Steel information

[DHB the cutter]

Hello,

I saw that most of Fulvio Del Tin swords are made of chrome-vanadium steel with 50 HRC of hardness, I am not an expert in metallurgy but I think it`s not so good as a good carbon steel, so I would like to know your experience with this kind of steel, is it really functional?

Thanks

 

[Triton]

I believe that Chrome Vanadium is carbon steel, just with a different mix of chrome in it. By all reports Del Tins are definitely functional if a tad bit heavy.

 

[tallwingedgoat]

Del Tins are made with a steel compositionally identical to 6150 steel (basically 5160 with a little bit less carbon and a bit of vanadium added). This is an outstanding steel for sword making. Arms and Armor recently switched to this steel.

Of course it all boils down to heat treat, Del Tin is known for doing an all around good job.

 

[The General]

Is 1045 a fair steel for a sword?

 

[tallwingedgoat]

It's a simple medium carbon steel, can be very tough and yes it's decent enough. Compositionally it's probably as close to the old medieval steels as you can get with modern smelting methods. The only swords I know made of 1045 are Japanese types. Swordmakers choose this because it's the most forgiving steel for the clay heat treating method, produces a beautiful hardening line.

Steels with a wee bit of chromium, vanadium, or some silicon can make better sword material. But the aesthetics isn't as nice.