D2 sucks!

Cliff, he didnt elaborate too much other than to say that in their tests it proved a superior material.
 
D2 most definitely does not suck.

I finally got the knack of sharpening D2, and it is tougher to sharpen than anything else I've tried (eg. 440C, S30V, VG10, ATS-34, 154CM, etc.) -but I finally figured it out.

It is now easily shaving sharp and I shaved all the hair off the back of my hand and knuckles. It no longer has that "toothy" edge to it -it's just sharp as hell now. The edge is very similar to 440C, but practically "eats" anything. For anyone out there looking for a decent steel, D2 is definitely worth a try. It's not stainless, but it cuts extremely well. :thumbup:
 
flatgrinder said:
D2 most definitely does not suck.

I finally got the knack of sharpening D2, and it is tougher to sharpen than anything else I've tried (eg. 440C, S30V, VG10, ATS-34, 154CM, etc.) -but I finally figured it out.

It is now easily shaving sharp and I shaved all the hair off the back of my hand and knuckles. It no longer has that "toothy" edge to it -it's just sharp as hell now. The edge is very similar to 440C, but practically "eats" anything. For anyone out there looking for a decent steel, D2 is definitely worth a try. It's not stainless, but it cuts extremely well. :thumbup:
Click to expand...


That's amazing - getting rid of the "toothiness".

What did you finally come up with to get such a great edge!?
 
This is D2, cuts like the Devil too :)

IMG_5500.jpg
 
Yes, I think that might be the critical performance area for many. M2 is *much* harder to heat treat as HSS require really high austenizing temperatures.

-Cliff
 
flatgrinder said:
D2 most definitely does not suck.

I finally got the knack of sharpening D2, and it is tougher to sharpen than anything else I've tried (eg. 440C, S30V, VG10, ATS-34, 154CM, etc.) -but I finally figured it out.

It is now easily shaving sharp and I shaved all the hair off the back of my hand and knuckles. It no longer has that "toothy" edge to it -it's just sharp as hell now. The edge is very similar to 440C, but practically "eats" anything. For anyone out there looking for a decent steel, D2 is definitely worth a try. It's not stainless, but it cuts extremely well. :thumbup:
Click to expand...
Could you elaborate what you did to smooth it out? Did you add a microbevel? Strop?
 
Deadhead Archer said:
Could you elaborate what you did to smooth it out? Did you add a microbevel? Strop?
Click to expand...

Yes, please elaborate, if you will. I can get most of my D2s very very sharp - with a lot of work (not that I mind:)) - but there are a couple that are more stubborn and pretty frustrating to sharpen up. I'd very much like to develop that "knack" you mentioned.
 
D2 has a really low machinability, common problems result from that. Switching stones too early and ending up with really coarse scratches trying to be polished out with too fine stones. Expect to spend several times the time to sharpen D2 than a steel like 52100. Aside from this, D2 does not respond well to fine edge angles, it will break apart at the edge starting at about 10 degrees per side. This edge will act aggressive, but it is not a good thing because the carbides which give the blade the horrible machinability are torn/broke out and thus you do all the work to sharpen and get none of the benefit. If this happens the solution is to grind a low primary edge and then micor-bevel obtuse enough to form a solid edge. A convex sweep to the edge does the same thing, Mel Sorg used to grind extremely sharp D2 blades and that was how he sharpened them.

-Cliff
 
I put a microbevel on it with the Sharpmaker at 30 degrees total. Took a really long time with the medium rods (around 100) and then finished with the fine rods (about 60).
 
Interesting! I like M2 better than D2... finer grain structure, nice hardness, little burr formation, stays sharp and handles low angles (I took one M2 blade down to 7 degrees per side and polished the edge up to 15,000 grit and have had no problems with it, though I don't use it as a pry bar, hammer it through 2x4s or try to chop down trees with it). Aside from its heat resistance, there must be some reason why it is a popular steel for machine razors, industrial paper cutters, slitters and planer blades (and even blades like these http://www.specialtyblades.com/blade_types/m-2_razor_blade.html ).

D2 is much coarser and does not handle shallow angles well... too much carbide fallout on the edge... I've taken it down to 10 degrees per side okay, but the edge didn't last... the carbide fallout quickly made the edge really jagged (and may even prevent getting a smooth edge with rod sharpeners since they put much higher lateral forces on an edge than a bench stone). The same blades sharpened at 18-20 degrees per side retained a nice mirror polished edge for a long time.... just gotta have a "meaty" enough edge to hold the carbides in.
 
That is interesting, you stated in your first post you were using a Sharpmaker to create a micro-bevel. After that many strokes (100/60) it isn't a micro-bevel anymore. On a five degree primary you will set a microbevel in 2-4 passes per side with the medium and polish with the same on the fine.

You can resharpen with the same number of stroke for several times. If it takes more than 10 per side on the medium then the intial bevels didn't meet, or the pressure being used is so high the edge is cracking apart and you have to keep sharpening until it thickens enough to support the weight.

Yuzuha, D2 works well on low angle for one thing, leave the edge really coarse, 80/100 grit AO, and it makes an excellent rope slicer. It will cut with very low force for a very long time. If you like M2 you should look for F2.

-Cliff
 
Hi Cliff... yeah, I was thinking that it would probably make a good rope/seatbelt cutter or steak knife, but I was looking for a good smooth push cut edge for detail carving.

Never heard of F2. Is that a new one, or just new to knives? If that burgendy Cali jr. is anything to go by, I'm really liking zdp-189 too.
 
F2 is a finishing steel, very old, but not commonly used in knives, very fine grain structure, higher than M2.

-Cliff
 
My D2 knives are supremely sharp. Scary sharp actually. I'd call the little Dozier designed Thorn from Ka-Bar the closest thing to a surgical scalpel I've owned. My newest Gene Ingram blade in the frame lock I made for myself in my signiture line is also incredibly sharp. I've always liked the toothier edge over the highly polished 'non biting' edges. They simply slice better. Push cuts don't seem to belong in the same sentence with D2 but I do have some that are capable of good push cuts. It took a good while to get there.

Have you tried the small micron size matrix polish tapes from EdgePro? They will put a good push cutting edge on anything I've used them on.

STR
 
If thats what it takes to have Bob D. sharpen my knife, I'm in, D2 sucks!

I have only one D2 blade and it's a Queen Mountain Man. It needed a little touch up when I first got it but I haven't had to sharpen it since and that was almost a year ago. Actually, Bob, can you sharpen my knife?

I'm very pleased with it.

Collecter
 
flatgrinder said:
I put a microbevel on it with the Sharpmaker at 30 degrees total. Took a really long time with the medium rods (around 100) and then finished with the fine rods (about 60).
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info.
 
By the way, when I use the Sharpmaker, I don't push down hard at all, very, very light strokes.

I actually reprofiled the blade to 20 degrees total, and it is much better now. It's a weird steel, but I like it now. It took some getting used to.
 
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