D2, Thin edge, Rc???

Dr.Lathe

Dr.Lathe

Joined
Aug 4, 1999
Messages
2,596
I've been making quite a few of my Tanto style neck knives. The the blade is 3.5" long. My first ones had about the same thickness edge as my hunters that I heat treat to Rc 62. (this includes Cryo). I've started making the neck knife edges very thin so they are very, very sharp! Normally I would just make the edge thicker but, It seems the more they look like a straight razor with a point, the more people like them!!
My question is, should I start lowering the Rc numbers to prevent chipping?? If so, what is the lowest Rc that will hold a descent edge with D2? I chipped my test knife cutting wire, maybe not the best application for a neck knife......
Neil

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yeah, try chopping wood, and bring the rockwell down to 59, it should hold an edge even at 56, but on a small knife keep it high. i'm making a d-2 skinner and a d-2 camp knife, and so far is the best stuff i've worked with, as ease of working goes, i know it has a bad rep for ease of working, but i work with my bare hands when grinding, and it heats up real slow, and cools off quick.
 
Well, now I guess I will be trying a batch of 6 blades at Rc 58!! I altered my draw temp shooting for 60 and wound up at 58!!
Tomorow one will be finished at I'll put it through some cutting tests.
Neil
 
although i am not sure why...i have always been under the impression that d2 is a little on the brittle side..think loveless said that in his book...thats why he doesnt use it......it cuts great..but over here. and i would think in fla too....it rusts pretty readily...i stopped using it for this reason....too many people bringing their knives back asking me to get the rust off... i think it would be a great idea to test it at about 4 different rockwell hardness and post the results.....i have a couple of pieces of die perfect .125 that i have been trying to decide what to do with...

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Dr. Lathe,

My brother and I have been making combat and camp blades out of D2. We usually get them hardened to 58-59. Paul Bos treats them for us. Cryo treats them too. Our testing and our customers show that they hold an edge really well and are easy to sharpen. I would recommend dropping the Rc rating down for a real thin edge.
 
well, becuase it's supposed to be brittle, i'm getting a camp knife heat treated to rc. 56, becuase i know for sure it's gonna be used to pry and break bones the moment it leaves my shop. actually that's why i'm making it.
 
The first knife that Rc'ed at 58 is finished. I could tell when I sharpened it that it wasn't at my usual hardness. I cut some cardboard and cut up an old buffing wheel just to see what it would do. After that I whittled on a 2X4 for quite a while. It still popped hair so I'm pretty happy with it. I will try for 60 Rc again on next batch on monday! My goal is to make them as hard as possible without any blade chipping. If that's to hard I'll stick with the Rc. 58 on the little tantos.
Thanks everyone for your help on this,
Neil
 
neil, you should call up some old customers who bought them, and ask them exactly what they use them for, if it's just slicing, then go for rc.60, but if they use them for other stuff, try rc.58. and are these hollow ground or flat?
 
Magnum,
I just started making these about six weeks ago. Only 3 of the first 12 were shipped, the rest were sold locally. They had slightly thicker edges and I'm not realy worried about them. My local customers are carrying them for "emergency" Defense! They probably wont see any hard use! It they had to defend themselves with one, they're plenty sharp. One sold to a Bass Pro, he cuts line and things around his boat with it. He's a knife nut and has several of my hunters. I'm sure if the knife gives him any problems, he will let me know!!
Monday, I will try for 60Rc. That should be a good compromise.
Neil
 
sounds good. i've seen your hunting knives, and i gotta tell you, they're the coolest with all those curves in the blade. wow!
 
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