First "real" piece of steel

[BlackHands]

[/URL][/IMG] So I found a place that locally supplies all types of tool and alloy steels about 15 minutes away from me! I bought the D2 seen above for 28$ as a .25"x2.5"x16" 3 lb plate and plotted the knife I wanted to make most (the big RAT wannabe) and then fit the straight knife and karambit style tanto out of what was left. What do ya think? They have ALL types of steels, any suggestions on the steel for the next ones? Which high end steel is easy to machine? Its slow going with this stuff, what will give a hard, tough, sharp, AND quick turn out steel? Sounds like the unicorn horn im looking for, huh? Well, liking D2, so, so far, I'm happy!

 

[i4Marc]

Maybe better asked in Shop Talk.

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/forumdisplay.php/741-Shop-Talk-BladeSmith-Questions-and-Answers


Just a thought, but perhaps you should be looking for a forgiving steel not a high end steel (if, by high end, you mean high alloy). If you are going to do the heat treatment yourself, pick a steel that you can get the most out of with YOUR set up. If you are planning to send it to a commercial heat treating facility that is different.