New steel...Need advise

[Ansoknives]

I have in my search for another steel than ATS-34 found a steel called RWL-34. It has basicly the same components as ATS-34 just added o.2 % vanadium. It is made the powder way by the folks at Damasteel.Its one of the components in Damasteel.
How would you judge this steel.? From my experience powdersteels are far better than normal steels. And some of the bad things about ATS-34 like impurity has been solved.
Anyway I have found it to have a good price compared to other steels availble in Denmark.
Also I have found a source for CPM steel here in Denmark. Are there other steels than CPM 440V with high cromiumcontent? (Min 14%)

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Jens Anso, ansoknives@hotmail.com
(check out my homepage)
home6.inet.tele.dk/ansoe/ansoknives

 

[amacks]

CPM420V is pretty much the sequel to 440V, more V and a little less Cr, but according to the fine people at Crucible(if I remember correctly) it's get about the same corrosion resistance. Supposed to be a bear to grind however, and not too easy for the end user to sharpen. You might want to look into 3V as a steel for some of your fixed blades if you have a source. It's not stainless, abt 5% Cr, if I remember, but tough as nails and holds a good edge.

About the RWL-34, I'm sure it holds a good edge because it is the dark component in the Damasteel, and that stuff cuts very well, especially in a Damadrop

Aaron

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amacks@nist.gov
Don't forget to pay your taxes...they eventually become my knives

 

[tom mayo]

another thing to take into consideration is that all of these steels are metered for corrosion resistance at the hardness recommended...if you go below a certain point the corrosion resistance goes out the window...no matter how much chromium they have in them (Paul Bos is my source on this info)

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http://www.mayoknives.com

 

[Kevin Wilkins]

RWL-34 is an excellent steel. I've 2 meters of it, one of which is being water cut into Mini-Thorn knives right now. My friend and fellow knifemaker Michael Jankowsky has made knives from it for several years and it grinds well, takes a super finish and makes an excellent knife.

The only problem is that it's not offered in enough different sizes for all the knives one makes.

Maybe the Damasteel folks will change that...

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www.wilkins-knives.com