D2 - kind of like stainless?

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averageguy

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I believe D2 is not classified as a stainless steel.
How stainless is it?

Sorry I wasted your time. I'm examining the steel FAQ now.
 
Examining the steel FAQ is a good way to find out the steel component. I like the more practical term though. I have a Rothermel fixed blade with D2 blade, used it for almost everyday including cooking and cutting meat. So far, not even stains are on the blade.

May be semi-stainless ?
 
Cuted an apple with a 52100 blade. The sour juice made it stain emediatly.

The same with a D2 blade: nothing.

The same with a D2 blade tempered on secondary hardness (less stain resistant) lightly staining, just one or two spots.

(Stain doesn´t mean rust here! Just these blue traces on the steel).
 
Interesting. If the quality of being stainless is largely based on Cromium content it seems D2 is pretty darn close. So much closer in fact than any other non stainless steel, that I don't really understand why it isn't stainless.
 
Originally posted by averageguy
D2 is pretty darn close. So much closer in fact than any other non stainless steel, that I don't really understand why it isn't stainless.
Click to expand...
Well you have to draw a line to determine what is "stainless" somewhere. D2 doesn't quite pass that line. Stainless is just a word though, in reality D2 has enough chromium to resist rust fairly well.
 
The designation D2 is a tool steel classification as is O1,A2, L6 etc. The original definition of stainless steel is a steel containing at least 12% chromium so D2 fits into that definition. However as a blade steel it doesn't rust like a carbon steel it only stains a bit (no big deal) so it is refered to as a semi-stainless steel. It's only rejected by people who are paranoid about bright and shiny.It holds an edge very well.
 
Just from reading posts about Dozier knives and others made from D2, I have the impression that D2 is extremely close to being stainless. Owners of D2 knives always report few or no problems with staining.
 
Technically, steel must have enough Cr to have 10 wt% left over after carbide formation. Since D2 has so much Carbon (1.4 to 1.6 wt%), it would take more than the 11 to 13% required by the AISI standard analysis. However it does have several % excess Cr which allows it to start forming the CrO coating that makes a steel stainless.
 
I have a Queen folding hunter in D2. I carried it in my back pocket last weekend, doing yard work in humid conditions. Didn't use it at all during the day, but When I took it out of my pocket in the evening, the exposed portion of the blade had stained, with some very minor pitting, so it may be close to stainless, but not quite. I was kind of surprised, though. I have a Henckels carbon steel stockman that I carried for several days at scout camp this last month, in very humid conditions, and had no problem. I really hit that one hard with the tufcloth ahead of time, though. Didn't use it much, either.

Doug
 
"shgeo" hit the nail on the head if you really wanted to classify D2 it is a "tool steel that is stain resistant" - don't downgrade this excellant tool steel by calling it stainless or semi-stainless. D2 is a die tool steel steel which is designed to cut, metal among other things, and that is what it is used for as a knife. There are not many, if any, stainless steels that were designed to cut.

D2 is King.
 
Bob Dozier show me how good D2 steel can be.

I am working with the Japanese version called DC53 and going to test the two steels side by side.
I will get two sets made and will give somebody here an opportinity to do a full blown test.

S/F,
Ceya....
Ceya Knife Designz
 
By the way, stainless means stain resistant too...it is stain less, not neverstain. Stainless will rust, pit, and stain, it just takes either more time or a stronger oxidizer than other steels.
 
I was alwys taught that the term 'stainless' was more of a requirement that the knife was indeed what it said it was. In other words, you can add any amount of chromium you want to your alloy, but stainless as we know it performs the resistance in knives with 12% content and up.

Personally, I don't mind maintenance, I would just like a 'head start.' I cannot always carry a complete cleaning kit for knives and guns when afield. If blood from a game animal or plant sap got on a gun or a knife, I'd like to be able to get back to civilization to do the cleaning; a tool with SOME stainless is needed for that. (A baked finish on carbon steel is another option.)

But if there was a tool steel that cut like a chain saw, held an edge, sharpened with traditional stones and was in my price range, but could only be advertised as "11% chromium," that wouldn't bother me one whit. I feel D2 is that steel for our debate here.

Of course, I want my cake and I want to eat it, too. I'm currently hooked on S30V. However, if Mick Strider presented me with a new style knife, told me it performed the best with D2 (and I had to wipe it down every few days), then THAT knife would be integrated into my EDC without a thought.
 
"Stainless" as a term is relative. I've seen 440c change color. On the other hand, I've chopped pine and other timber, cut up tomatoes, fish and animals with a D2 blade and with minimal maintenace have not had any problems, discoloration or staining.

Wash your blades after use, coat with oil......no problem. ymmv

Mike
 
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