Sharpening D2 Steel

Col Defender

Col Defender

Joined
Nov 11, 2011
Messages
1,398
OK guys - I know NOTHING about the different kinds of steel and my sharpening skills are modest though gradually getting better. For several days now I have been working on my BK 24 which had been used quite a bit and it seemed to me that using fine sandpaper (1000, 1500, and 2000) glued to pieces of wood and also a leather strop, it was taking a long time to get it really sharp.

It's quite good now but as we were watching TV I said to my wife "I wonder if this BK24 is made of a different kind of steel than my other Beckers". So I looked it up and my guess was correct. The 24 is made of something called D2 whereas most Beckers are 1095 Crovan or 1095 Carbon. So here's my question: is D2 harder and therefore requiring more effort to get it sharp than 1095? And while I'm asking questions, what is the difference between 1095 Crovan and 1095 Carbon?
 
D2 is way harder than 1095. Sharpening it is certainly no fun.

1095 Crovan is 1095 with chromium and vanadium, which means its better.
 
Very much so. Carbon steels are a breeze to sharpen and D2 not so much. It has large carbide particles that make a coarse toothy edge relatively easy to achieve. A finer edge will require a narrow angle and quite a bit of grit progression. Going from a coarse edge to a fine stone just doesn't work.
 
D2 is fantastically more wear-resistant.
Sharpening is wearing away at the edge.
That's why it's used. pain in the arse to sharpen, but it should hold it a long time. On the flip side, the 1095CV will likely be tougher.
 
Kabar 1095crovan is hardened to a rockwell of 56-58
The D2 BK14 is hardened to a rockwell of 59-60

while this does not sound like a big difference, it is. add to that the fact that D2 is a wear resistant tool steel, it becomes even more so.
If you want to have an easier time sharpening your D2, you'll need either higher quality sandpaper, or some DMT Flexisharp sheets. (2"x3", fine and x-fine)
 
Now that you have it sharp you should be good for awhile. As long as you don't let it get real dull before sharpening it again it should be easier to touch up the edge occasionally.
 
I don't have a bk24 yet, but I have some Benchmade knives with D2. I had a terrible time sharpening them, but my dad could always get them shaving sharp. I finally asked him what his kit was called. It was the Spyderco Sharpmaker. At the time neither of us knew they made knives, too. I swear by it for any knife that someone says can't be sharpened.
 
Try some lower grit sandpaper. If my knives are dull or have micro-chips on the edge I tend to hit it first with some 400/320 grit and then 800 before the 1500 or 2000 grit paper.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top