Small Knives Made of 5160?

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redsquid2

redsquid2

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I found a Craig Barr auction for such an item. Nine layers forge welded. Not Damascus -- just straight 5160.

Has anyone here made, or used a knife made of 5160?

I did a bladeforums search, and all I found was posts about tomahawks.
 
5160 is a great steel.

It's often used for hawks and choppers because it's quite tough.

It will make a great small knife too.
 
GL Drew. I've got a forged hunter from him that has great handling and the steel is excellent. He's on the forum.
 
It's a really popular steel to pass the ABS JS performance test

more known as a "chopper" steel than a small fine cutter


I'm baffled why you would want to weld 9 layers of the same materiel together, not visible, but greater chance of flaws.
 
There are certainly better steels for small knives, but 5160 makes a good knife.
 
12345678910 said:
It's a really popular steel to pass the ABS JS performance test

more known as a "chopper" steel than a small fine cutter


I'm baffled why you would want to weld 9 layers of the same materiel together, not visible, but greater chance of flaws.
Click to expand...

I fully agree. There are many much better steels for small knives, and he thinks folding and welding them layers is helping anything, he is sadly wasting his time.
 
I'm with the count and LRB. Never mind the patern-welding the same material together thing, 5160 was designed for heavy-duty shock-absorbing toughness, (as in leaf springs) and therefore makes really good big honkin' knives that can really take a pounding. A small blade just doesn't need that and would be better served by a steel with better edge-holding properties.

Having said that 5160 will still make a good small knife, I'm sure. But there are even better alloys for that application. O1 "springs" to mind (Ho ho! I slay me.)
 
Very nice work, but the folded steel is not going to make it any better than if from a bar of 5160 mono steel.
 
It's a pretty popular steel in many custOms, but I am surprised you didn't find more info on it. The New Buck Hoodlum, a large Chopper, is in 5160
 
A large chopper is where 5160 would excell, but it is not that great as a primary cutting knife, when compared to more suitable steels.
 
12345678910 said:
It's a really popular steel to pass the ABS JS performance test

more known as a "chopper" steel than a small fine cutter


I'm baffled why you would want to weld 9 layers of the same materiel together, not visible, but greater chance of flaws.
Click to expand...

Regarding the 9 layers, he says it "...gives the blade a very refined grain structure." Sounds like something that you have to get really close to, to see it."
 
redsquid2 said:
Regarding the 9 layers, he says it "...gives the blade a very refined grain structure." Sounds like something that you have to get really close to, to see it."
Click to expand...

heat treating does that, not multiple layers of the same material

..weird
 
redsquid2 said:
Regarding the 9 layers, he says it "...gives the blade a very refined grain structure." Sounds like something that you have to get really close to, to see it."
Click to expand...
Like I said. Nice knife, nice work, but layering 5160 won't do a thing for it, and there are better steels for a knife such as that one. The only way grain is refined is by heat as in normalizing heats. You only have about .50/.55 carbon in 5160, and you can't change that fact by forging and layering it. As nice as it may look, it is still a poor choice of steel for that particular application.
 
I'll disagree and think 5160 makes a great smaller knife, I've had a bushcraft style knife in 5160 and it was an animal... !!! clean up the edge in the field with a FILE:eek: and it would shave hair... i know you think I'm full of it, but its true..

yes there are far better choices for small knives, mostly I think because no one wants to pound out 5160 and make it a more presentable size say 1/8", 5/32".......

I have a 2" bar begging me to pound and cut it into small handsome pieces... :p

layering, not so much....
 
You can't beat great toughness coupled with edge retention, 5160 is probably the top steel used in the ABS performance test.
 
Rob,
I don't think anyone is saying that 5160 won't take a good edge. I think they are saying that it won't KEEP a good edge. It would be great for batoning wood and hacking through brush, but it would have to be touched up more frequently than a steel like 1095.

Even a piece of mild steel can shave hair if you sharpen it with a file. But it won't hold an edge very long. At least that is my understanding of 5160.
 
I've had some large HI choppers with a robust convex, you could chop for a long time and still cut paper, perhaps my experience varies.

however I agree a finer edge does take more touch up..
 
I have made 1018 shave hair, but I wouldn't want a knife blade from it, even though I could re-sharpen with a file. You may certainly believe and say what you wish, but 5160 is not an ideal steel for a small working knife, and that is one reason few those that know better, ever use it for such. I can't deny that it will work, but certainly not as well as a higher carbon steel. And I would add, being tough doesn't make it hold an edge any better.
 
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