Stainless over high carbon san mai

[JMJones]

I have only used 416 barstock for the outside layers. However it is pretty expensive and often hard to find. What other stainless grades would work? 304?

Thanks
John

 

[kuraki]

I do it with 304 and it works fine, it's just a royal PITA to grind. So keep that in mind when forging and choosing thicknesses.

I recently bought some 410 from Admiral to do this as well.

 

[Tom Lewis]

410 SS works good.

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

Have any of you tried AEB-L yet. Seems it would be cheap and easy to grind.

 

[kuraki]

Been meaning to. Just don't have any on hand at the moment.

 

[JTknives]

Have any of you tried AEB-L yet. Seems it would be cheap and easy to grind.

Salem uses AEB-L and seams to have good results with it. I have used 303, 304 and 316 with good results.

 

[Yonose]

How do I find one of these blades for sale? If they can’t be called sanmai per copyright, are they called laminated stainless?

 

[DevinT]

Keep in mind that three hundred series stainless is non-magnetic and not the easiest to grind. 403, 410, and 416 are similar alloys.

Hoss

 

[JTknives]

How do I find one of these blades for sale? If they can’t be called sanmai per copyright, are they called laminated stainless?

Its not copyrighted, it has to have III after it but the name itself is not. Cold steel can go pound sand.

 

[Salem Straub]

I prefer 410, which I buy as larger round stock and forge down, then surface grind to size before matching with a similarly treated core steel (CruForgeV is my fave right now.) 410 is great since it sticks to a mag chuck, is not too bad to grind, and shows carbon migration. I've used 304 a fair bit too, it's a different look with little to no carbon migration evident after finish grind and etch, it sucks a bit more to grind, and it won't stick to a mag chuck which makes it less than ideal for sure.
I've used AEB-L too, as cladding over CruV, and that worked well... the look was a little bit different when etched, a bit hazy, as the AEB-L itself will darken a little bit in the etch if left very long, and time in the fire or oven has to be conserved as carbon migration can grow excessive. All of them weld up just fine.

 

[JTknives]

See Salem that's why we need to build our rolling mills. Roll out a bunch of 410

 

[jdm61]

Salem, do you get any hardening in the AEB-L at those lower austenizing temps?

I prefer 410, which I buy as larger round stock and forge down, then surface grind to size before matching with a similarly treated core steel (CruForgeV is my fave right now.) 410 is great since it sticks to a mag chuck, is not too bad to grind, and shows carbon migration. I've used 304 a fair bit too, it's a different look with little to no carbon migration evident after finish grind and etch, it sucks a bit more to grind, and it won't stick to a mag chuck which makes it less than ideal for sure.
I've used AEB-L too, as cladding over CruV, and that worked well... the look was a little bit different when etched, a bit hazy, as the AEB-L itself will darken a little bit in the etch if left very long, and time in the fire or oven has to be conserved as carbon migration can grow excessive. All of them weld up just fine.