Recommendation? Hunter/Skinner super steel selection

[butcher_block]

VIM VAR and ESR are the stages of refinement i got my hands on some ESR 52100 once from carpenter and it was nice and clean they called it B52 and it was cool to call it such cause i was making razors out of it

 

[DevinT]

I may have misspoke. I think I didn't use the right terminology there. I said "elecroslag remelt" when I think I should have said "vacuum arc remelt". If my memory serves me, the Precision Marshall Steel D2 I used to use was advertised as "superior cleanliness vacuum arc remelt". I think it was a pretty good steel. Of course Precision Marshall doesn't actually make steel, they process it. I think they're rolling (cross rolling), shearing, grinding and packaging it. I don't know much about their "Aristocrat" material today. They don't make it and I expect it's subject to change. I've been ordering American made Crucible D2 through NSM. I've used the conventional melt and the PM versions of it and I prefer the conventional melt for knives.

A local steel supplier here in the Charlotte area (SB specialty) has an assortment of ESR materials. I don't see D2 on their site but they've told me they can get materials not listed, you might ask them. We did a run in the PSF27 D2, which I don't see listed anymore, but it was listed with their ESR materials, though I don't how they make it.

Short answer, I don't actually know where to get ESR D2. However there are a number of suppliers of quality American made conventional melt D2 steel that would be a good fit for a skinner

Thanks NtM, D2 is a very good value in steel. Responds well in heat treating.

Hoss

 

[FredyCro]

It's good to hear the praises for D2 as the pricing for it is much more acceptable for us newbies that are still experimenting and learning by doing.

 

[Seedy Lot]

It's good to hear the praises for D2 as the pricing for it is much more acceptable for us newbies that are still experimenting and learning by doing.

I would recommend A2 for a newbie, a great tool steel that is inexpensive and easy to find.