Queen D2 versus 1095 - thoughts?

K

knifeaholic

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I own several Queen EDC's in D2 blade steel. I am able to get them "scary" sharp using conventional stones (Norton India and Arkansas). Generally I am happy with them but there is just something about the way the steel sharpens that is not that "satisfying" for lack of a better word. I find this true of stainless steels in general though I know D2 is not necessarily considered to be a "stainless" steel.

For those of you who have experience both with Queen's D2 and with the 1095 as used by Queen/Schatt/Moore Maker or by Great Eastern, I would be interested in your thoughts as to how the D2 compares to the 1095 in terms of the edge that it takes and how the edge holds.

In my experience the "really sharp" edge on the D2 dissapeears pretty quickly and the remaining edge is fair, (not toothy though) and seems to bend back and forth in use. I have no recent experience with Queen's 1095 and have not yet tried a Great Eastern (though I might soon).

Thanks

Steve
 
I much prefer the good ole' carbon steels like 1095 to any other unless it is in a special use. I like the ease of sharpening and the crisp edge they take, I also love a good patina. D2 takes too long to work and doesn't stay shiny or develop a nice patina so it isn't a steel I care much for. I don't dislike it and I beilieve it is a very good steel to use for a knife, I just don't prefer it myself.
 
BJE said:
I much prefer the good ole' carbon steels like 1095 to any other unless it is in a special use. I like the ease of sharpening and the crisp edge they take, I also love a good patina. D2 takes too long to work and doesn't stay shiny or develop a nice patina so it isn't a steel I care much for. I don't dislike it and I beilieve it is a very good steel to use for a knife, I just don't prefer it myself.
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Thanks. I like the patina as well.

Sometimes I wonder how D2 gets its edge holding reputation. It seems to be about average for me. Maybe my sharpening technique is wrong.
 
I am new to D2, only 3 knives in it, 2 queens and a custom, but here's my 0.02 after a couple weeks with the Queen stuff..

The D2 lasts longer against abrasive materials, say for cutting food against a plate, where it seems to blunten 1095 faster... the D2 seems to handle this better than well done 440 or TrueSharp too...

but in cutting feel and shear laser sharp, the 1095 just "feels" better to me. Although, I might be biased by using it in my own knives for years, and working with it for a long time... I'm used to 1095.

I prefer patina too, but that has nothing to do with cuttin'... ;)

G.
 
Look into the maintance section to find out how you can get the most out of D2. The advantage of 1095 is the ease of sharpening and the relative durability of the edge. However, i do believe that D2 is better on this.
 
I have quite a few traditional blades (& fixed blades) in 1095, as well as several Queen slipjoints.

On similar sized blades - for instance, the Queen Mountain Man and the GEC #23 Pioneer -
the 1095 in the GEC is perhaps very slightly sharper than the Queen D2 after quite a bit of work on both.
But it's a difference that's barely there, and which only became apparent after stropping with green compound.

The 1095 is very slightly "smoother" and push cuts a touch more easily than the D2.

Both steels hold their edge well, but I'd give the nod to the D2 over the 1095 in this particular aspect (ability to keep its edge).

Overall I like D2 better than 1095 for these knives.
 
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I really like D2, but only have one slip-joint in it, so I can't say much for its ability on slippies. I have a few locking folders & FBs & have no complaints, really. However, I have a few slippies in 1095, some used pretty good & not complaints with them, either.

All things being equal, especially heat-treating, I think D2's better, but again, it depends on the heat-treat. I'm real impressed with GEC's 1095, BTW. I've been using a Wharncliffe Barlow (Frontier bone Northfield) pretty good lately & it's really impressed me.
 
For me Queen's D2 is significantly harder than their 1095. I like thinner edges so I customize my Queens and Schatts, their D2 takes longer to thin out. Also hold an edge longer, but their 1095 is fine for me. What I don't like about D2 is for me it is prone to pitting. Queen 1095 is pitts less IMHO but they put a mirror finish on 1095 that probably helps in this arena too. Their ATS34 is harder than their 1095, like their D2. But their ATS34 is much more stainless, mirror finish too and holds an edge as long if not longer than D2. I like the S&M file and wire ATS34 the best. For the price and the amount of steel they give you, it's a bargain.
 
Please be aware that not all D-2 nor all 1095 are the same. That is, a great deal of how steel will ultimately perform depends upon how it's treated. Having said that, the edge holding characteristics of a blade also depends upon how you sharpen it. If the bevel is too thin or too thick you'll get different edge holding characteristics.

Generally speaking, 1095 will be easier to sharpen than D-2. However, a D-2 blade properly treated and sharpened will keep the edge longer than a 1095 blade. No doubt a D-2 blade will be tougher to sharpen properly than a 1095 blade, but I'd prefer a good D-2 blade than a good 1095 blade.

You mention "satisfying" as a parameter for judging the edge on your blade. Of course, "satisfying" is a pretty ample criteria, maybe better suited to categorize a sexual experience (I'm trying to be funny here.) In any case, go for what feels better now (no, this is NOT about sex), and eventually you might find a D-2 blade that you'll like and maybe then modify you opinion.

At the present time, my BEST, by far, blade for skinning a deer is my Bose D-2 fixed knife. That knife seems to be perfectly made for that job. A high-carbon (O1?) Randall doesn't come near it. A 440V Bose 3.5" folder blade is great too, but the design of the fixed blade is better suited for skinning a deer. I've done three deers with that D-2 blade never having to touch the edge.

In summary, part of the fun of knives is to try different ones and learning a bit from each year after year after year. Enjoy your knives in good health. :thumbup:
 
I much prefer Queen's D2:thumbup:. It is more of a chore to sharpen but it's still easy and I get a much more keen edge. I have two Queen's with 1095. My Winchester in my openion is not heat treated to well, less then average but not crapy. My delrin Robeson is like a well heat treated 80T it just rocks. Another thing that hurts the Winchester in it's defence is it has real thick blades!
 
Peter Parker said:
I much prefer Queen's D2:thumbup:. It is more of a chore to sharpen but it's still easy and I get a much more keen edge. I have two Queen's with 1095. My Winchester in my openion is not heat treated to well, less then average but not crapy. My delrin Robeson is like a well heat treated 80T it just rocks. Another thing that hurts the Winchester in it's defence is it has real thick blades!
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Thanks...

Question though...did Queen make Robeson knives with delrin handles? or is it an older one?

I have seen modern Queen made Robeson knives in bone but not delrin.
 
I have reservations about D2. Queen Cutlery D2 often comes blunt,there's no other word for it and sharpening it up is no mean feat.It does seem to stay sharp longer than carbon but not that much. It can be toothy as well..my main complaint is that it looks like orange peel when polished(a metal cellulite..)and does not develop a nice patina like carbon or remain bright like stainless.Instead, it gets mottled and spotty looking which is none too pleasing on the eye,or is it the acid from fruits that do this? In the end, I'd rather have a decent stainless or carbon. Others have had very good results from D2 and I respect their experiences too.
 
Peter Parker said:
I much prefer Queen's D2:thumbup:. It is more of a chore to sharpen but it's still easy and I get a much more keen edge. I have two Queen's with 1095. My Winchester in my openion is not heat treated to well, less then average but not crapy. My delrin Robeson is like a well heat treated 80T it just rocks. Another thing that hurts the Winchester in it's defence is it has real thick blades!
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They all three were heat treated at the same place becasue they all three were made at the same place.
 
Queen contracts out their heat treat on D2, that's what the "P" on the tang supposedly means (per some old knifeforum threads.) I've never heard nuttin about their 1095 and ATS34 as to who does that heat treat. Many firms, like spyderco, do not do all their heat treat in-house.
 
I have a lot of Queen in D2.

I use the DMT Aligner jig to sharpen them, from Extra course to Extra fine.
I sharpen them at a fairly fine angle.
They come off the jig very sharp, and keep their edge a long time.
A couple of passes over an Extra fine DMT brings them back to very sharp.

How sharp is very sharp?
Sharp enough to slice cherry tomatoes by push cuts not pull cuts

I find they hold their edge much longer than carbon of Case and Boker.

How do I 'test' the edge retention is when I whittle.
I feel quite quickly how an edge holds.

I have not used my one GEC #25 Jack to comment on this specific steel.
I will try it out and see.

D2 definitely develops a patina, it takes time.
The patina is a slow graying of the blade, where it slowly looses its brightness and become a duller gray.
A polished D2 patinas faster than a satin finish, but faster is still very slow by comparison to carbon.
 
brownshoe said:
Queen contracts out their heat treat on D2, that's what the "P" on the tang supposedly means (per some old knifeforum threads.) I've never heard nuttin about their 1095 and ATS34 as to who does that heat treat. Many firms, like spyderco, do not do all their heat treat in-house.
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Peter H....
But I cannot remember his name

The joke is PH stands for Phxxing Hard
 
I think I read somewhere that the PH is for Peters Hardening, but I am not sure.
 
jd_elam said:
I think I read somewhere that the PH is for Peters Hardening, but I am not sure.
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It's the mark for Peters' Heat Treating, Inc. in Meadville, PA.
They do Queen's D2 blades, but I'm not sure who heat treats the Schatt & Morgan's, Robeson's, etc.
 
Here's an idea; buy "copies" of your favorite pattern in both D-2 and 1095 and then drive yourself crazy for the rest of your life trying to figure out which you like best!

Both steels can be excellent performers. In his book, Bowie knife "guru", Bill Bagwell, opined that, while he much preferred carbon steel, D-2 was good too. The latter steel was the only "stainless" that Bill had any time for.

If both steels are properly heat treated it is very likely that the choice between them may be somewhat similar to the old choice between Ford and Chevy. (Or, at least back when people were still buying those brands!):rolleyes:
 
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