Steel Selection Help

M

Munky88

Joined
Jun 1, 2008
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So I'm about ready to order parts for my first few knifes. I'm making one small everyday carry fixed knife, and 2 survival knifes.
These to be made with a hacksaw and file mostly.

Ideally i would prefure to just use 1095, but i cant find anywhere in Canada to heat treat it. If you know of anybody that does drop me a line?
Also, i found an leafspring shop that heat treats 5160, and 1080 so that may be an option if i can find any.

alternatively, The place i was going to order it from, knifemaker.ca, will heat treat air hardening steels.
so either A2, or 154CM/ATS34

I'm looking for something that firstly will make a nice knife, and secondly be easy to work with.
If its worth the difference I'm willing to put in the elbow grease.

any thoughts on what i should use?
 
Any of those steel options is great to make a knife out of. since you have a local spring shop i'd say go for 5160 or 1080 they are two of the best carbon steels for knife making, and fit your purposes arguably the best. I'd definantly make the survival's out of 5160, Especially if they are to be a big chopping blades,(6" - 12") becuase that steel is really tough when properly heat treated. A 1080 edc (3" - 5" blade) would stay sharp for a long time. you'll see really no difference between the two in working the steel. These steels will rust. Where as 154CM / ATS34 are great for stainless blades. you may want to go with ATS34 though if you choose to go stainless as 154CM has a bad reputation for low quality control, and can have bad pitting and mill scale that is really hard to get off.

Jason
 
I'm not making a chopper. just a 4 1/2 and 5inch knife. I read that 5160 was only good if you were forging it.
 
I don't think that it is only good forged, It is just accessible to forgers. It might refer to used leaf springs, as they might have stresses in them.
 
You shouldn't have any trouble with the air hardening steels. If you don't mind the extra cost starting out, I think they are a little better for the inexperienced. You don't have to worry about warping or cracking and there are more options for professional heat treating services.

Not any good to start out on if you want to do everything and heat treat in the back yard, but if you're going to send out anyhow, I say go for it.
 
Munkey88

Enable your email response or give me a call. Always glad to help someone get started on the long road.

FWIW, after you (or someone else) heat treat Carbon or most tool steel, you will end up with something between a sickening "ping" sound of a broken blade - or a great blade with a lot of work left to be done on a hard blade.

With the air quenching steels, you'll get a blade back almost as clean as you sent it - near finish shaping and polishing is done on soft steel. Often, it doesn't take more than buffing and sharpening to complete.

If you want to experiment, I'll help make it possible and affordable.

Rob!
 
I made my first knives from air-hardening steel (CPM 154) and I am happy with the decision. Very little clean up work (just a scotchbrite, really), and a very high performance blade.

I feel that I want to perfect my grinding before I start to trouble myself learning to (and worrying about screwing up) heat-treat. For this, air-hardened steels are great.
 
I use D2, for about 4 years (from my start in this art). The shaping process is almost same for every kind of steel (as described There :) ). It is also same difficulty in annealed state. I had tough luck on simple steels warping, cracking etc. Air hardening carries HT problems to a different level: fancy HT equipment. If you'll send the finished profile to HT companies so no problem for you. The problem is to sand after HT, so finish the knife profile to 400 grit before sending it HT or you'll spend hours to get rid of those stubborn 220 scratches. After 400 it is relatively easy to go up to 2000. Be sure you drill everything or you'll have a small chance to drill after HT, you'll regret it (I've been there).

If you are forging you will have difficulties on air hardening steel. The forging temperature range is too slim so you have a little time to hammer the piece. As the blade gets thin it will cool too fast that you wont have chance to hit it before it cools to minimum forging heat. Also they are mostly stubborn at high temps so it is too hard to move the steel even at the right forging heat. It is not for novice, without experience all you will have is hard long hours of banging, with too much heats too much decarb, even some crack of cold shots (I've been there also :)). For forging go for some simpler steels, with W1 and 5160 I had some success to forge...
 
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