Steel Question

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warden41272

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Oct 13, 2004
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I've recently purchased two Fallkniven folders (U2 and TK3). On the U2, the steel is listed as Super Gold Powder Steel, and on the TK3, it's called 3G. I assume they're the same steel, just named differently on different models of knives. What is this steel, besides a particle steel?
It appears to be the same in chemistry to Japanese White Steel.
Anybody know how it compares to ZDP189? Is it anything close to Cowry, that Koji Hara uses in his folders? Finally, anybody know where you could get some to make knives out of, or VG10?
 
Never heard of it. How do you know it is the same composition as Shirogami (white paper steel)? If it is truely the same composition, it is an HC steel with vitually no chromium and completely different from ZDP189.
 
I couldn't really get a full analysis for either, but both steels listed a carbon content of 1.4% I may have gotten it confused with another steel. (Blue Steel maybe?) To be honest, I haven't been able to find the thread with that steel listed again. I was hoping someone would have a compositional chart for the 3G steel, so I could compare it to a known steel and find out what's in it.
 
The composition doesn't really look very special to me. A bit along the lines of S30V. Less Vanadium but some Mn instead, but similar C and Cr content. Definitely not comparable to ZDP189 even though nobody really knows what is in that stuff.
 
Interestingly though it is ran significantly harder than S30V though and there are no reports of similar problems, though not nearly as many people have them of course.

-Cliff
 
What about CPM Rex 121?
with hrc 70.5
Where could I find a knife with this steel?
Or, even better, a boron nitride-coated knife?
 
I am not a metallurgist but I have gotten enough knowledge about blade steels to be dangerous :D . Talking about something that might be somewhat comparable to ZDP-189 I had a guy at a recent knife show tell me that there was a steel known as "Cowdry" which is supposed to be a laminated, super hard steel in the same league as ZDP-189.

I also heard that either Fallkniven and/or one of the other European knife companies was doing some work with it. It seems like I have heard either Joe Talmadge or Ed Schempp comment on it before. Anyone know any more about this animal :)
 
Juan said:
What about CPM Rex 121?
Click to expand...

This is a high speed steel, few makers have the ability to heat treat such steels. The alloy content in that is also so high it is basically a carbide replacement. It would be interesting to see how the edge performed, how it responded to abrasives. Alvin Johnston made a knife out of one of the higher alloy very hard HSS steels awhile back for Chas and had problems sharpening it and he is very familiar with very hard and HSS steels. You could probably obtain samples from Crucible, start off with something small like a 2" paring/shop knife because grinding it is going to be difficult. You want a maker who grinds exceptionally thin like Wilson or Krein.

JD Spydo said:
I had a guy at a recent knife show tell me that there was a steel known as "Cowdry" which is supposed to be a laminated, super hard steel in the same league as ZDP-189.
Click to expand...

Cowry-X. It had the same 3/20% carbon/chromium of ZDP-189 and is ran at similar hardness.

-Cliff
 
I am thinking about making some knives out of ZDP-189. Any suggestions on working it??

Tom
 
In general, from sharpening it, there are few issues with grindability, in fact the opposite is usually reported, especially when compared to S30V. Phil Wilson has made knives from it so you might want to drop him a line about his preferred abrasive.

-Cliff
 
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