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mirror on BG42 vs 154CM?
- Thread starter tmickley
- Start date
RHINOKNIVES
Gold Member
- Joined
- May 6, 2000
- Messages
- 6,508
but the BG-42 has a increase to about 4% vanadium which makes it more wear resistain. it will give a brighter final finish IMO when your done. its still my favorite steel, with S30v in second place.
- Joined
- May 26, 2000
- Messages
- 1,922
1.2%.
Lescalloy BG-42 Vim-Var is a Timken/Latrobe steel.
http://www.timken.com/products/spec...ech_info/PDF_Files/Lescalloy_BG42_VIM-VAR.pdf
BG-42: 1.2% vanadium, 4% molybdenum.
ATS-34/154CM: zero vanadium, and 4% molyb.
Both are in the "14-4" class of steels, nominal 14% chromium, 4% molyb. They are nearly identical in makeup except for the 1.2% vanadium AND the fact that BG-42 is double vacuum melted (Vim-Var), part of the clean-up process.
S30V is the steel that jumps to 4% vanadium while dropping moly back to 2%.
The guys who really want a serious mirror finish on what is still a "premium" blade steel (i.e. not 12C27) are using RWL-34, the Scandinavian (?) powder metal version of ATS-34. Read this with reference to Ron Lake's and Steve Johnson's comments ... "Like a pool of mercury" I think was the quote. Also hear RWL-34 is very clean, and makes a better blade than ATS-34 by a noticeable margin (fine grain from particle metallurgy process).
Lescalloy BG-42 Vim-Var is a Timken/Latrobe steel.
http://www.timken.com/products/spec...ech_info/PDF_Files/Lescalloy_BG42_VIM-VAR.pdf
BG-42: 1.2% vanadium, 4% molybdenum.
ATS-34/154CM: zero vanadium, and 4% molyb.
Both are in the "14-4" class of steels, nominal 14% chromium, 4% molyb. They are nearly identical in makeup except for the 1.2% vanadium AND the fact that BG-42 is double vacuum melted (Vim-Var), part of the clean-up process.
S30V is the steel that jumps to 4% vanadium while dropping moly back to 2%.
The guys who really want a serious mirror finish on what is still a "premium" blade steel (i.e. not 12C27) are using RWL-34, the Scandinavian (?) powder metal version of ATS-34. Read this with reference to Ron Lake's and Steve Johnson's comments ... "Like a pool of mercury" I think was the quote. Also hear RWL-34 is very clean, and makes a better blade than ATS-34 by a noticeable margin (fine grain from particle metallurgy process).
I figure it's the Vandium but then it could just be me..
(Just to note, it hasn't been to heat treat yet.)
These aren't deep scratches, but those pesky fine line ones that just don't seem to go away no matter how many times you step back in grit. I've taken it to an X5 Norax belt and then a green chrome cork belt. It got a little cloudy at first and then took a nice shine after a little bit longer on the cork - as good as 154CM - but at an oblique light angle the little fine scratch pattern in the background seems to jump out. To me, it is not a significant flaw and I bet with some more effort they will go away. I just thought that something so close to 154CM wouldn't show up like it did.
I've looked at trying some RWL-34 after seeing some pictures of it finished. It gives an unreal finish but the price of it by the INCH is something I can't get past mentally.....oops, just got past it, I just ordered some RWL-34 before I finished this post so now I have some coming to play with. I'll let you know how it goes. If it shows up in that stuff, I know I've got to take a look at how I'm finishing steel to a mirror.
(Just to note, it hasn't been to heat treat yet.)These aren't deep scratches, but those pesky fine line ones that just don't seem to go away no matter how many times you step back in grit. I've taken it to an X5 Norax belt and then a green chrome cork belt. It got a little cloudy at first and then took a nice shine after a little bit longer on the cork - as good as 154CM - but at an oblique light angle the little fine scratch pattern in the background seems to jump out. To me, it is not a significant flaw and I bet with some more effort they will go away. I just thought that something so close to 154CM wouldn't show up like it did.
I've looked at trying some RWL-34 after seeing some pictures of it finished. It gives an unreal finish but the price of it by the INCH is something I can't get past mentally.....oops, just got past it, I just ordered some RWL-34 before I finished this post so now I have some coming to play with. I'll let you know how it goes. If it shows up in that stuff, I know I've got to take a look at how I'm finishing steel to a mirror.