Truly beastly stuff?

D

D.A. Guertin

Joined
Oct 29, 2001
Messages
181
Well, I'm back from a day out and about. This morning started with a cup of coffee, and a trip down to TKS. I actually managed to escape without spending over $100! This is no small thing for me. Previous to today, my lowest was somewhere around $143... Aside from a truly stellar block of stabilized Redwood, I picked up a bargain stack of CruWare. Truth be told, I've no clue what I'm doing with it, as I've heard it to be perfectly beastly both before, and after, heat treating. The thing I'm pondering, though, is whether it truly is. I wasn't able to find the composition online, so I can't guage off that either. All I could find was that it had less Chromium than D2...

Thanks guys,

D.
 
Carbon 1.1%
Chromium 7.5%
Vanadium 2.4%
Tungsten 1.15%
Molybdenum 1.6%

According to
Crucible Steel

CRU-WEAR is an air hardening tool steel heat treatable to HRC 60-65. It was designed as an upgrade to D2, and offers better wear resistance, greater toughness and higher attainable hardness. Compared to D2 which has 1.55% carbon,11.5% chromium and 0.8% vanadium, and 0.9% molybdenum, CRU-WEAR contains less carbon and less
chromium and more vanadium. The microstuctures of D2 and CRU-WEAR both contain carbides for wear resistance, but CRU-WEAR has more vanadium carbides than D2. Vanadium carbides are harder than chromium carbides and are much more effective in providing wear resistance.
CRU-WEAR also contains less carbon than D2, so its overall carbide volume is lower, making it tougher than D2. (Note: Although CRU-WEAR contains fewer total carbides, it has more of the type of carbides that are most effective for wear resistance.) CRU-WEAR’s higher attainable hardness results from the fact that it contains sufficient tungsten and molybdenum to cause a secondary hardening response, (up to HRC 65), which does not occur in D2. Finally, CRU-WEAR tempers at a higher range (900-1050°F) than D2 (400-600°F), so it is more compatible with a wide variety of surface treatments.

Sounds like good stuff. Good Luck!
Steve
 
Do not waste your high dollar belts, use the cheaper hoggers. Just got thru with 3 blades of cruwear. Wore out 2 new 3-M 967 yellow belts, not sure if they are worn out, but would not cut anymore on the cruwear. Have polished up to 600 grit, but still looks like something around 280-300 grit. If you have enough belts and time you could probaly get a 400 finish. The cruwear is the hardest blade steel, I have encountered. Pricing should show the xtra time and grinding belts, envolved.
For that special edged tool or blade, this steel will fit your needs.
Ken (wwjd)
 
much like vascowear, you will become a very proficient handsander with that stuff. It is VERY VERY TOUGH.............IF YOU GET IT HOT IT WILL WORKHARDEN>>>>>>>>VERY VERY BAD< VERY VERY HARD!!! :(

Do NOT get it hot! Take it to about 220 grit or 320 if you are rich and have lots of belts and then HAND FINISH IT BEFORE you send it to heat treat.

Please believe me on this, if you dont you will be very sorry. :p
It makes a great knife, but it rusts pretty easily.
 
Hmm... Sounds a bit challenging. Is there any way to soften it back up again if it does get too hard? Can I bake it off for a couple hours like D2 and 440? :(
 
I worked with Cruwear quite a bit a few years ago. The advice that Mr. Mayo has is very sound, don't get it hot. I really like the stuff. I exchanged emails in the past with a Crucible rep and they claimed it was their answer to vascowear, only better. I like it and have a bit of it in the shop. It is a very, very good steel however if you are looking for "stainless" properties, keep looking. TKS, as I recall, charges a premium to heat treat it. Paul Bos will heat treat it as well.

C Wilkins
 
So how 'not hot?' "Oo, my fingers are getting hot," dunk or Grind, two, three, dunk, grind, two, three, dunk?
 
Please believe me, I am not trying to be a wise ask, but with
Crucible offering CPM 3V and CPM S30V, why would this steel have
much of an advantage. CPM 3V at HRC 61 holds a fantastic edge, and
is very, very tough. What more could you want out of a semi-stainless
steel?
 
Sometimes stuff is discounted for a reason. I've learned the hard way a couple of times. Did I say a couple...?
 
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