is 1040 good to make a chopper

Ducksandcues reminds me of pimpnsque many years back. Even the names are similar. I hope he is not a troll, and is just a youth who is excited and wants to share his knowledge learned from the two knives he has made. Reading, listening, and asking pertinate questions is the best way, not by feigning experience.

I use Butterfly McQueen as an example of this often. For those too young to know who she was, she played Prissy, the slave of Scarlet O'Hara, in Gone with the Wind. Prissy was telling Scarlet that she would be able to take care of Melissa when her baby came and how much she knew about having babies, etc. When the time came for the baby to be born and she was confronted with reality, she yells out. "I don't know nothin' 'bout birthin' no babies." Had she admitted her inexperience initially and listened to others who had knowledge, she might have known what to do.

To explain why new makers should not normally use 1095 as a starter steel, you have to understand some metallurgy. I will give a very simplified explanation:

1084 is the eutectoid steel. Basically, it has .84% carbon and 99.16% iron ( yes, there is a little other stuff tossed in, but that is not what I am talking about here). This is all the carbon the iron in steel can combine with to make the hard structures we want in a knife blade. Because there is exactly the right amount, there is no problem with distribution, so any method of heating the blade to about 1475F will work. There is no need for a hold/soak time, so as soon as the blade is evenly at 1475F, you can quench it in an oil that will cool it fast enough to miss the pearlite nose ... and form hard martensite. Any fast quench oil, including canola oil from the grocery will do this job.

1095 is hypereutectoid, meaning it has excess carbon above the eutectoid. With a full and proper HT, it can combine the excess carbon with other elements and in ways that make a harder and tougher blade than simple 1084. The difference isn't huge, but an experienced smith can test and tell the difference. If the 1095 was hardened using the simple methods used for 1084, it would only combine .84% of the carbon, essentially making the steel into 1084. The remainder of the carbon would be left unattached in the matrix and not affect the blade. The blade would harden, and still make a good knife, but it would be a 1084 knife, not a 1095 one. The maker may say he had no problem making his 1095 knife, but would not know that it wasn't 1095 anymore.

All this is why it is better to use 1084 until you have the equipment and experience to HT 1095.
1084 makes an excellent knife, and is virtually the same in use as 1095. Only on higher hardness slicers can the difference be detected. In a general use field knife, I doubt anyone could tell one steel from the other.
 
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Ducksandcuse said:
Just messing around m8
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I'm not sure, but I think you might be one of those types that just needs attention. It doesn't really matter if it's positive or negative attention, just attention. Well, you're getting it, so I hope you're happy.

Do everyone, including yourself, a favor and don't post random junk suggestions like you're doing. It clogs up the forum and spreads bad information. Hopefully one of the mods will delete your posts and ban you because your suggestions could cause some real heartache for someone.
 
weo said:
Mess around with folks who know the difference and can mess back. Don't mess around with inexperienced folks looking for good information, please.
~billyO
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I was serious when i recomended 1095. After that i was just joking with you guys.
 
W-2 is basically 1095. It has basically the same HT. It is not a simple starter steel.
It takes a 5-10 minute soak at a regulated 1450F temperature and quenching in Parks #50 oil.

It is not forgiving, unless you consider getting a 1084 blade from a W-2 bar forgiving.

Coldensheppard - You have been on the forum for only a few days, so I don't know if you are on knife number 1000 or knife #2. You just joined and we have no idea who you are. Fill out your profile so we know a bit more. Age, location, experience, hobbies, etc. all help us. If you are a new maker, it is best to read and learn before making recommendations.
 
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