How's BG-42 on toughness and stain corrosion?

S

Snickersnee

Joined
May 2, 1999
Messages
1,206
I don't really follow the wonder steels that much, but I hear tell this stuff is good.

Toughness is my primary consideration, corrosion resistance next, and edge retention is last.

I'm building a navaja of modern materials, and have selected 440C for the liners and backspring, and would consider it for the blade; but I believe that if you're gonna do something, you should go all-out, so I was wondering how BG-42 fits in with my criteria.

MAKE THAT "STAIN RESISTANCE". WHO EVER HEARD OF "STAIN COROSION"?

[This message has been edited by Snickersnee (edited 17 August 1999).]
 
BG42 offers about the best balance of properties for a stainless steel-that or CPM420V. You should understand that no stainless is really that tough, compared to a tool steel like A2 or CPM3V, but, these aren't stainless, so they're out for your needs. CPM420V at 56-57 Rc might be your best bet, although the BG42 will hold an edge longer, and get sharper in my opinion/experience. At 61 Rc, BG42 is going to get sharper, but, the 420 has the advantage of working at a lower hardness. Both will offer about equal corrosion resistance-they are exceptionally pure, clean steels, and have roughly the same free Chromium.
Either of these steels rules over AYS34.



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CPM... That's the designation that Crucible Steels gives their products, right? That's worth checking out.

Hardness and edge retention aren't big factors to me because I know how to sharpen my knives, and I'd reckon anyone in the market for a well made navaja would too.

However, toughness is a major factor as these knives are big. I've got a Santiolo on the drawing board with an 18 inch blade.

I know stainless isn't as tough as carbon, and I prefer carbon on a fixed blade, but I definately want a corrosion resistant backspring(so long as it isn't criticaly weakened) because your sweaty palm is always in contact with it, and a stainless blade would be nice.

Even then, there are navajas still around from the 17th and 18th century that are in excelent shape, and these were the weapons of the lower classes, not the nobles, so a little reasonable maintainence goes a long way.
 
If toughness is your primary consideration, then you should select a tool steel. I suggest you go to the CPM website:
http://www.crucibleservice.com/crumain2.htm

Click on 'Heat Treating and Fabrication of Tool Steels.' This gives you a nice overview of tool steels, and how they differ from other steels.

Then, click on 'Tool Steels.' There is a topic, 'Selecting High Performance Tool Steels,' that you may well wish to peruse there. Further, the various type of tool steels are delineated at that site.

Remember that the CPM process allows you to have more alloying ingredients in the finished product than would be possible by the traditional ingot process (the excess simply precipitates out of the ingot). This allows for some terrific alloys. CPM 3V is one of them. Look for the picture of Ed Schott bending a strip of this stuff. Amazing.

This does not mean that traditional ingot steels are without merit however. BG-42 is a good example of this.

You may wish to contact Ed Schott directly about this project. He has experimented with a number of CPM alloys, and has them for sale as well.

Hope this helps, Walt
 
Great question, I believe that you should choose your steel based on it's appication.With this in mind I would suggest the old proven D-2. this would be a great choice due to it's toughness ,edge retention and impact resistance the later of which doesn't get addressed enough especially in knives meant to chop. D-2 at approx 55-57Rc would be a premium choice. don't forget the cryo.

Aloha!!!! Ken Onion
 
Snick
As Ken says, D-2 will take a lot of hard use, we use it for the Uluchet at 56-58 Rc with the cryo and it is tough steel.

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P.J.
YES,it is sharp, just keep your fingers out of the way!
www.silverstar.com/turnermfg


 
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