High Performance Steel

[Coonskinner]

I have not had vast experience with some of the new cpm steels, but in my limited experience, nothing has outperformed my knives made out of 52100. But they will acquire patina (some folks call it staining.)

 

[rdangerer]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by tallwingedgoat:
Anyone heard of "vasco die"?

C .82% Cr 7.75% V 2.25% Mo 1.55% Si 1.00% Mn .30%

It's supposed to have better edge holding and stain resistance than D2, and tougher than A2.

[This message has been edited by tallwingedgoat (edited 03-30-2001).]</font>

I'm not sure I understand how VascoDie could have better stain resistance than D2 with some 4-5% less chrome, but some makers say CPM3V is near D2 in corrosion resistance, so go figure.

My alloy chart indicates that VascoDie is all but identical to "VascoWear", except that Vascowear's carbon content is 1.12%. That means Vascowear should in theory have more carbon left over after basic hardening (which takes 0.5% C) to form Vanadium and Molybdenum and Chrome carbides. Without researching, I'd guess VascoWear had better "wear resistance" (slicing, abrasion), and VascoDie had better impact resistance (Die forming steel).

I had heard that Vascowear had been discontinued.

Both of these steels are fairly close to CPM3V but more complex in alloy makeup actually...here is 3V's pedigree:

Carbon 0.8%
Chrome 7.5%
Molyb 1.3%
Vanadium 2.75%

And A2:
=======
Carbon 0.95% - 1.05%
Chrome 4.75% - 5.50%
Molyb 0.90% - 1.4%
Vanadium 0.15% - 0.5%
Manganese 1.0%

All of these make very tough blades that hold an edge well, with corrosion resistance the short-fall.

Vasco-xxxx and CPM3V start near A2 and add stuff to improve on performance at the expense of difficulty in working and price.

Vascowear is purported to be very difficult to grind, doesn't have a particurly refined grain structure when heat treated, but is extremely tough and a very top-end edge holder.

CPM3V probably ends up easier to heat treat to a fine grain, and is also very tough and around D2 in edge holding.

What is more interesting than any of the aforementioned to me, is the alloy Crucible is trying to develop and deliver now (end of 2001?)... goal was to take the tough CPM3V and add enough chrome to get near D2 in corrosion resistance, while keeping the alloy tougher than D2 at good Rc60 working hardness. Such an alloy would be a real gem for anything from utility folders to big blades, and if it meets or exceeds D2 in corrosion resistance, we'd have an alloy that would beat 440V, and would offer real good tradeoffs in competition with 420V, and BG-42 for the all-around champ (since it would likely be tougher). Time and heat treating experiments will tell.

 

[Doug Mondt]

The Vasco die appears to real close to Cru-wear too. Except Cru-wear is at 1.1% carbon and it also has 1.15% Tungsten. I make a few blades out of Cru-wear. It holds an edge real well. It is supposed to be an improved D2. I think it is less corrosion resistant than D2 but is better in edge holding and possibly has higher impact tolerance. I know it eats belts better than D2!

The mention of the new Crucible steel reminds me that I just not a letter from Crucible about their S30V (stainless CPM 3V). IT has a lot of peoples attention for sure. They are also coming out with S125V a 12.5% vanadium stainless that will be a bear to work with, but should produce one fine blade!