Forging.....D-2 (I Know???)

[Troop]

Big Power Hammer

No, I mean, besides that. I've heard that it almost borders on the mystical....he allegedly uses a procedure that he learned in Europe....something really unusual...like heating it from the "inside out" . I have a friend at work who is "kinda, sorta" tight with him (but not tight enough to hook me up with him, right?), and he can't stop talking about Joe Szilaski's forged D2.
- Mitch

 

[Troop]

Apparently, his forged D2 is not at all brittle, tough as hell, and holds an edge beyond human comprehension. I'd pretty much give my left nut to find out how he does it.
- Mitch

 

[sunshadow]

heated from the inside out? mystical? Mysterious procedure learned in europe?
I'm beginning to look around for a Cashen excorcism . . .

-Page

 

[Troop]

I know it sounds like big-time BS, but I've heard it from different sources. I don't know if he guards his secrets with regards to his D2, but I've had enough of the mystery and I signed up to take a two-day class with him in March up in Conn. Maybe he'll explain a few things to me.
- Mitch

 

[Steve Hayden]

D2 needs to be held at 1600 for two hours, then ramped down. Here's the data sheet:

http://crucibleservice.com/datash/ACFC3C.pdf?CFID=1716762&CFTOKEN=36792618

Here's what I got when I forged D2:

Doing an antique etch will bring out the same textures on stock reduction formed D2.

 

[mete]

Mr Martensite is watching you !!

 

[Sam Salvati]

Apparently, his forged D2 is not at all brittle, tough as hell, and holds an edge beyond human comprehension. I'd pretty much give my left nut to find out how he does it.
- Mitch

HEY! What did i tell you about that HYPE? That's enough of that outta you. it's not the steel it's the HT! D2 is not a BRITLLE STEEL UNLESS YOU LEAVE IT TOO FRIGGIN HARD.

 

[Troop]

HEY! What did i tell you about that HYPE? That's enough of that outta you. it's not the steel it's the HT! D2 is not a BRITLLE STEEL UNLESS YOU LEAVE IT TOO FRIGGIN HARD.

STOP DELUDING YOURSELF!!! D2 IS BRITTLE!... DON'T YOU BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOU HEAR! D2 is only non-brittle in the mystical-occult forge of Joe Szilaski!
Jeez! Don't you know anything!!!

 

[Sam Salvati]

My Pimp Hand Is Strong!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[kevinc]

If it helps any Karl Schroen in his book The Hand Forged Knife says, "Originally, I forged D-2 from Flat stock. I found, however, that a fair amount of grain seperation ocurred using flat stock. I then switched to round stock and the problem was eliminated. I believe that there must be that there must be a difference between flat and round stock that comes from the factory. (grain structure).
As with other high chromium steels , i.e. stainless, I preheat all tools that come into contact with the steel during the forging (hammer, tongs and anvil) The secret to forging these steels is to keep the forging temperature as low as possible. D-2 is an execellent knife steel"

Stock removal guys use the D-2 planer blades as tempered from the factory and cool them as they grind to shape to keep the heat treat.

Kevin

 

[Ramsey]

[If it helps any Karl Schroen in his book The Hand Forged Knife says, "Originally, I forged D-2 from Flat stock. I found, however, that a fair amount of grain separation occurred using flat stock. I then switched to round stock and the problem was eliminated. I believe that there must be that there must be a difference between flat and round stock that comes from the factory. (grain structure).
As with other high chromium steels , i.e. stainless, I preheat all tools that come into contact with the steel during the forging (hammer, tongs and anvil) The secret to forging these steels is to keep the forging temperature as low as possible. D-2 is an excellent knife steel"

Stock removal guys use the D-2 planer blades as tempered from the factory and cool them as they grind to shape to keep the heat treat.

Kevin]

I have the book you mentioned by Karl Schroen but it has been a long time since I’ve looked through it, and I didn’t realize that was in it, I’ll have to search it out. I appreciate your information as well as everyone who has chimed in on this subject. It would be interesting to see the grain alignment of plate, bar both round and flat. It is interesting to see how different folks do similar things to the same steel and perceive it differently, from both the amount of heat and the amount of force applied and possibly how the force is applied. A press might even give a different grain structure than the hammer. Now where did I lay my X-ray glasses….?

Ramsey