hand sanding 01 vs others

[Mungo Park]

I have noticed that hand sanding 01 seems much harder/longer job than say 1095 or L6 or others. Is this just me or have others noticed this. I do realize that after quenching and HT diferent steels can come to diferent rockwell. It might just be a matter that my 01 is coming out harder than other steel I have used but I thought I would ask anyways.
cheers Ron

 

[grease-man]

Here's my take on it...(from my limited knowledge)

1095 is a simpler steel by make up than O-1. O-1 has a higher resistance to abrasion, due to carbides formed with additional alloying elements such as tunsten, chromium, and vanadium. I don't know much about L-6, but my guess would be the same for it as well. Hope it helps. -Matt-

 

[Mungo Park]

I am liking you answer, since it supports my theory, and provides something to make sense of it. I was thinking that somehow I was getting a higher rockwell than I was shooting for.
Cheers ron.

 

[grease-man]

Ron, that could be the case...and combined with a steel like O-1 or any of the other tool steels, you might find it a bit more difficult to hand sand than simpler carbon steels! One way to check is to get them tested, and compare results of what you thought you had and what you do have. That should let you know if you are dealing with blades that are harder than you thought, or just a difference in abrasion resistance. Of course I'm not an expert...this is just what I would do to help me figure it out. -Matt-