SuperSteel?

[MinnesotaSlim]

After reading the latest Blade magazine, I have noticed that some knives are listed as being made from "ZDP-189". From what I understand, this stuff can be made amazingly hard, and still not become overly brittle. What is this stuff? Has anyone out there used it? Can it be forged? How is it heat treated?
How expensive? Where do I get it? There, that should be all my questions....unless the answers raise more.
Happy hammering

 

[agghumi]

I don't know if I'm allowed to do this but here's what Glen Waters says about it. * ZDP-189
Dave Wolfram
Toledo Ohio

ZDP-189 Hi tech stainless made by Hitachi maintains balance between its high hardness of RC 67 and its ductility. It was developed solely for the purpose of knives. It is a powdered metal, and has 3% carbon, which gives it a very high hardness and yet still remains ductile. A great knife steel but expensive.


Attributes:
Its high hardness and strength make it great steel for working knives because It can cut through dried bamboo without marking or scratching the blade. Is recommended for heavy work like chopping.
And for art knives because it takes one of the best mirror polishes you can get, providing you finish it to #2,000 grit before professional air free heat treating. Has been used in Japan since around 1995. Some time in 2000 Hitachi will release a sanmai (sandwich) with ZDP-189 in the middle with ATS-55 on the out side.