a steel component index that I can reference, on my iPad, plug in any steel and it gives every detail on what each country the equivalent is
example , Japanese gin-1 = carpenter BD1 in USA
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Interesting. Did you create it or use some app?
 
The Cold Steel leatherneck is D2 i have one performs great and you know the heat treat is top notch.
 
Quiet said:
Bob Dozier knives ARE readily available (fixed blades anyway) in D2 and they perform excellently. There's a reason why people call him the master of D2, and every sign points to his protege Dan Krots being just as good. Holds a fantastic edge, easily resharpened, and best of all, an American maker who I'm pretty sure isn't getting his steel from China.
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Tom Krein, another Dozier protege, also has an excellent reputation with D2.
 
Insipid Moniker said:
Yeah, my 451 is D2 and it's probably the best I own in terms of edge retention, though I don't have anything by Bob Dozier. I also have D2 knives from Benchmade, Fox and Viper as well as CJRB and CIVIVI. I've never tested them in any scientific manner, but the Freeman is the only one that particularly stands out from the pack in my experience. Though, that could be confirmation bias since it was much more expensive than the others, so I definitely WANT it to perform better. :p
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Haha I got a great deal in mine thanks to a member here, so I was like let's see what you can do! The other D2 I've been impressed with is a small fixed blade from Swamprat Knives.
 
Chinese D2 tends to vary a lot. Some companies run it better than others. However, it usually falls short of the reputation that created a market for it. In theory, D2 should have better edge retention than 9Cr18Mov or 14C28N. In practice, Chinese D2 doesn't always out-cut those steels. That's a problem. I feel like D2 is a trade-off, with lower corrosion resistance and higher edge retention. If steels like 9Cr18Mov and 14C28N have similar or better edge retention, similar or lower cost, and vastly superior corrosion resistance; then why bother?

I think the main benefit of Chinese D2 is in the price range where it replaces 8Cr13Mov. While not stellar, the average edge retention for Chinese D2 is much better than 8Cr13Mov. While 8Cr13Mov is stainless, it's fairly mediocre in that department too. The gap in corrosion resistance between D2 and 8Cr13Mov is a lot closer. While we do see Chinese D2 on more expensive knives, there are plenty of options in the $20-50 range where it is directly competing with 8Cr13Mov from the likes of Kershaw and CRKT.

That said, there are plenty of reputable companies whose steel stamps can be trusted. Notable examples include Bestech, WE/Civivi, Artisan/CJRB, Kizer, Steel Will, and Petrified Fish. I sometimes go off-brand and try other stuff. I recently tried a Sitivien because I liked the design. Between use, sharpening, and a straight-up mustard test, it was real D2. The obvious problem is that if a knife isn't from one of those well-known brands, it might be a gamble.
 
As others mentioned, you don't know what you're getting if buying a Chinese made knife from a company that may not be reputable.

Other than that, I wouldn't give too much thought to D2 as it's a very average steel.
 
A couple of risks buying a knife produced there.
Is it really made out of the material advertised?
If you are trusting a maker that you think has a reputation you believe would test and verify the material, is this particular knife a knock off of that brand?

There are too many other places making similar products without these issues to bother.
 
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Like any steel, much is subjective. I neither carry nor use it much, but the one thing they got right on my Brous Bionic was the blade. D2, holds an edge well, fairly easy to sharpen. I don't have much experience with the steel outside of a Lionsteel that I gave my dad.

I guess it depends more on the manufacturer of the knife than anything. Civivi is definitely on the up and up steel wise, but companies that outsource to China like Boker, CRKT, etc are probably less trustworthy. In the latter situation, even if the steel is as advertised, cost cutting can often result in less than optimal heat treatment and hardness level.

We all know that some companies run their steels a little soft, like M390 from some of the Italian makers and the S35VN CRK used. So while you are getting a good steel, it is not reaching its potential.
 
220-9er said:
A couple of risks buying a knife produced there.
Is it really made out of the material advertised?
If you are trusting a maker that you think has a reputation you believe would test and verify the material, is this particular knife a knock off of that brand?

There are too many other places making similar products without these issues to bother.
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There are some bigger name knife brands out of China that have original designs or licensed/collaborated designs with well known knife makers. They have contracts with companies such as Crucible, Bohler, etc. and are definitely using what they say they are.
 
This is a problem for me no standard hrc!!! Run the stuff 100% exactly a cross the board no deviation
“”We all know that some companies run their steels a little soft, like M390 from some of the Italian makers and the S35VN CRK used. So while you are getting a good steel, it is not reaching its potential.””

no more softer runs on hrc
 
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