D2 Steel

I was glad to see when the replies started talking about what kind of sharpening system they use. I have a super time with VG-10 on the Spyderco Sharpmaker, and from what it sounds like, is that people have a lot better time sharpening D2 on a Wicked Edge or other similar sharpener. I'm looking forward to a better sharpener before I look into to strong of metals, but I may cave at some point.
 
SweptEdge said:
I was glad to see when the replies started talking about what kind of sharpening system they use. I have a super time with VG-10 on the Spyderco Sharpmaker, and from what it sounds like, is that people have a lot better time sharpening D2 on a Wicked Edge or other similar sharpener. I'm looking forward to a better sharpener before I look into to strong of metals, but I may cave at some point.
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I've been researching D2 for about a week now and I've seen the gambit. From "you have to use diamond stones" to "I use regular stones." The only thing that people seem to agree on is that it just takes longer to sharpen. For what it's worth I use sand paper and a strop on S30V and 3V and don't have any problems whatsoever. I don't plan on changing it up for my new knife in D2 either. We'll see how that works out when it gets here.
 
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Shotgun said:
I've been researching D2 for about a week now and I've seen the gambit. From "you have to use diamond stones" to "I use regular stones." The only thing that people seem to agree on is that it just takes longer to sharpen. For what it's worth I use sand paper and a strop on S30V and 3V and don't have any problems whatsoever. I don't plan on changing it up for my new knife in D2 either. We'll see how that works out when it gets here.
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The internet is full of people who are instantly experts and simply typing, "you need diamonds", or, "I can use a fine grit Norton stone", instantly becomes the gospel truth. It's just not so.

D2 is a tool steel and it's usually hardened to around 60 or so, maybe a bit more than that. It's not impossible to sharpen, but you have to have at least a miniscule amount of skill to start with. AUS-8, my 6 year old nephew can sharpen AUS-8 all day long and twice on Sunday. So it's all relevant.

To the OP, if you want to try some D2, buy a knife with a D2 blade and give it a go. Worse thing, you don't like it, you sell it or trade it. There's a massive community of people dealing in second-hand knives and tons of forums support it.
 
Sulaco said:
The internet is full of people who are instantly experts and simply typing, "you need diamonds", or, "I can use a fine grit Norton stone", instantly becomes the gospel truth. It's just not so.

D2 is a tool steel and it's usually hardened to around 60 or so, maybe a bit more than that. It's not impossible to sharpen, but you have to have at least a miniscule amount of skill to start with. AUS-8, my 6 year old nephew can sharpen AUS-8 all day long and twice on Sunday. So it's all relevant.

To the OP, if you want to try some D2, buy a knife with a D2 blade and give it a go. Worse thing, you don't like it, you sell it or trade it. There's a massive community of people dealing in second-hand knives and tons of forums support it.
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Sharpening skill has a lot to do with it, never did have any issues sharpening D2 with Chromium Oxide stones, I use Silicon Carbide and ceramics these days though, never really saw the need for diamonds personally.
 
I had a Benchmade WARN Barrage with a combo tanto blade in D2. I could not sharpen that thing to save my life. Tried waterstones, sandpaper on mousepads, and even a WorkSharp. With the WSKTS part of the edge would shave hair, most would not.
I wanted to try again. Now I have a BK-24. It came razor sharp, and maintains its edge very well. After a few passes through its edge-dulling sheath and a failed attempt at a forced patina, it would still shave but wasn't to the same level as it arrived from KaBar. I ran it over the WSKTS at 150MX and 360MX grits, and whoo-whee it was awesome. Then I went for final stropping on the 6000, and it seemed to loose some of that hair-poppingness. Probably it just reduced the grabiness, but it didn't feel quite as sharp. Still sharper than before I started, and plenty sharp for shaving arm hair and actually cutting stuff (like fruit, wood, tape, rope, and poster board.)
I like it so much I just ordered an Enzo Trapper in the same stuff.
Still trying to see if I can force a patina on it - not so much to protect it from corrosion, but so it matches my similar carbon steel blades.
 
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