tomahawk steel question

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abcdef

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A maker is using C45 steel bar (AISI 1045) on some sweet looking hawks. How does this stack up against 80CRV2, 4140, 4142 and other steels (I suppose more expensive) that others are producing?

Also posted in hawk forum.
 
C45 has .45% carbon. It isn't a knife blade steel but should work quite well for a hawk.

4140 has .40% carbon and makes tough throwing hawks. 4142 has .42% and is pretty much identical.
80Crv has .80% carbon and will take a very sharp edge but may chip in hawk throws. It is usually tempered lower to around Rc55 for a hawk.

Another excellent and cheap steel is 5160 and all its similar spring steels (9250, 9260, etc.) It is tough and can be purchased almost anywhere.
If forging them, this is one of the better uses for FREE old truck springs. It takes a surprisingly good edge.
 
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It is probably what he has available in quantity.

Finding a good steel source that has consistent quality and composition, and specializing in one or two steels is a wise choice.

A famous knifemaker from Virginia bought 8000# of BG-42. Not because it was the perfect knife steel, but because the price was right, and it was all from one batch. It would allow all his knives for many years to have the same specs and HT. He mastered it and didn't have to jump around to a variety of steels, like many makers end up doing.
 
abcdef said:
Thanks for the response. I was curious as I have not seen any other C45 hawks.
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I’ve made one hawk from 80crv2. It’s not bad steel. I’ve used s7, A8 mod, and I have two I’m making in 8670! Oh, also my personal hawk is in 15n20. Those are all extremely tough steels! Never heard of that other steel!

I did a differential temper on the oil hardened steels for all these! S7 is air hardened!
 
Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith said:
It is probably what he has available in quantity.

Finding a good steel source that has consistent quality and composition, and specializing in one or two steels is a wise choice.

A famous knifemaker from Virginia bought 8000# of BG-42. Not because it was the perfect knife steel, but because the price was right, and it was all from one batch. It would allow all his knives for many years to have the same specs and HT. He mastered it and didn't have to jump around to a variety of steels, like many makers end up doing.
Click to expand...
I should know this, who was the maker?

Hoss
 
abcdef said:
Thanks for the response. I was curious as I have not seen any other C45 hawks.
Click to expand...

It's European (German) 1045, essentially. Quite common axe steel. Pretty sure it's what HB uses, along with some other high end axe companies. Simple, cheap steels work well for axes. I know other brands use it from Europe for sure and publish as much on their websites.
 
I use it for hawks, hammers and other tools. Wide range of dimensions so it's easy to find bars that i need. I take mostly round and square bars.
We still call it Č.1531 according to old standards, but i guess that will change in time. I think it is the most common steel for axes and other tools in this part of the world.
This is the material
https://steelselector.sij.si/steels/CK45.html
Link to steel chart
http://zknives.com/knives/steels/JUS/c.1531.shtml

Slovenian company "Jeklo Ruše" use this steel for all of their hand tools. When i was a teenager, their carpenters axes were holy grail for us.
http://www.jekloruse.si/en/hand-tools/
 
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