M2 tool steel???

M.FREEZE

M.FREEZE

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Is or was M2 steel ever popular? Is it obsolete, or has it just been overshadowed by more exotic steels? I haven't seen it used for quite some time. If anyone knows any particulars on M2 can you share them too? Things like hardness potential
Toughness
Edge holding
Corrosion resistance.... Etc
 
You can find out anything you want to know by doing a google search. Most all steel specifics are already on the web.
 
Google is good for specs. You make a good point, but I guess I'm looking for opinions on whether or not the steel is practical for knife use anymore or if there are better options.
 
M.FREEZE said:
Google is good for specs. You make a good point, but I guess I'm looking for opinions on whether or not the steel is practical for knife use anymore or if there are better options.
Click to expand...

M2 was/is a great steel for knives, but it's been overshadowed by steels that are even better: CPM-M4 and M390 to name a couple. It's basically a choice between a Mercedes (M2) or a Ferrari or Lambo (CPM-M4 and M390).
 
I recently was offered a large batch of M2 in trade... I looked at it from a forging knives perspective. This would have been in the form of large planer/chipper blades. I would have had to anneal them, complicated. It would have been tough to break down that big stock- it's a very red hard steel. Hardening it requires a soak, then quench from a very high heat, 2200 or so IIRC.

From what I could find out, it's a great cutlery steel, if you bought it in annealed bar stock close to the size you need and worked it by stock removal. You'd probably have to send it to Peters or Bos for HT.

As for wear hardness and toughness, I'm no expert but I believe the former would be great, the latter so-so.
 
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