D2

d2 is really brittle compared with some plain carbon steels , no doubt of that , but you can not expected that you break it with nomal choppings in comfort temp.

even more brittle steel , like M4 , you can not easily break it with wood choping , above vid is nothing(harden steels with rounded edge , cut unhardened steel ,like vice panle , is not a challage for the steel , all hardened steels can do that , and bending in a vice is nothing with thoughness .) .

so , my conclusion is that the D2 is not suit for big chopper or any hard use oriented job, the break is unexpecting , but you will get big chunk of chips or break it when you treaded your blade hard .
 
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d2 is really brittle compared with some plain carbon steels , no doubt of that , but you can not expected that you break it with nomal choppings in comfort temp.

Really?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5oMvFTiu8Bs

And this is one of the comments:

Smokin07ram 1 year ago

Great review Nutn!

At 1/4 inch the D2 has been bulletproof even in extreme cold for me (Canadian outdoors man here).

However,, after owning 3 other D2 Wilderness blades (that I baton with) I will never own another.

The D2 chips easily on hard impacts (rocks happen dudes!) and will absolutely make you cry trying to get them out....As in WEEP!

For conservative and careful camp use this knife would rock and will hold a great edge, but otherwise expect extreme sadness.
 
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Any 1/4 inch thick piece of hardened steel should be fairly bulletproof but that doesn't mean D2 is tougher than say 1095 because its simply not.
 
Also I found this on the internet : "The CPM D-2 is Much Tougher than D-2 so it becomes a Viable Option on heavier use knives." But would actually like to know in % how much better .
 
What the CPM process does it make the grains finer which increases lateral strength but reducing the chance of a break. The actual % increase of a steel vs a CPM version of that steel isn't really ALL THAT MUCH. The reason for this is in the end its the same formula just better produced. Think of lumpy mashed potatoes vs ones that have been mixed up very well, that's about the best way I know to describe it. In the end they are still mashed potatoes the later are just better.

You will however notice a good bit more edge retention with the CPM steels. They are better than the standard versions but with everything the upgrade will cost you.

As good as D2 is (one of my very favorite steels for a skinning knife) SR101 (52100 treated by a pack of rats) will hold an edge just about as well, but will be much tougher.
 
Honestly SR101 has similar edge retention to D2 but its worlds tougher, the only thing D2 has going for it is that its semi stainless which is not at all a bad thing but I am pretty good about keeping my carbon blades oiled.
 
D2 steel is not tough enough for big blade, no matter who HTed it.

Obviously you missed the torture to destruction testing the swamp did on the safari skinner and dog back when released. Vise, large ball pein hammer, manly man, get the idea?
 
Obviously you missed the torture to destruction testing the swamp did on the safari skinner and dog back when released. Vise, large ball pein hammer, manly man, get the idea?

tough or not , tougher or not , it is a Q we must set a benchmark before we get the conlusions here.

so you said it is tough , you compare to what steel ?

D2's impact toughness is very low , compare to some mid carbon steel ,such as 5160, there is no hype.

D2 is a steel more suit for tender work , like skinning game , not suit for making choppers or tough use knives.
 
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