D2

D

daedge804

Joined
Dec 28, 2009
Messages
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Will D2 tool steel stain or change colors like other non-stainless steels? and how hard is it to sharpen?
 
Its about as close to stainless as you can get. It won't take an acid etch, or a good patina like most carbon steels, but it can stain just a bit. I have more customs in D2 than any other steel and have had only a couple of knives show slight staining.

Its harder than most carbons to sharpen, but more easy to sharpen than most of the newer stainless steels. Great steel IMO.
 
I edc a Spyderco CPM-D2 paramilitary quite often and I really like it. But like any other steel it has its trade offs. The pluses are its a real tough steel with great wear resistance, the downsides are it is a mother to sharpen and it stains and can rust easier than stainless if you don't take care of it or you live by the coast or something. As far as the sharpening goes I've found it to be harder to sharpen than say 154cm, vg10, s30v, 440c but not as bad as s60v, zdp-189, s110v. All in all its a good steel though.
 
Yes a having a coated D2 blade nearly eliminates the issues of blade staining and corrosion except for on the edge and any logos. That being said its really not an issue unless you're abusive to your knives. I've got a couple spots on my blade because I was cutting pepperocinis one day and let the juice sit on it for an hour just to see how much staining I would get. Other than that one instance the blade has a perfect satin finish. Really all you need to do is wipe your blade after you use it, even if its just on your pants or shirt, and you'll have no problems. I for one am not much of a fan of blade coatings because they create a lot more friction and significantly reduce ease of slicing. I would suggest you get one uncoated and see how you like it, if you are not able to keep up on wiping your blade or you use it at the coast then you can force a patina on it or cold blue it which will basically eliminate both the issue of staining and corrosion plus I really like the look. Do a search here on "forced patina" or "patina" and maybe "cold blue". Good luck.
 
If you do not use your knife for food prep at all, I would recommend spraying the blade with a silicone based lubricant (particularly uncoated blades).
 
daedge804 said:
Will D2 tool steel stain or change colors like other non-stainless steels? and how hard is it to sharpen?
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D2 will change shades, not nearly as dramatic as carbon steels.

Get some diamond stones and D2 won't be that hard to sharpen.
 
tjsulli790 said:
D2 will change shades, not nearly as dramatic as carbon steels.

Get some diamond stones and D2 won't be that hard to sharpen.
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The D2 greys

Look at the grey of the main spear blade
That is just from usage

picture.php
 
the staining of d2 is of such a minor issue i hardly consider it. my benchmade 710 which was one of the 1st issued has never been oiled, just washed & dried. the small rust spots are really surface blemishes which do'nt continue to deepen like rust on some carbon steels.certainly harder than 1095 to sharpen, it's not near as difficult as zdp189.since i have several diamond benchstones i've never had to work real hard to edge blades.i would recommend this alloy for individuals whom want a minimal maintenace hard worker. d2 wo'nt take a true mirror finish & most owners have trouble really achiveing a super razor edge, however most people are'nt knifenuts like the small minority.
 
D2 definitly can get a patina. I recently put one on my Benchmade 913 with hot (almost boiling) citric acid. Worked fine.
Will post pics tomorrow.

Regards
Michael
 
D2 is a great steel. Its stainless enough so you don't have to keep drying it after every use but eventually takes a nice patina and not stay characterless like stainless.

Edge holding is great too, not quite up to the most modern steels but then, you don't have to pay a premium to get the new steels either.
 
Over time and use D2 will gradually darken slightly. But if you take care if the knife, unless you’ve got it side by side with a new knife it wont be easy to tell.

Like nearly every steel from the mid range on up how hard it is to sharpen depends on your skill, equipment and how dull you let it get.
 
I don't own D2, except on my Benchmade 710. It's very tough stuff and was a real challenge to re-profile to a 30* bevel using my Sharpmaker.
I used diamond rods right through to the x-fine. I bet it took 10 - 12 hrs of stroking that blade until it was where I wanted it.

I've read that the treatment of D2 has a lot to do with the final product. Comparing Benchmade's D2 and S30V, I find the D2 easier to sharpen than the S30V.

Since I don't do food prep with the BM 710, I heated up the blade with a hair dryer and put a coat of Miltec-1 on it. I put a coat on once a day for 3 days while heating the steel. So far it still looks brand new. :)
 
Ken44 said:
Its about as close to stainless as you can get. It won't take an acid etch, or a good patina like most carbon steels, but it can stain just a bit.
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My D2 Para didnt really take a great patina but I've seen a few people with pretty dark patina on D2.
 
For those of you who own the 710, whats all this hype about the new M390 steel 710s that are comeing out in Septemeber?
 
For those of you who own the 710, whats all this hype about the new M390 steel 710s that are comeing out in Septemeber?
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It's being hyped as a "super steel", a designation being thrown around too much IMO. Another example, 19C27 called a super steel by some companies ( example: http://www.agrussell.com/canal-street-cutlery-bowie-hunter-buffalo-horn/p/CSC-179923/ ) when it isn't.

They are good steels, yes, but "super steels"?


The M390 is very similar to 20CV. That puts it in the S30V class. Perhaps more wear resistance than S30V , depending on how high the final hardness is kept in both.

Both are not in the same class as S90V, for instance, using wear resistance and corrosion resistance as a benchmark.

Good stuff? Yes, most definitely! Super steel? Not in my mind. I'll leave that name to the S90V's, S110V, ZDP 189"s, 10V/A11, etc.
 
daedge804 said:
Will D2 tool steel stain or change colors like other non-stainless steels? and how hard is it to sharpen?
Click to expand...

I sharpen my Spyderco CPM D2 and my Benchmade D2 on a Sharpmaker and a strop. Works fine for me. Haven't stained any of my D2 yet but I don't use them for food prep, just the usual cutting outdoors and around the house.
 
cziv said:
I don't own D2, except on my Benchmade 710. It's very tough stuff and was a real challenge to re-profile to a 30* bevel using my Sharpmaker.
I used diamond rods right through to the x-fine. I bet it took 10 - 12 hrs of stroking that blade until it was where I wanted it.

I've read that the treatment of D2 has a lot to do with the final product. Comparing Benchmade's D2 and S30V, I find the D2 easier to sharpen than the S30V.

Since I don't do food prep with the BM 710, I heated up the blade with a hair dryer and put a coat of Miltec-1 on it. I put a coat on once a day for 3 days while heating the steel. So far it still looks brand new. :)
Click to expand...

Oh man! D2 is THE reason that I broke down and bought the diamond rods for my Sharpmaker. I had to reprofile a Benchmade 910, and the brown rods just weren't cutting it (no pun intended). Even then, it was a white-knuckled battle of wills to get the edge into good shape.
 
Oh man! D2 is THE reason that I broke down and bought the diamond rods for my Sharpmaker. I had to reprofile a Benchmade 910, and the brown rods just weren't cutting it (no pun intended). Even then, it was a white-knuckled battle of wills to get the edge into good shape.
Click to expand...

I feel your pain robot37. That BM D2 laughs at the conventional rods of the Sharpmaker. Even with diamond rods, it's a tough battle to touch the stuff.

I sharpen my Spyderco CPM D2 and my Benchmade D2 on a Sharpmaker and a strop. Works fine for me.
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How do you guys feel about Spyderco D2? Is it as tough as Benchmade D2, tougher or similar? - in terms of sharpening
 
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