M2 Or D2 advantages?????

[Runsalone]

Can anyone explain the differences--advantages disadvantages between these two steels???

 

[Easyrider]

No, I afraid not. I'm very sorry.

 

[tallwingedgoat]

Both about the same level of toughness, M2 holds an edge longer, but not rust resistant like D2.

 

[GarageBoy]

M2 has a finer grain structure. D2 will be toothier. M2 was originally desinged to cut steel, so it won't lose its temper

 

[The General]

M2 has a significant alloy content and a finer grain structure. Normally it is significanly tougher than D2, but has such a low Chrome content as to be a ruster.

D2 has a great deal of chrome, but has so much carbon as to be a semi stainess at best!

Edge holding wise, D2 holds a better edge for me cutting wise, but M2 is superb also. Impact wise, D2 is not as good as M2.

 

[Thomas Linton]

M2 has a significant alloy content and a finer grain structure. Normally it is significanly tougher than D2, but has such a low Chrome content as to be a ruster.

D2 has a great deal of chrome, but has so much carbon as to be a semi stainess at best!

Edge holding wise, D2 holds a better edge for me cutting wise, but M2 is superb also. Impact wise, D2 is not as good as M2.

Hey General, how does the tendency of M2 to rust compare to 1095 or 5160?

 

[tallwingedgoat]

M2 was originally desinged to cut steel, so it won't lose its temper

D2 was also designed to cut steel. The difference is M2 is highspeed, meaning its intended to stay hard at high temperatures. This feature is useless as far as knives are concerned.

 

[nozh2002]

D2 was also designed to cut steel. The difference is M2 is highspeed, meaning its intended to stay hard at high temperatures. This feature is useless as far as knives are concerned.

I think, meaning is - its intended to cut steel on high speed and one part of this is resistance to high temperatures and another part - holding edge longer and be tougher to resist bigger mechanical challange.
However D2 has a lot of carbon - almost as bulat/wootz and good hammersmith can process it as bulat and make it very good, but in production knves M2 probably better.
And this is my favorite graph

http://zvis.com/knives/knimgtmpl.shtml?/images/knives/stlcht.jpg
Thanks, Vassili.

 

[The General]

Hey General, how does the tendency of M2 to rust compare to 1095 or 5160?

Equally as bad... As in to say its a high carbon steel with no real attempt to make it stainless.