RAT7... D2 or 1095?

shootist16

shootist16

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I am looking at getting a RAT7 to replace my BK7 (I figured I should put the BK7 up in case Camillus goes out of business). Anyway, I can't really decide between the D2 or 1095 and wanted to get your thoughts.
 
I ordered a RAT 3 in D2 because I think D2 holds a good edge for a long while for smaller EDC knives.

For a larger knife (which I assume will do some chopping), I would go with 1095 as D2 isn't known for being a super tough steel.

After making my first knife in 1095 and testing it on a 2x4, I am very impressed with the toughness of the steel.
 
1095 is much easier to sharpen then D2, but D2 holds an edge much better. I have a Rat-7 in D2, and a RAT-5 in 1095. I have chopped, gouged, cleaned fish, and done general camp chores with both no problem. Wish the RAT-5 came in D2.
 
I would get 1095.
It is much better to put a great edge more often than not so good edge occasionally (although it can stay longer).
 
The shorter the knife, the less D2 presents a toughness problem if properly done. The RAT-7 is over the maximum 6" length that I will personally buy a D2 knife.

I like my RAT-7 in 1095 because the knife could be pressed into light chopping and pounded on for batoning. I think the D2 is the lesser steel for the application of that knife in terms of ability to take any extreme use.

The 1095 RATs also look better than the D2 with their blackened look and logos. YMMV.
 
I'd go for 1095. Well-hardened 1095 gets *very* sharp easily and quickly, it's much better in that respect than D2. And it's quite a lot tougher. In my opinion 1095 is one of the most underrated steels out there.

Hans
 
i greatly abused my rat3 in d2 by battoning it through some nasty seasoned, twisted, and knotty white oak, almost came away unscathed but somewhere near the end of the 10-14 splits the edge chipped off on about a 1/2 cm section 1/2 mm in depth. The rest of the edge was still pretty sharp, though.
 
The answer is obvious and I don't know why no one else has said it yet:

Get BOTH!


Re; D2 and longer knives ... is my Kershaw "Outlaw" super chopper doomed to shatter into a million pieces?
 
rhino said:
The answer is obvious and I don't know why no one else has said it yet:

Get BOTH!


Re; D2 and longer knives ... is my Kershaw "Outlaw" super chopper doomed to shatter into a million pieces?
Click to expand...

No, but it is more possible than it would be in a steel with a lot less chromium in it.

Really, what everyone talks about when they say D2 is "brittle" is that it simply isn't as ductile as other commonly used carbon steels. I'd still take D2 in a seven inch blade before I'd take one that long in any truly stainless steel.
 
Boats said:
No, but it is more possible than it would be in a steel with a lot less chromium in it.

Really, what everyone talks about when they say D2 is "brittle" is that it simply isn't as ductile as other commonly used carbon steels. I'd still take D2 in a seven inch blade before I'd take one that long in any truly stainless steel.
Click to expand...

It isn't simply the chromium that makes D2 brittle, it is the chromium and carbon together which give it a huge primary carbide fraction of very large segregated carbides. There are lots of stainless steels which are far tougher because while they have more chroimum, it goes into the ferrite, and thus it isn't full of chunky carbides, stainless steel like 12c27m for example is *way* tougher than D2 because the C/Cr ratio is so designed to give a low primary carbide fraction. This is why steels like 12C27 get praised for high sharpness and edge retention for wood work.


shootist16 said:
Anyway, I can't really decide between the D2 or 1095 ...
Click to expand...

These are really different steels, it is like asking should I buy a fillet knife or a machete. The answer depends on what you want the knife to do. Unfortunately Ontario sits 1095 far left of where it should be tempered but still it is much better than D2 for low angles, harder work, and ease of natural material honing. D2 is however *much* more abrasion resistant so has a large advantage over 1095 slicing abrasive materials, especially when both steels are left soft as Ontario runs them, and when ground at thick/obtuse edges.

-Cliff
 
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