D2 Vs. High Carbon

Cool is the wrong term. Though there is some attraction to the steel when different alloys get discussed. I think mete means there are steels that match or exceed D2 in wear resistance, toughness, and corrosion resistance. Like these-

154CM (ATS34, 14-4CrMo), CPM154 (RWL34), S30V, S35VN, S90V, 20CP, Elmax, XHP, M390 (20CV, 204P), and I'm sure more I'm not thinking of right now.

None of them give up anything in relation to D2. 440C only loses in toughness to D2 by a relatively small margin. No more than D2 falls behind some of those other stainless alloys.

3V, M2, CPM M4, Sleipner, Cruwear, DC53, Vanadis 4, PD #1, and many, many others have better in at least two of the measures. Corrosion resistance is usually where the dip occurs. Toughness differences are generally much larger, with increased wear resistance.

But there's nothing wrong with a D2 knife. 'Not the best' doesn't always mean 'the worst.'
 
I think StretchNM's post may have been meant at least somewhat facetiously. After all, turn on a knife show like Knives Live (Smoky Mountain Knife Works) and you can watch the hosts fawn all over the D2 blades they sell from Queen Cutlery. It's as if D2 acquires magical properties just by chanting its name over and over again. Clearly knife "experts" like the Knives Live show hosts wouldn't worship D2 the way they do if it wasn't "cool" to own. Know what I mean? ;)

.
 
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I won't "quote" MidnightFlyer's or the other guy's post again.... if you don;t get it, then you don;t get it.

The point is, if you're in these forums for any length of time, guys ask alot about "the best steel". There exists in the mind a need to have the very best when, really, most have their purpose, and some aren;t even necessary. A little boron here, some manganese there, a touch of chromium, and a new steel emerges. Yes, yes, there is a science to it and a need for some of the new steels. I realize it isn;t just some mad scientist in a lab somewhere, brewing cocktails. But where does it end, this quest for a thousand knife steels?

D2 is not what I refer to above. I know it has its place. It is a well-respected tool steel. My point is only that some guys want the latest "cool" steel, without much thought as to what they'll do with it. Some guys can sharpen D2. I know this because I've had a guy sharpen one of mine and I was impressed. So....reasoning dictates there are many others who have the skill. Some of them have replied in this thread, and I won;t doubt their ability to make it split hair.

My bet is, though, that the two members who replied so vociferously and with such animosity, and all the while bragging about their skill in getting D2 sharp........ are bluffing. Sharp enough to cut something? Sure. I haven;t a doubt about that. But......only the very best, in my opinion, will ever bring D2 up to the fine, hair-splitting quality sharpness of a good carbon, if that far.

So, if the OP is considering D2, consider your sharpening skills at least.

Nuthin's easy.
 
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StretchNM said:
My bet is, though, that the two members who replied so vociferously and with such animosity, and all the while bragging about their skill in getting D2 sharp........ are bluffing.
Click to expand...

Well, I know you aren't referring to me. If you want to see animosity, BF isn't the place for it and I didn't see any pointed your way. Personally, I can burn the hide off a rhino with my mouth. So I know you weren't talking about me. :D

But I must say I think it is a bit silly (and bold!) to call someone or anyone a liar and a braggart about their knives when you have never inspected their edges personally. Maybe even arrogant, unless you can summon super powers to inspect edges across a continent. Maybe you can.... I wouldn't call you a liar unless I was sure about it. :D

You aren't looking at me right now are you? Just wondering...

Robert
 
StretchNM said:
I won't "quote" MidnightFlyer's or the other guy's post again.... if you don;t get it, then you don;t get it.

The point is, if you're in these forums for any length of time, guys ask alot about "the best steel". There exists in the mind a need to have the very best when, really, most have their purpose, and some aren;t even necessary. A little boron here, some manganese there, a touch of chromium, and a new steel emerges.

D2 is not what I refer to above. I know it has its place. It is a well-respected tool steel. My point is only that some guys want the latest "cool" steel, without much thought as to what they'll do with it. Some guys can sharpen D2. I know this because I've had a guy sharpen one of mine and I was impressed. So....reasoning dictates there are many others who have the skill. Some of them have replied in this thread, and I won;t doubt their ability to make it split hair.

My bet is, though, that the two members who replied so vociferously and with such animosity, and all the while bragging about their skill in getting D2 sharp........ are bluffing. Sharp enough to cut something? Sure. I haven;t a doubt about that. But......only the very best, in my opinion, will ever bring D2 up to fine, quality sharpness of a good carbon.

So, if the OP is considering D2, consider your sharpening skills at least.

Nuthin's easy.
Click to expand...

StretchNM, I dont understand why you think D2 is so hard to sharpen. Im no sharpening expert but with a good diamond hone or ceramic sharpener I have no more trouble shapening it than I do my esee 6 it only takes afew minutes longer. How sharp are you trying to get your knife? I use D2 blades for dressing game and sheep and sometimes when killing sheep we do 10 at a time and I dont have to stop for a touch up half way through its great. I dont really understand the terms like scary or hair popping sharp so I dont know if D2 can get up to that standard whatever it is but they can get sharp enough to carry out any field or butchery task so what more do you need.

At the end of the day both steels are great when a good blade is made from them so you cant go wrong either way.

I think this forum tends to over complicate things when it comes to knives, granted some steels are better than others for certain things but come on a knife is knife. Its just a bit of steel with something wacked on there for a handle. If you pick a knife from a reputable company or maker chances are even if the steel isnt the latest you gona get a good blade that will last you.
knife companies wank on about the latest greatest steels but for the average soldier or outdoorsman who cares. with a little care and using a knife for what its intended to do even a cheap knife will take a beating and last
 
StretchNM said:
I won't "quote" MidnightFlyer's or the other guy's post again.... if you don;t get it, then you don;t get it.

The point is, if you're in these forums for any length of time, guys ask alot about "the best steel". There exists in the mind a need to have the very best when, really, most have their purpose, and some aren;t even necessary. A little boron here, some manganese there, a touch of chromium, and a new steel emerges. Yes, yes, there is a science to it and a need for some of the new steels. I realize it isn;t just some mad scientist in a lab somewhere, brewing cocktails. But where does it end, this quest for a thousand knife steels?

D2 is not what I refer to above. I know it has its place. It is a well-respected tool steel. My point is only that some guys want the latest "cool" steel, without much thought as to what they'll do with it. Some guys can sharpen D2. I know this because I've had a guy sharpen one of mine and I was impressed. So....reasoning dictates there are many others who have the skill. Some of them have replied in this thread, and I won;t doubt their ability to make it split hair.

My bet is, though, that the two members who replied so vociferously and with such animosity, and all the while bragging about their skill in getting D2 sharp........ are bluffing. Sharp enough to cut something? Sure. I haven;t a doubt about that. But......only the very best, in my opinion, will ever bring D2 up to the fine, hair-splitting quality sharpness of a good carbon.

So, if the OP is considering D2, consider your sharpening skills at least.

Nuthin's easy.
Click to expand...

Not quite sure what you are talking about here... "bluffing"? :confused:

No "special" skills are required to sharpen D2.
Just the right tools, imo. My prefernce is diamonds.
If you are passing your D2 for someone else to sharpen then that is not the steel's failure... barring a crappy heat treat or poor geometry.


It is a WW2 vintage steel, so certainly not the "latest" or fad steel.

I have a few knives in D2 from hard use hunting knives to a $300 Japanese hand forged chef's knife (gyuto). Have used them to clean deer to fish in the field and cutting (very thinly I might add) root and vine veggies to sushi in the kitchen...

No, not an end all be all (steel selection is a compromise) but good stuff for its application.
:)
 
I think this forum tends to over complicate things when it comes to knives, granted some steels are better than others for certain things but come on a knife is knife.

That's the truth.
 
StretchNM said:
But......only the very best, in my opinion, will ever bring D2 up to the fine, hair-splitting quality sharpness of a good carbon, if that far.

So, if the OP is considering D2, consider your sharpening skills at least.

Nuthin's easy.
Click to expand...

I don't know man, that's kind of a weird post. I'm not a great sharpener and I recently got my Queen D2 sharper than I've ever gotten any other steel which includes probably a dozen diff. steels. I just used 325, 600, and 1200 grit DMT diamonds and I'm not sure about whittling hair but it shaves like a razor. That's good enough for me. :confused:
 
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D2 isn;t so hard to get sharp. What's difficult is getting it as sharp as you can get, say 1095 sharp....or 154CM...or a variety of other finer grained steels.

If Hoopster, you got your D2 sharper than any other steel you have, then...... that's good. Now, one day you'll get one of those other steels sharp.... I mean, sharp!, and the D2 won;t "seem" quite as sharp as it does right now.
 
StretchNM said:
D2 isn;t so hard to get sharp. What's difficult is getting it as sharp as you can get, say 1095 sharp....or 154CM...or a variety of other finer grained steels.

If Hoopster, you got your D2 sharper than any other steel you have, then...... that's good. Now, one day you'll get one of those other steels sharp.... I mean, sharp!, and the D2 won;t "seem" quite as sharp as it does right now.
Click to expand...


Why are you assuming things about hoopster's sharpening skills?
 
StretchNM said:
Now, one day you'll get one of those other steels sharp.... I mean, sharp!, and the D2 won;t "seem" quite as sharp as it does right now.
Click to expand...

Sharpness is determined by the angle at which the bevels are ground, not by the type of steel. What the type of steel influences is the durability of the edge.
 
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