Ka Bar D2 Steel

S

Semper Fi1985

Joined
Dec 6, 2011
Messages
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Hey guys, I was really interested in purchasing the D2 steel full size kabar. I already own a usmc full size and would like to change it up abit. I've been using the usmc kabar even before i join the Corps, but the thing is i do not know much about d2 steel. The price is perfect for me and the knife is pretty much identical other than the steel and finger gaurd. I would really appreciate your words of wisdom about this d2 steel kabar and the steel itself. Is it stainless or high carbon and hows the ease of resharpening for this d2 steel, thanks guys.
 
D2 good... my custom d2 skinner is awesome and holds an edge longer than anything else i have used....

it's not quite stainless, but very close. It doesn't rust and it hasn't stained from all the blood... i like D2 a lot. CPM D2 is better of course.

it's not "the best" but it's a great utility steel that requires very little maintenance and holds an very nice working edge
 
D2 is considered a tool steel, so it is not stainless or carbon. It has high carbon content, and reasonably high chromium so it is termed "semi-stainless". It also has a lot of large carbides, which gives it a somewhat toothy edge. This contributes to the high wear resistance that D2 has.

Personally, I'm not a fan because I like finely grained steels, but a lot of people do like it because it holds an edge very well
 
I don't know about the toothy edge thing. My skinner is refined (stropped) to a mirror polished hair popping edge and will stay that way a LONG time

once you manage to get it down to a "working edge" it won't shave anymore, but it will still slice paper and skin several more animals before it needs attention.

i agree with everything else you said

the downside is, it is a bit harder to sharpen than 1095, but with the right attention it will get just as sharp and stay that way longer
 
It's tool steel - it's basically designed to do what a knife should do, eg hold an edge and not break.

It's strong and tough and makes a great blade. Buy the knife, you'll love it :)
 
BePrepared said:
I don't know about the toothy edge thing. My skinner is refined (stropped) to a mirror polished hair popping edge and will stay that way a LONG time

once you manage to get it down to a "working edge" it won't shave anymore, but it will still slice paper and skin several more animals before it needs attention.

i agree with everything else you said

the downside is, it is a bit harder to sharpen than 1095, but with the right attention it will get just as sharp and stay that way longer
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Every D2 knife I have had (except the CPM kinds) have been more toothy than not. I have since then avoided D2, and have also switched from using an aggressive DMT hone on a clamp system to freehand, so it is probably partly due carbide tearing, that made it toothy for me.
 
The toothy vs fine edge is mostly to do with how it's sharpened. If you sharpen with alumina stones, ceramic, Arkansas stones, etc. then you are only sharpening the steel matrix, not the carbides, so you get these boulder like carbides sticking up out of the steel. If you sharpen with silicon carbide or diamond abrasives, then you can cut the carbides and level them down to the same level as the steel matrix, yielding a fine edge.
 
gomipile said:
The toothy vs fine edge is mostly to do with how it's sharpened. If you sharpen with alumina stones, ceramic, Arkansas stones, etc. then you are only sharpening the steel matrix, not the carbides, so you get these boulder like carbides sticking up out of the steel. If you sharpen with silicon carbide or diamond abrasives, then you can cut the carbides and level them down to the same level as the steel matrix, yielding a fine edge.
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That is true, but continued wear will cause uneven erosion, removing the steel before the carbides, revealing a toothy edge. Some people like this though, as the toothy edge will still pull-cut very well.
 
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