How Much More Chromium Does D2 Need to be Stainless?

technically, only the addition of 0.5% Chromium... at least everything I've read says to qualify as 'stainless' the number is 12.5%

(sorry, I added the above as a tongue in cheek overly simplistic typical response many people might give, while your excellent write up gets into real detail : -)

I very much enjoy & appreciate reading your write ups on anything steel
 
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From my experience, D2 is a very good steel and quite stain resistant, even if not qualified as stainless. I believe that in order for a steel to be stainless, it needs to have a specific amount of chromium (As Dirc said 12.5% but the opinions amongst steel experts vary i guess), but its molecules need to be free in the steel and not in carbide formations. So the answer would be 'it depends on how much of that chromium is free in the steel'.
 
If anything, Larrin's article really explains the WHY behind 'heat treatment is super important'. This is exactly why a D2 blade from some makers is nothing like D2 from another; the heat treatment is so important to the actual toughness & corrosion resistance.

This is why a Dozier D2 blade is still on many knife knut's top 10 list, despite being an 'old' steel
 
I guess it's kinda like "beta titanium." How much percentage of beta stabilizer elements does the alloy need to qualify as "beta metastable?" The answer is a gray area, as it depends on how much alpha stabilizers are present, plus any effects of neutral elements, AND some beta stabilizers are more potent than others in stabilizing the beta crystal phase and require less to have the same effect.
 
Another great article from that blog. I really enjoyed the 154CM article, too. I'd love to see similar steel bios on all the old favorites. Keep it up.
 
It all depends. More chromium doesn’t necessarily equal more stainlessness. It depends on if the chromium is used to form chromium carbides, or if they add to the free chromium (and thus the stainless properties) of the steel. So that will depend both on the other alloys in the steel and how it’s heat treated.
 
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