D2 chipping?

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kindred_spirits

Joined
Jul 16, 2006
Messages
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Hey guys,

My 710D2 fell of my desk, and opened somehow. I'm not sure what the edge hit, but it resulted in 2 small chips about 1" from the tip. It probably hit the side of the wooden frame of my bed. It also put a small dent on the spine, on the swedged part.

I thought D2 was tough enough that it wouldn't chip? This is my first D2 knife, and I haven't really cut much with it yet. I've spent the last hour on my Sharpmaker, and the chips are coming out nicely though.
 
kindred_spirits said:
Hey guys,

My 710D2 fell of my desk, and opened somehow. I'm not sure what the edge hit, but it resulted in 2 small chips about 1" from the tip. It probably hit the side of the wooden frame of my bed. It also put a small dent on the spine, on the swedged part.

I thought D2 was tough enough that it wouldn't chip? This is my first D2 knife, and I haven't really cut much with it yet. I've spent the last hour on my Sharpmaker, and the chips are coming out nicely though.
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I have owned D2 blades from Queen, Dozier, and Benchmade with no problems. If the heat treat is done correctly (Dozier comes to mind) you shouldn't have a problem. D2 is typically hard (RC 60+) steel. You use the word "though". Steels like 5160 that can be differentially tempered are "though".

Not saying that D2 isn't, or can't be though, just other steels are better for impact than D2.

As you mentioned, your Sharpmaker should take care of it.
 
I swear the 710 is alive. It is the only knife I have ever dropped and I've done it twice, with 2 different ones! Luckily the thing is ultra solid but man thats a lot of pressure on the pivot especially with the heavyness of the handle. All I got out of it was a little bit of blade play, but I just tightened it and hopefully it won't come back too soon.
 
I'm too lazy to do a search but D2 and S30V have both come under fire in their own time or being chip prone. But, it seems that for everyone that has looked at there (insert knife steel here) knife and had the blade chip, there is at least one that has beaten, smashed, bashed, pryed, and otherwise abused the same steel with no adverse affects.
 
It can chip. I've seen many D2 blades with some chips. It can happen with any of the steels but seems more problematic with larger carbide steels in particular which D2 happens to be. S30V is probably worse for this in my opinion based on what I've seen in the way of knives to repair for this but much of this is due to either the primary grind thinness or the edge bevel angle or both. I think D2 functions best at about an 18 degree angle for the edge but a 15` which would be the 30` on the Sharpmaker is a bit steep for it based on my own use tests. I know the edges of my own D2 and S30V blades hold up much better and are much stronger with a 18 to 20` bevel vs the 15` per side. In my experience people are pretty quick to blame heat treatment but I think if the edge is thick enough to be strong it should be. If it still chips after that then yeah, its probably something else like the heat treat.

STR
 
Jimmy Lile was one of the heaviest users of D2 back in the 70's and 80's with Bob Dozier running neck and neck. I've owned many D2 knives at Rc60 with no problems with chipping. One of Jimmy's model 4's had a thin wedge blade. I've dressed several deer with it and the only problem I had with it was the blood etched my bevels a bit. A few strokes on an Arkansas stone took care of that effectively. Jimmy heat treated D2 to his own specs, then he would draw the steel in an electric oven back to 59-60 Rc...again I don't know the receipe.
 
kindred_spirits said:
I thought D2 was more prone to rolling than chipping.
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D2 is a harder steel so it is more prone to chipping than rolling. The hardness means it keeps an edge better but also means it is harder to sharpen.

A softer steel such as 440c would be more prone to rolling than chipping. It'll be easier to sharpen but won't keep an edge as well as a harder steel
 
I'm a fan of D2. I've even got customs in D2.

I've never used it in a way that it'll chip, though, I've read much that says it's brittle.

HOWEVER, I can absolutely say that it's NOT very susceptible to rolling. I use knives in a way that causes rolling (not chipping) and my D2 knives have never rolled.

NOW, I do keep a polished edge with a strop and keep them scary sharp. D2 responds WELL to stropping.

D2 is great at a low sharpening angle (performance over strength) and great for push cutting, slicing, whittling and other things that require edge retention and hardness.

I have NOT used my D2 knives for anything even CLOSE to resembling impact-type cutting or cutting hard materials like box staples or crate bands.

.
 
I was making a small hole in a tin can with ym D2 grip and I got a tiny chip, it sharpened out just fine, but I was dissapointed to see it at 1st...So now I just don't mess with metal with it, not even tin now...
 
Most all steel types for knife blades have a manufacturers guideline of its heat treating process. So that itself is not really secret. However, many experienced makers have "tweaked' the process to suit what they make best and what has worked well for them. And the key is consistency. If the rockwell varys from batch to batch, you may find one "bad" blade that may have slipped thru. That bad blade may cause undue negative generalization of that particular blade steel/ maker. If rockwell is tested in every batch that comes out, then you will have minimized any "bad' blades in the batch. These are the "secrets" that are not always seen. D2 continues to be my steel choice for cutting chores. I' ve not chipped nor cracked any of my Dozier made D2 blades in so many years of use. I understand that the recent D2 steel from CPM has a finer grain structure. And thus can take on a nice polished finish and a polished edge.

On another note, I' ve used D2 (and M2 Hi- Speed) from Benchmade. And have found that their edges do not hold for long. And that their sharpening process requires more effort. But I firmly believe that these are due to an obtuse angled flat ground bevel that results in a rather thick edge.

N.

www.dozierknives.com/forum
 
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