I'm liking 5160

[Dakota 11]

well i got some loadshafts from my dad who happens to be a parts manager at john deere. well i have been forge them down ever so slowly. iy takes me about 1 week to get from round shaft to forged down shaft. i have been using Mr. fowlers recipe for the most part. on my last anneal heat i broght to non magnetic in my little forge and then shut it down and sealed it off. i started doing the bevel work and filing and sanding.I primarly do the bevels buy hand tools. after working with PG 1/8 O1, i can see huge difference in hand tool workability. the 5160 i feel like im working with wood its so soft. when i sand it works so easy that i can't wait to see what the final ht and temper do for the blade. I forsee myself using much more of this steel. Is 5160 this easy to work?

 

[Danbo]

It's hard to make a bad blade out of 5160.

 

[Barkes Knife Shop]

5160 is good steel. But I like using 52100 and 1095 but that's me. It all looks great at the end of the job.

Barkes
http://my.hsonline.net/wizard
:thumbup:

 

[GibsonFan]

For what it's worth, Ed Caffrey adamantly recommends 5160 for people wanting to make an ABS journeyman's test knife.