There are very large generalisation in the original post. For anyone interested here are good places, IMO that cover the basics, to start reading about steel, element affects and terminology that are accurate in their descriptions.
Z knives knife steel FAQ
Chemical Elements and their affects
Steel And Metallurgic Terminology Glossary
Different-steel-types by Sandvik
important-factors by Sandvik
knife-steel-knowledge, technical-glossary by Sandvik
knife-steel-knowledge by Sandvik
Steel_Terminology.pdf
After these basics look into the following books (this biography is taken from
hypefreeblades.com) I have not been able to obtain all of them so I cannot comment on most of them.
Metallurgy Books
Atlas of isothermal transformation diagrams
the United States Steel Company.
A compilation of transformation diagrams of many common steel alloys, with descriptions of hardenability, and various phases created by cooling from the austenitic phase.
Elements Of Hardenability
M.A. Grossman
An in-depth examination of the nature of steel hardenability which includes chapters on hardenability tests, the nature of hardening, the nature of the quenching process and the effects of alloying elements on hardenability.
Heat Treater's Guide
ASM Publication
ISBN: 0871705206
A compilation of data for each of the standard AISI grades of irons and carbon, as well as alloy, tool and stainless steels. Each data sheet gives the chemical composition of the alloy, a listing of similar U.S. and foreign alloys, its characteristics, and the recommended heat treating procedure. Most of the compilation goes much further and offers a wide variety of additional heat treating data such as representative micrographs, isothermal transformation diagrams, cooling transformation diagrams, tempering curves and data on dimensional change.
Metallurgy
Bert J. Moniz
ISBN: 0-8269-3506-0
Metallurgy covers all aspects of metallurgical engineering including the three areas of extractive, mechanical, and physical metallurgy. The textbook covers both theory and applications of metallurgical principles as applied to the conditioning, design, identification, selection, testing, and processing of metals and alloys. Topics include heat treatment, crystal structures, phase diagrams, materials standards, specific alloys, nondestructive and destructive testing, and fabrication methods. This new edition also covers the latest improvements in laboratory and industry techniques and equipment and adds new content valuable to metallurgy technicians and engineers.
Metallurgy Fundamentals
Daniel Brandt
ISBN: 0-87006-922-5
Metallurgy Fundamentals provides the student with instruction on the basic properties, characteristics, and production of the major metal families. Clear, concise language and numerous illustrations make this an easy-to-understand text for an introductory course in metallurgy. Over 450 tables, diagrams, and photographs show both the theoretical and practical aspects of metallurgy. This is perhaps the easiest to understand of any introductory metallurgy texts, Kevin Cashen says he uses this as his textbook for all of his bladesmithing metallurgy classes.
Quenching and Martempering
the ASM Committees on Quenching and Martempering
Includes chapters on methods of quenching, mechanisms of quenching, testing and evaluation of quench mediums, water and water based quench mediums, oil quenching mediums, gas quenching, factors effecting cooling rate, quenching equipment, maintenance of quenching installations, quenching of induction heated parts, quenching of flame heated parts, safety precautions, martempering methods and mediums, operation and control in martempering and equipment and handling in martempering.
Steel Metallurgy for the Non-Metallurgist
John D. Verhoeven
This book explains the metallurgy of steel and its heat treatment for non-metallurgists. It starts from simple conceptsbeginning at the level of high-school chemistry classes and building to more complex concepts involved in heat treatment of most all types of steel as well as cast iron. It was inspired by the author when working with practicing bladesmiths for more than 15 years. Most chapters in the book contain a summary at the end. These summaries provide a short review of the contents of each chapter. This book is THE practical primer on steel metallurgy for those who heat, forge, or machine steel.
Tool Steel Simplified
Frank R. Palmer & George V. Luerssen
World's best selling handbook of modern practice for the man who makes tools and dies. This classic text presents detailed topics covering heat-treating methods and equipment; physical characteristics of tool steel; selecting the right tool steel for each kind of tool; properties, heat treatment, and testing of tool steel; hot acid etch test; spark testing; timbre and hardenability tests; furnace atmosphere; quenching and tempering; troubleshooting; etc. 535 pgs. Illustrated.
Contemporary Knives
An Edge in the Kitchen
Chad Ward
ISBN: 978-0-06-118848-0
An Edge in the Kitchen is the solution an intelligent and delightful debunking of the mysteries of kitchen knives, once and for all. If you can stack blocks you can cut restaurant quality diced vegetables. If you can fold a paper airplane you can sharpen your knives better than many professionals. If you are willing to be a little adventurous you can find modern kitchen knives that outperform anything ever produced. Veteran cook Chad Ward provides an in-depth guide the most important tool in the kitchen, including choosing the best kitchen knives in your price range, practical tutorials on knife skills, a step-by-step section on sharpening, and more-all illustrated with beautiful photographs throughout. Along the way you will discover what a cow sword is, and why you might want one; why chefs are abandoning their heavy German knives in droves; and why the Claw and the Pinch, strange as they may sound, are in fact the best way to make precision vegetable cuts with speed and style. An Edge in the Kitchen is the one-and-only guide to the most important tool in the kitchen.
Messerklingen und Stahl
Roman Landes
ISBN: 978-3-938711-04-0
A ground breaking work in modern applications of steel for knife edges supported by almost a century of studies on that specific topic. Thus far it is only in German.
After one read through those look into patent information, peer reviewed scientific articles in journals such as Metallurgical and Materials Transactions,
Journal of Alloys and Compounds, Materials Science and Engineering and International Journal of Powder Metallurgy.
After all of that you realise what is hype, what is truth and you get to a point as P_Meticulous described where you just dont give a damn where I am currently as well.
), and just take pleasure in actual use.. everything else is overrated bs.. I do prefer stainless and I still coat with Tuf-Glide..
