Japanese bastard file steel?

R

running bird

Joined
Sep 29, 2015
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492
I made a knife out of a small Japanese bastard file, it has no markings on it except "Japan" stamped into one side, when I put it to the grinder bright "fuzzy" sparks flew all over the place like crazy
Which steel could it be made from? Blue#2 or super blue, or maybe even ZDP?
Any help would be great
 
I've got a few of these files too, I've only used Nicholson so far to make knives. But if the steel is OK I already annealed my "Japan" Files. Good question OP.
 
That's just the thing, the steel is crazy!
I annealed then claytempered my knife, I've been using it not stop for the past week and it won't dull!
I even got to the point where I'm making my self regularly shave a bunch of sticks into nothing (I have plenty of fire starting shavings now!)
I guess with a good convex grind and the steel properly HT it's just unstoppable, that's why I would like to find out what steel it is
 
Well the two I had I was using as handle extenders for my ghetto forge tongs, but now I'll take em off and see if I can get a grinding. I've got one bigger project in trying to take my time on so these will make good in-betweeners.
 
It is most likely just a good clean high carbon type steel. It is hard because the Japanese files are made harder. They are generally used by people who know how to use a file and won't ruin them. It is almost surely NOT ZDP-189. If I had to guess, I would think the chemistry is probably similar to Super Blue.
 
Thanks Stacy!
I knew you'd be along pretty soon.

I'm interested enough in going use these for practice.

Any major difference when using a coal forge/forced air to HT than with a Nicholson?
 
Heat source should not matter as long as you get an even heat and avoid overheating. In that matter, a gas forge is simpler to do HT.

If you have an oven, that would be far better.
 
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