How good is L-6 steel?

R

Ringneck

Joined
Jun 4, 2001
Messages
34
I have been looking at getting some L-6 steel from Admiral to use for my first knife making efforts. The price is right but how does it perform? I plan on using it to make hunting knives. Does it hold an edge?

Thanks,

Shawn
 
Hi Shawn. I've never been happy with L6. It just doesn't get hard enough for me. It could be my HT methods but I have yet to make what I consider a suitable blade. Maybe someone else has had better results.
 
I have a friend thats been making knives out of old saw mill blades for years, which is suspose to be L-6. He doesn't forge, he uses the metal removal system with a wet grinder to keep from heating the temper out of the old blades. They are some of the best knives I've ever used, hold an edge well and resharpen very easily. As far as forging and heat treating I don't know.
Hope this helps.
Bill
 
Thanks for the replies and keep them coming :). Admiral lists their L-6 steel with the following alloys and amounts.

C .75
Mn .70
Si .25
Cr .80
Ni 1.50
Mo .30

Shawn
 
L6 is biased to be kinda medium in edge holding and very tough, mostly from Silicon & Nickel components.

Crucible says it oil quenches from 1500F to Rc63-65.
Tempered at 400F yields Rc 60-62 @ 43 ft-lbs Charpy C.
Tempered at 500F yields Rc 58-60 @ 38 ft-lbs Charpy C.
Tempered at 400F yields Rc 56-58 @ 68 ft-lbs Charpy C.

Yep, there's a dip in toughness.
(I've never seen anyone advertise they ran L6 at Rc60, but the raw data looks good actually for toughness at an edge holding Rc60.)

At Rc 60, A2 holds an edge somewhat better (abrasion) and is just as tough.
At Rc 56-58, L6 is tougher than A2 and O1.

L6 should hold an edge better than the really tough stuff S1/S5/S7.

CPM3V bests L6 at any given point (and is of course much more expensive).
 
I have had great luck with L6.

I first noticed its cutting ability with an old grey handled Gerber MKII that I owned. It was Gerber's biggest mistake going to 440 for that fine dagger.

I have made about 5 knives of L6 and I will use it again as soon as I get my shipment from Admiral.

An interesting not is that I have a friend who is a Vietnam vet (mulitple tours) and spent his life in the military and/or 3 letter agencies....and he was a knifenut when he joined the Army. He had Randalls, Ralph Bone, and other customs....but the two knives he carried was a MKII Gerber and a handforged Nyguen Dan combat knife which was made from an old leaf spring.

He tells me that the L6 in the blade of the Gerber was the perfect steel for a field blade because of its ease of resharpening. I will be making him a combat bowie of L6 soon.

I would recommend L6, 5160, or 1084. All of it is great.
 
I made a flat ground bowie out of L6 (steel from real old saw blade) and sent it to Mike Turber for the 9" blade test. Sent it out hair popping sharp, went thru all the tests and came back hair popping sharp.
 
hes a good fella. makes a hell of a knife too.

oh.
you mean the steel.
>shrug.


-mo.
off to play with stainless.
 
I have nothing but praise for L-6...In my opinion it is about the best steel there is for a hunting knife.
I quench in oil and draw back at 350 degrees twice and it holds a super edge.
Bruce
 
I have several knives made out of L6, and find it to be a super steel. Takes and holds a wicked edge. Super tough. Makes some awesome damascus when mixed with O2 or O1.
 
Thanks for all the input. I ordered enough today to keep me busy for a long time :). At approx. $2.25 a foot I won't be afraid to experiment like I might with more expensive steel. Sounds like a good deal.

Shawn
 
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