Introduction, Photos, and a Question

robloveday

robloveday

Joined
Jul 19, 2008
Messages
199
Hi everyone, I just wanted to finally introduce myself. I've been making knives for about 4 years now, and have made about 30 blades so far. I discovered this forum a year ago, but at that same time I had to give up knife making because of my demanding job and living in a very small apartment with no shop. Now that things have eased up and I have my new shop all set up, I wanted to start asking some questions, and to thank everyone for all the great information I've been able to get here.

Here are two of the last knives I made before taking the last year off. Normally I give away all the knives I make, but these two had big enough defects that I was too embarrassed to give them away.

They are both 1095 with nickel silver fittings. The bowie has a 9 inch blade and ironwood handle. The hunter is 4.5 inches and has a stabilized maple burl handle.
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The question: I want to make some nice woodworking chisels for my brother and I was wondering what would be the best steel to use. I was thinking A2.
 
High end chisels and planer blades are in fact made of A-2. An excellent choice.
 
defects man I would be proud to own those knives but I understand we are the most critical with our own work
 
mete said:
High end chisels and planer blades are in fact made of A-2. An excellent choice.
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Thanks mete. I wasn't sure if D2 would be too prone to chipping, or if there was some other steel that would have a better profile. Dose anyone know what Rockwell hardness I should shoot for? (not that I have a Rockwell tester or anything)
 
1750-1800 F hardening. [Plate quench is perfect for this] temper 500 F for good toughness at 60 HRc.
 
A-2 is superb, as mete said. I have made some trim chisels from 1095,too ( used to cut off dowels and tenons like a very sharp knife).
Austenitize at 1475F and temper at 450F.
Stacy
 
Thanks for the advice. I think I will make one each of 1095 and A2 and then test them for a while.

Icehawk said:
Those look really beautiful, what defects do you feel they have?
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Thanks Icehawk. The hunter had a strange problem with the pin in the handle actually going through at an angle so that the pin is in the center on one side and is off center on the other. I don't know how I missed seeing it until the handle was finished. On the bowie, there is a small gap where the ironwood meets the spacer, and there are some scratches on the blade. It's true what everyone says about an etch highlighting rather than hiding imperfections.
 
I was giving the temps for the 1095 chisels i made. Sorry, it looked like it might have referred to the A-2.
Stacy
 
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