Flash in the pan steels

I recently purchased a few bars of M398. Why? Because I can. Going to make some 3-3.5 inch hunters/skinners most likely. also bought a huge chunk of 15V, but need to find an EDM Shop to reduce it to useful width.
 
VorpelSword said:
Please re-read my post, # 30, and then read the post by Maximum Bob, #32. MB said pretty much what I meant.
Thanks for the clarity, Bob.
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Upon second reading, what you're saying still isn't relevant to flash in the pan steels.


154CM is still in widespread use.


Take care.
 
conan11 said:
I might give Rex 121 a try.
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Worth it

LWPU1ke.jpg
 
The True North said:
Upon second reading, what you're saying still isn't relevant to flash in the pan steels.


154CM is still in widespread use.


Take care.
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Sure, 154CM is as good today as it ever was . . .I do not mean to knock 154CM . . .it is just not the trendy steel de joure . . .that is all I intended to convey.

Whatever, lets not go around on this, its just not that big-a-deal.
 
minus Latrobes BG-42, which unfortunately went the way of the Dodo (although is evidently still produced?). Bob Loveless was a proponent of the steel, as were others. If I recall correctly, Latrobe was purchased by Carpenter. From Carpenter, it was replaced by CTS-B75P, which also does not appear to be in use any longer.
 
I always wanted to try ASP60. Maxace used it on the Killer Whale and I can’t find one!
 
Chefget said:
ATS-34 baby!
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I recently picked up an AG Russell airweight fruit knife in ATS-34, from 2005, and it reminded me how common it used to be as a "premium steel" and how I never see it today. I think it's very similar or identical to 154CM?
David Mary said:
Speaking of least flash in the pan, let's not forget the king and queen of (once) new steels that just won't disappear, D2 and 440C.

Fun bit of trivia: the first knife I ever sold on Bladeforums was D2.

David Mary

Thread 'SOLD - Slim D2/Micarta Recurve'

This knife in razor sharp D2 steel is best for medium to small hands (I have largish hands with about average width and long fingers). It is optimized for hammer grip in either forward or reverse (edge out), but due to the birds beak handle, is not the most capable at smooth and fast grip transitions. It's hollow ground and has a 10° per side primary edge for ease of maintenance and sharpening.

I had the blank made (a bit fatter, originally as a camp recurve) in the USA (the maker understood I would sell it, and did not ask to be credited, though I will disclose who it was in PM if...
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440C and D2 are pretty impressive. Queen Cutlery started using 440C shortly after WW2 (which, like you funnily enough, marketed it as Queen Steel) and then switched to D2 in I think 2005. They always stood out to me as using way better steel than I'd expect from a traditional slipjoint manufacturer, especially 20-70 years ago. Pretty far ahead of the game there. They also marketed stainless steel as a feature to the small hardware shops that often sold their knives, as the retailer could keep knives on the shelf for long periods without rusting, I think as far back as the 1920s.
 
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Carrying M4 today. Not sure "flash in the pan" should really be said about this steel, but it was definitely a steel that went from being the darling, to everything being the M4 killer, to I don't see it in hardly anything these days. I'm not even sure my favored Seki K390 is really better or if it just has a better heat treatment than most factory M4 had. I even usually try to be specific and say Seki K390 since apparently the Golden CO K390 was found lacking. I missed out so I won't swear to that but I remain impressed with what the Japanese to with it. Was there ever a perfectly dialed in M4 out there?
 
I have a Biryukov in S390 laminate. I don't think I've ever seen another knife in this steel. Maybe it didn't catch on, im not sure but I haven't used it enough to tell how good it is.
 
Had to look up S390 as I've never even heard of it. Wonder if it's too much of a pain to work with.
 
Maximumbob54 said:
Had to look up S390 as I've never even heard of it. Wonder if it's too much of a pain to work with.
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K.O.D. said:
I have a Biryukov in S390 laminate. I don't think I've ever seen another knife in this steel. Maybe it didn't catch on, im not sure but I haven't used it enough to tell how good it is.
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It has similar performance to S60V but with less corrosion resistance and higher hardness.
 
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