Is 1084 considered a "beginners steel" or is it "custom knife" worthy?

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Rancho5

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Feb 10, 2015
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After looking at many fixed blades for sale, I don't see many made with 1084, yet that is the steel that most suggest starting on. Is 1084 considered a beginners steel?...That is, great for learning but when it comes time to make a custom knife to sell other steels are more desirable?
 
1084 is the simplest steel to heat treat at home. Get it a little past non magnetic and quench. It's just easy. When you get into more complex steels they have to have certain heat requirements and soak times. Most can't do this at home and your best bet is to send it off. Well that costs more, plus a beginner barely knows what he is doing right or wrong anyway. So steels which are more complex are 'better' and are more favorable to the custom knife world because they are more wear resistant, stain resistant, stronger, etc... To say 1084 is a beginner steel is true, because everyone starts with the simplest thing to work with. Some people love it though. I like 01, someone else might like 1095. 1084 is just a basic good generalized steel. And it's cheap. If your gonna make a bum design you end up hating, it's best to do it cheap.
 
I think its been labeled a beginner steel and maybe has a bit of a stigma. Someone else said it should be called a beginner heat treater steel. Its easier to heat treat that's why it is recommended to beginners.Its makes a good knife. I don't think it would sell on the high end of market like a premium steel, but that all depends on maker also. Just my 2c
 
1084 is absolutely custom knife worthy. It is suggested to those getting started because of the ease of heat treatment which can be done by new makers with limited equipment. The "desirability" of steels is subjective. Some people just like to feel they have the latest and greatest. Others require certain "high end" steels. The determination should be made less on desirability and more on suitability. First figure out what the knife will be asked to do and under what conditions in which environments. Then formulate a list of steels suitable for that set of parameters. Among that list will be some steels that perform better at some tasks and others that perform best at other tasks. Your ideal steel will usually be the best compromise. If the knife will be used for a very narrow parameter of tasks and conditions it may be easier to find a steel tailored to that purpose.
 
1084 works well for beginners because it heat treats easily... That's it. It is not inferior, it is perfect... the "perfect eutectoid".
 
1084 makes a fine knife. I've seen them sell off the exchange here. Latest and greatest might sell faster though.
 
If I had to pick a steel to use for the rest of my knifemaking life it would be 1084. I believe Aldo is the only one that even has 1084, and I've had a tough time getting some lately. I absolutely love the stuff, and anyone who knocks it is absolutely wrong in my book. A fantastic material.
 
Some people prefer only carbon steels and 1084 is a great one. It is super tough, takes a fine edge, is easy to sharpen, and can produce a hamon.
 
If you think about it, the 1084FG that Aldo sells, is actually custom steel just for custom knives. As I understand it, he has the steel made in small batches to his particular specifications and I doubt much of it gets used for anything other than custom or small batch hobby/professional knife production. Perhaps we should start calling it Custom Knifemaker Steel instead of beginner steel to lessen the stigma.
 
I bought a big pile of the first batch that he had smelted so I haven't had to buy it since then. I will say this. I was quite surprised after using a bit of Admiral 1075 how much better that 1084 was. With that little bit of Vanadium, it would get some FINE grain. I was not an experienced knife maker when I got my first batch. I was still heat treating in a black iron muffle pipe in my forge but I had proper quenchant and those early monosteel 1084 FG knives got scary sharp!!! The first knife that I ever offered for public consumption was a 1075 hunter. It worked just fine. Some of the first knives that I ever SOLd were large ones made from Don Hanson W2 and some hunters in W2 and that1084FG. I know for a fact that the 1084knives have been used to skin multiple deer, sand covered feral hogs and at least one nilgaia and never required a touch up. I think that the one that brother had used to skin a number of deer and hogs has been seriously resharpened by me maybe twice in 7 years.
Perrin said:
If you think about it, the 1084FG that Aldo sells, is actually custom steel just for custom knives. As I understand it, he has the steel made in small batches to his particular specifications and I doubt much of it gets used for anything other than custom or small batch hobby/professional knife production. Perhaps we should start calling it Custom Knifemaker Steel instead of beginner steel to lessen the stigma.
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From Aldo's sight said:
A classic forging steel thought to be almost non-existent, now available through NJ Steel Baron, LLC. Since 1084 is a high carbon steel, it will rust and tarnish if not properly taken care of. Our 1084 comes pickled and annealed, being a eutectoid steel it is simple to heat treat and highly recommended for beginning makers and seasoned smiths alike. Also widely used in damascus steel production.
Click to expand...
:thumbup:

Can someone someone tell me what the FG stands for on Aldo's 1084? I don't see it on his sight, but everyone keeps adding it here.
 
An awful lot of selling hype surrounds the steels used both for custom and production knives. It is like as the steel name is just a fashion brand.
If the choosen steel is properly heat treated, i would be way more concerned by all the other construction aspects of the knife, to appreciate the value of the piece....but sure as hell i'm not going to pay the extra 24+ bloody hours the knifemaker spent hand sanding the super duper wear resistent ultimate steel, since in the end i don't need that feature on the very edge, i prefer the keen and stable edge that low, ultrafine carbide steels provide.
 
For Bushcraft, hunters and Skinners, etc, do most people order the 1.5"'by 1/8th inch 1084?
 
Yep, that is the right size. There is the 2" wide bar as well, but 1.5" is plenty wide for hunters, and 1/8" is perfect. Actually, if it were available in .090"...I'd be in heaven.

I think your question has been answered well. It is not a beginner steel, and as such I dare say there is no such thing. It is a steel that is easy for beginners to learn how to heat treat. You can make a FINE cutting instrument with 1084, and if done right, will excel!
 
Yes it was! Thanks to everyone for their insights and knowledge.

Any idea when Aldo will have some 1084 in?
 
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