D2 for a dagger?

Hengelo_77

Hengelo_77

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I've been thinking about using D2 for a dagger I want to make.
D2 is a tough steel, but I also understand that it isn't very impact resistand.
Is it tough enough for a double edged narrow tip knife, or will the tip snap off?
 
You have to ask yourself what, if anything, the dagger will ever be used for?
Many blades, like daggers and swords, will never cut anything beyond playing around with paper and cardboard.
While there might be a better steel, properly heat treated, D-2 should be fine for a dagger.
 
This is true, but knowing my friend Hengelo_77 that's not really enough for him. He's one of those people that'll pry with a knife untill it breaks just to see how much the steel+heat treat will take.
 
If you're concerned about toughness, there are several better alloys. CPM-3V for the win.
 
"tough" but "isn't very impact resistant" .The very definition of tough is 'impact resistant' !!
CPM 3V is one of the best .Consider S-7 also .They are tough !
 
bladsmth said:
You have to ask yourself what, if anything, the dagger will ever be used for?
Many blades, like daggers and swords, will never cut anything beyond playing around with paper and cardboard.
While there might be a better steel, properly heat treated, D-2 should be fine for a dagger.
Click to expand...

That is true and I truely hope it will never have to be used.
My idea is to have a good looking dagger, in the line of a 'wall hanger'. A beautifull knife with exotic wood for a handle; an interesting piece to show people what
custom knives can be and why I like them so much.
But I want it to be reliable and solid. If the need ever arises that I have to defend my family from burgulars or so I will still hope that the look of a man holding a flashlight and dagger will be enough to scare them away.
But I want to have the convidence to know that if it needs to be used in such a manner, at least the dagger wil hold up.

My main concern is the tip. I want it to be slim but also able to hold up under stress.

D2 came to mind because it is well available, and gets a beautifull matte dark gray patina from FeCl3

And yes I've been tinking about making two, so one can be tested untill distruction :)
 
Keep in mind that D2 is used in stamping dies, planer blades, punches etc. High impact applications and at high hardness. It fails in a brittle manner (not ductile) but it is a high strength steel. There are blades made of D2 that can cut a nail in half that would fail if made in many of the popular stainless steels (I'm speaking from experience here).

It is true that D2 is brittle. It breaks cleanly without absorbing as much energy as other steels and it fails suddenly before taking a permanent set. But everything is relative. And, having used it in piercing dies, I'd use it in a stabbing weapon without hesitation. There are better steels for the application, and I certainly wouldn't want a pry par made of it, but its combination of high strength and good stain resistance make it a decent candidate for real a dagger.

By the way, daggers frequently have severe grinds in order to maintain a stout center cross section the length of the blade in order to maintain some substance, all the way to the tip. The grind angle one this one was increased as it approached the tip in order to maximize the meat behind the tip:

taper.jpg


rough_milled_dagger.jpg



It got a really stout center section at the tip for such a "pointy" shape. I think that is just as important to tip strength as the alloy you choose.
 
Thanks for the imput Nathan.
That is a good looking dagger you've made there. Increasing the grind near the tip is some good food for thought!
 
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