D6 Tool Steel outdoor knife project

farid.

Knife Maker
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
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The other week I started a batch of 21 outdoor fixed blades in D6 Tool Steel 58RC with Olive colour G10 handles. They are going to be available in two weeks time and I will start a sale thread in the 'sale' section on here. for your info they will be $200 delivered when ready and available.
Farid Mehr
knife maker

DSC_6523 - Copy.JPG
 
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The grinding on all the blades are now done, I have ground the first 2/3rd of the blade on the thick side for added strength and the tip thinner.
In the next couple of days I will epoxy the G10 on and the next few days the handles will all be shaped.
Thanks for looking and if you are interested in getting one feel free to add your name to the list in two weeks time when I will start a Sale thread on here.
All the best
Farid Mehr
knife maker
https://www.instagram.com/faridmehrknives/
 
You have my interest, for sure. I just read a thread from 2011 one another knife you made in this steel and it seems pretty impressive.

Also, in the top picture there is what looks like a small blade blank in 440V. Will that be shown here some point?
 
You have my interest, for sure. I just read a thread from 2011 one another knife you made in this steel and it seems pretty impressive.

Also, in the top picture there is what looks like a small blade blank in 440V. Will that be shown here some point?
Yes that blade and 4 other special blades belong to 5 slip joints K2-s model, there is going to be 52 of this model worldwide, I have the 3 standard versions in stock and the last 5 are going to be 2 stainless damascus, one stainless damascus san-mai CPM-s90v core, one in CPM-T-440v and one thick CPM-s90v.
Farid Mehr
knife maker
https://www.instagram.com/faridmehrknives/

www.faridmehrknives.com
www.faridmehrknives.com

 
You have my interest, for sure. I just read a thread from 2011 one another knife you made in this steel and it seems pretty impressive.

Also, in the top picture there is what looks like a small blade blank in 440V. Will that be shown here some point?
Typically D6 is around 0.78% to 0.90% Tungsten (W) but it has been measured up to around 1.3% as well before, this level of Tungsten carbides will add amazing degree of wear resistance to this steel.

Farid Mehr
knife maker
https://www.instagram.com/faridmehrknives/

 
Farid, can you share why you chose a 58 rc hardness?

Obviously, less hard = tougher, I get that. Also being that this is similar to D2, I'd get why you don't want to be too hard because D2 isn't known for being a tough steel, but I'm unsure if this steel has the same large carbides that D2 does and therefore is naturally less tough, driving you to target a lower hardness to bump toughness backup.

I'm just curious as many of the higher performance outdoor blades these days are 60+ Rockwell in steels like Magnacut, 4V/V4E, etc, sometime reaching 63 or even 64 rc which is quite a bit harder.

This knife looks really great and I'm tempted to get one, but unfortunately I have no experience with D6 steel so I seek your input. I'm mainly wondering if the lower hardness will lead to edges which might tend to roll a bit more than a harder Rockwell would, like say 60 or 61 rc? Maybe 58 isn't low enough to really be concerned about that?

Lastly, how thick behind the edges are these? And I can't tell, but do these have a secondary convex on them? I can't tell if it's that or a standard v-ground edge.

Thank you sir!
 
Farid, can you share why you chose a 58 rc hardness?

Obviously, less hard = tougher, I get that. Also being that this is similar to D2, I'd get why you don't want to be too hard because D2 isn't known for being a tough steel, but I'm unsure if this steel has the same large carbides that D2 does and therefore is naturally less tough, driving you to target a lower hardness to bump toughness backup.

I'm just curious as many of the higher performance outdoor blades these days are 60+ Rockwell in steels like Magnacut, 4V/V4E, etc, sometime reaching 63 or even 64 rc which is quite a bit harder.

This knife looks really great and I'm tempted to get one, but unfortunately I have no experience with D6 steel so I seek your input. I'm mainly wondering if the lower hardness will lead to edges which might tend to roll a bit more than a harder Rockwell would, like say 60 or 61 rc? Maybe 58 isn't low enough to really be concerned about that?

Lastly, how thick behind the edges are these? And I can't tell, but do these have a secondary convex on them? I can't tell if it's that or a standard v-ground edge.

Thank you sir!
Long message and lots of questions.
First, don't compare a conventional steel to a PM steel like CPM4v or Vanadis 4 Extra, if I made the same knife from these steels I would have to charge you $350 to $400, having said that I have used D6 for 25 years and it is a super high quality Tungsten alloyed tool steel.
I use to heat treat D6 to 62RC, yes it will do fine at 62 but over the last few years I have heat treated the D6 to 58RC as it is much tougher and still incredible edge retention due to the Tungsten carbides, to bring it down to 58RC makes it a better daily tool.
Thickness behind the edge you asked, I have never made knives like this, I grind by hand and sharpen by hand on my Burr King grinder, I simply rely on my experience to hold the knife and hand sharpen on the grinder, but it is sharpened on a slack belt so it has a slight convex secondary edge, I can tell you due to the fact these are hand made each is a little different. They are great daily tools, high performance with a basic finish.
All the best
Farid Mehr/knife maker
 
Farid, can you share why you chose a 58 rc hardness?

Obviously, less hard = tougher, I get that. Also being that this is similar to D2, I'd get why you don't want to be too hard because D2 isn't known for being a tough steel, but I'm unsure if this steel has the same large carbides that D2 does and therefore is naturally less tough, driving you to target a lower hardness to bump toughness backup.

I'm just curious as many of the higher performance outdoor blades these days are 60+ Rockwell in steels like Magnacut, 4V/V4E, etc, sometime reaching 63 or even 64 rc which is quite a bit harder.

This knife looks really great and I'm tempted to get one, but unfortunately I have no experience with D6 steel so I seek your input. I'm mainly wondering if the lower hardness will lead to edges which might tend to roll a bit more than a harder Rockwell would, like say 60 or 61 rc? Maybe 58 isn't low enough to really be concerned about that?

Lastly, how thick behind the edges are these? And I can't tell, but do these have a secondary convex on them? I can't tell if it's that or a standard v-ground edge.

Thank you sir!
I forgot to mention, all blades have a thicker main cutting edge and tapers to a finer edge.
 
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