D2 Grinding -

R

rlinger

Joined
Mar 29, 2002
Messages
4,591
Man alive! I just finished bevel grinding a good size blade (6.5 by 1.8 inch wide by 1/4 thick). It has been a long time since I grinded D2 and I must have forgotten. That stuff wore me out. Is it just me or is D2 the sumbeach to grind I think it is? I darn near run out of belts on this thing. She turned out well but BOY what a Looong grind!

RL
 
Roger, I used to do a fair amount of it. Its tuff stuff and hell on belts. Why do you think I switched to forging blades? If I remember its suppossed to be abrasive resistent, well it sure is.. When I got into forging I even gave it a try. You think grinding it is tuff.......
 
Ray, I hear ya. I had remembered the data sheets and was expecting some difficulty and the need to quench very often, but I did not expect it to be this ruff. From now on D2 knives go up in price. Got to. Can't keep belts in the house. (I made a typo on the blade width but edited it to correction. I had first stated 2.8 inches wide. It is 1.8 inches wide).

RL
 
You know it about wearing your ass out grinding D2. It's all I used and didn't realize how tough it was to grind until I got some 5160. I made some knives with 5160 and went back to D2 and then I saw how tough it was :eek: How about cutting to length on the bandsaw. It seems to take forever to even cut threw 1/8" thickness! :eek: But I still love the stuff, makes a damn tough knife. :D
Scott
 
Yeah :grumpy: : I band sawed her profile and tapered her tang too. Quarter inch thick. The tapering was more work than normal than doing other steels but since I gouge the tang pretty well before hand it wasn't too noticable. The bandsawing was trying to tell me something though. Man, that stuff is a workout. I 'd rather heat treat it than grind it.

RL
 
I think it was by far the hardest on bandsaw teeth than any other steel I used to work. I had bought one small bar of Cruware/Vasco. I still think that was the tuffest to grind but didn't air harden while cutting like D-2. The first D-2 I had bought I got from a fellow I had met at a gun/knife show shortly after I started making. I was never sure if it was D-2 but it sure worked easier than the real stuff I bought later on. It even mirror polished. I don't do that anymore........
 
This might help:
I cut D2 with an M24 HSS band saw blade at a very slow speed with a lot of wax. Can get ten blades at least this way.
And for grinding, only use Ceramic Zircon Belts. The D2 just flies off, with little pressure and heating, thus little work hardening.
Here's a couple D2 Knives I've made:
Butch1.jpg

This one is a castrating knife, designed by the cattleman himself.

PJGroup.jpg

The bolo in the middle is D2. Quite a rescue chopper, designed by Pararescuemen.

FSTROPHYGAMESET4.jpg

These are all D2, and quite thin with a lot of hollow grinding, and quite fine and sharp and wear resistant!
 
Love that D2. Try forging 1 1-4" round stock. I made a 15" fillet knife from some before I got my power hammer and thought I was going to get Mark sholder.
Forging sure saves on belts though. I have another 15" blade I haven't finished yet. I'll bring it to the show sunday if anyone wants to look.

Mark, Did you do anything with that piece of D2 I gave you yet? I think that was 5/8 " round.



Larry
 
Jay,

You just had to tease me with that beautiful threesome again. Keep it up and I'll try to emulate one of them. Great work. Indeed.

Mark, yes. D2 Special is to be etched on this very blade. In fact, if you want to see it the way it is so far you can see my latest post here on BF Shop Talk: 'Shop Mate'. Thanks again, by the way, for helping me on that etching template.

RL
 
Larry, I thought the rod you gave me was W-2. No I havent done antything with it regardless of what it is. I'd better check before I do though:)

You are most welcome Roger. i was just curious.
 
:D :D :D :D All I can say Rodger is.....misery likes company :D :D :D
I've ground and forged more cooperative rocks!

Jay....quit showing those ugly knives....makes me feel bad when I look at mine
images
 
Mark Williams said:
Larry, I thought the rod you gave me was W-2.

If it is 1/2" and darker it was W2 but I think I gave you the thickerer one 5/8 or 3/4. Anyway if it was shiny it was the D2. I could bring you another if you would like.
See you this weekend.
Click to expand...
 
Nowicki said:
Mark Williams said:
Larry, I thought the rod you gave me was W-2.

If it is 1/2" and darker it was W2 but I think I gave you the thickerer one 5/8 or 3/4. Anyway if it was shiny it was the D2. I could bring you another if you would like.
See you this weekend.
Click to expand...

It's w-2

I dont think I'll bother with D-2 till I get some help :) lookin forward to it.
Click to expand...
 
I'll give you a planer blade next time I see you Mark. Beware though. You can't grind it, forge it, throw it away, give it away or destroy it. I think it's part of an alien spacecraft.
 
Most of the time I use D2 and it is a hard grinding steel. I use the 3M ceramic belts 963, 977 and they last quite well.

The new Trizact CF belts just eat it up. The A300 (80 Grit) belts seem to last forever.

IMHO D2 is not nearly as hard to grind as S30V, though.
 
Sorry Roger :footinmou Guilty as charged for almost putting Roger into the hospital. She sounds like a handfull :D
 
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