I’ve been using Nitro V (occasionally) for years and have had great luck. This last batch of kitchen knives has me puzzled. I’ve always utilized Knife Steel Nerds ht formula with no hiccups until now. My normal ht protocol is 1900 for 15 minutes, aluminum plate quench, immediately to my freezer for 24 hours, 350 temper, 2 hrs 2x. It will give me a 62 Rockwell after temper virtually every time. This time was no different. Each blade came out at 62.0.
Fast forward to sharpening the finished blades….no matter the angle used on my Wicked Edge sharpener, there wasn’t a hint of “sharp” , just a gritty dull blade…suitable for perhaps a butter knife. Prior to this, my Nitro V blades have all been scary sharp. Very sharp blades that held an edge.
The “gritty” edge (micro chipping perhaps?) told me something went terribly wrong with the ht process or the steel may have been a less than good batch? Been using my new Evenheat oven this summer with zero issues with my preferred CPM154, nor with other steels I’ve used.
Any recommendations from the Illuminati? Puzzling.
Fast forward to sharpening the finished blades….no matter the angle used on my Wicked Edge sharpener, there wasn’t a hint of “sharp” , just a gritty dull blade…suitable for perhaps a butter knife. Prior to this, my Nitro V blades have all been scary sharp. Very sharp blades that held an edge.
The “gritty” edge (micro chipping perhaps?) told me something went terribly wrong with the ht process or the steel may have been a less than good batch? Been using my new Evenheat oven this summer with zero issues with my preferred CPM154, nor with other steels I’ve used.
Any recommendations from the Illuminati? Puzzling.
….another story.