ideal forging blade steel

N

Noel Laflamme

Joined
Nov 14, 2018
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So out of curiosity, what is everyone's favorite blade steel that is reasonably forgeable?
The best I have found seems to be either w2 or 52100, but then there is cru forge v, although that isn't very readily available....
It would be nice if there was a forging knife steel that was really optimized for its job , but what would you guys want in it?
What would be the furthest you could push certain aspects of the steels composition before it isn't reasonable to forge it anymore?
 
I have no personal knowledge about this BUT . . .

As an avid viewer of "Forged in Fire," it seems that 1095 and 52100 steel are often used/mentioned on the show. A lot of contestants also seem to use auto leaf spring steel which is apparently made w/5160.

These are all high carbon steels that apparently are sufficiently malleable to manage in a home forge/shop with limited facilities.
 
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Answer to the first question- a laminated steel with soft cladding and almost any high carbon steel core

I consider this above steel to be optimized for the job
 
There are a wide variety of steels that are easy to forge. 80CrV2, 1084, 5160, 01, 1075, and others. Ask 10 smiths about their favorite steel and you will get 15 different answers. You can forge AEB-l if you keep it in the proper temp range. It is less about the steel and more about good forging technique and temperature control. Stock thickness, the efficiency of your anvil etc. also play a small part but good technique is king.
 
The science of it is:
.75-1.00 carbon
Some vanadium for grain reduction.
Sufficient manganese.
Small amount of chromium.

All other alloying will make blades that are harder, sharper, stronger, etc. but those elements will make a blade forgeable.
 
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