Ideal Blade Steels For Axes, Hatchets & Tomahawks?

I agree 1055 is a good axe or hatchet steel. With expert heat treatment it becomes even better. I think something is gained by polishing the edge. DM
 
Ideal is kinda subjective. I guess you could say not all axes are made to do the same job. Some are beaters and 4140 maybe be great for that..Then carving axes made of 4140 would fall far short of one made from W1 tool steel in pure cutting and edge holding..
Honestly I can even begin to remember all the steels Ive used over the years in axes,hatchets and hawks.. Ive made so many wrap/weld hawks that had everything from 1060 to W-2 in the cutting bit..
Since my wife has taken over the shop we have mainly settled on a high quality American made 1060 carbon steel for mono axes and often use W1 tool steel for cutting bits in axes that need a finer, long lasting edge like carving axes.
Even 1060 properly heat treated will hit 64rc out of the quench, then tempered as need be.. All my personal axes are a bit on the hard side, appx 57-58rc and I never had trouble with chipping. They get used a lot on large game so the bones have never been an issue.
A good proper heat treat is the key..Some of the lower carbon, deeper hardening steels can have embrittlement zones that you need to stay ut of when tempering.
 
Has anybody suggested SK-5 it`s regarded as virtually unbreakable and can be hardened up to 65rc but suspect lower would be better for axe.
 
1060 or 1065 are good choices for axes. Not impossible to work and still plenty of carbon to harden and hold toughness at high 50s HRC.
 
I don't know how true this is, but SK-5 is claimed to be the Japanese equivalent of 1080. In an earlier thread, Vaughan is said to make their axes from 1080 steel.
 
I suppose you really need to see what steels are readily available, In a flat sheet if you are going to get the blanks laser or water cut, or bar of the right dimension so you wasted as little as possible.
 
Recently finished one hatchet made of 1.2360(A8mod) and small axe made of sks5. Both performed exceptionally in various conditions according to users- local hunting and forestry society. My personal preference would be 1.2360, since I've tested it extensively at various HRC's and get consistent results with ht over and over again.
 
I don't know why people aren't using 75cr1, seems ideal on paper. You can make 1095 really hard and tough with the right temper.

A 3V Jersey (maybe Rockaway now) based on a reference head is one of my "if I won the lottery" daydreams.
 
Fmont said:
I don't know why people aren't using 75cr1, seems ideal on paper. You can make 1095 really hard and tough with the right temper.

A 3V Jersey (maybe Rockaway now) based on a reference head is one of my "if I won the lottery" daydreams.
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I've used it few years ago with good results on a chopper. Performed well. But peop's kept asking for a better steel. Unfortunately exotic steel sells better. So I moved on.
 
Mete, there is a guy in Poland who makes his tactical hawks from 4340 instead of 4140. Is it rarely used because of price and/or difficulty finding sheet stock? My twisted little mind wonders if it would make an interesting cladding steel for say some evil Supersanmai brew?
mete said:
4140, the rarely used but very tough 4340. Stainless steel :) 440B . Lots of choice out there !
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4140 is a great steel , a standard form many uses , chrome-moly for guns , steel for aircraft ,hawks, hammers etc. Great combination of cost , ease of working, welding and available .I don't know if it's still available but I used to know where a big pile of free machining grade was.
For another favorite 4340 is like 4140 on steroids ! Nickel makes it tougher and has a few other benefits .Higher cost , less available brings it into 'not worth the extra cost'
group. Sanmai ? not really useful for that.
 
Why would it not be useful for the cladding in san mai if you used say, a fairly abrasion resistant cast steel like Cru Forge V for the core?
mete said:
4140 is a great steel , a standard form many uses , chrome-moly for guns , steel for aircraft ,hawks, hammers etc. Great combination of cost , ease of working, welding and available .I don't know if it's still available but I used to know where a big pile of free machining grade was.
For another favorite 4340 is like 4140 on steroids ! Nickel makes it tougher and has a few other benefits .Higher cost , less available brings it into 'not worth the extra cost'
group. Sanmai ? not really useful for that.
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Since we have a current steel thread going and I'm not the metallurgist some of you guys are,

What would you expect from an axe made from 52100 at HRC - 58-59?
 
Agent_H said:
Since we have a current steel thread going and I'm not the metallurgist some of you guys are,

What would you expect from an axe made from 52100 at HRC - 58-59?
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Good edge holding, maybe very good for wood working, but not ideal as a breaching tool.
 
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