W2 round bar tool steel

Update, the 1-1/8" W2 is getting low. Still have a good bit of 1-1/4''. I will add 1-5/8'' soon and will have 1-3/4" W2 next week.

I am finally cought up shipping orders out and after 200+ boxes my Postlady is worried or maybe relieved that I've only mailed two boxes this week :) Let me know if ya'll want any, I can get it right out.

W2 will be available at Batson's Hammer-in down in Alabama March 30, 31 2007. I am planning to bring 1000-1500 lbs. It has been 4 or 5 years since I was there and I'm looking forward to it. I hope to see some of you guys there.

Thanks!
 
Just added two new sizes to my first post here.

1-5/8" round

1-3/4" round

Not much 1-5/8" but around 2000 lbs 1-3/4"

I can't find anymore smaller sizes and having a hard time finding W2 period. My sources have pretty much dried up.

Thanks guys!!!
 
Only 83 bars of the 1-1/8"X 11" left but still have plenty of the larger sizes.

W2 sources are drying up fast. If ya'll were wanting any W2 and putting it off, now is the time to get it. :D

Thanks!
 
Hey Don....what are you bringing to Batsons? By the way.....because of my tendonitis, I hadn't even opened the last two boxes that you sent me, so I didn't see the "packing materiel" that you used on the 3/4 inch bars until this afternoon. Thanks, man....or should I say aloha?:D
 
Joe, always check your boxes, you never know what's inside :D I think that is black walnut from Missouri but I may have thrown in a piece of Koa, can't remmerber.

I plan to bring around 1500 lbs but some is already sold.

I'm bringing the last of the 6' and 3' bars of 1-1/8" W2.

A few 3' and 6' bars of 1-1/4".

1-5/8" and 1-3/4", also a good bit of odd and ends, 3/4", 7/8", 1", too long to ship in the flat rate boxes and too short to cut. I'll also have a bunch of 3/4" W1 drill rod, cheap.

I look forward to seeing you there Joe.
 
I have had a few folks wanting less than my minimums. Not a problem, I do the minimums because I pay the shipping, I am glad to ship smaller amounts if the buyer pays shipping. I can ship bars 11" or less in flat rate Priority boxes for $8.60, up to around 50 lbs anywhere in the USA.

Thanks,
Don
 
sunfishman said:
Joe, always check your boxes, you never know what's inside :D I think that is black walnut from Missouri but I may have thrown in a piece of Koa, can't remmerber.

I plan to bring around 1500 lbs but some is already sold.

I'm bringing the last of the 6' and 3' bars of 1-1/8" W2.

A few 3' and 6' bars of 1-1/4".

1-5/8" and 1-3/4", also a good bit of odd and ends, 3/4", 7/8", 1", too long to ship in the flat rate boxes and too short to cut. I'll also have a bunch of 3/4" W1 drill rod, cheap.

I look forward to seeing you there Joe.
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There was one piece that had "sample" on it that looked like it might be stabilized. That walnut is nicelookin stuff. Maybe I'll hack off a couple of chunks of English walnut for ya an maybe a little slice o' amboyna. That is if you aren't totally stuck on using that crusty old elephant tooth stuff.....lol

:D
 
Fred, for W2, I normalize three times. I heat to 1425f-1450f and soak for a few minutes, quench in a fast oil. I temper one hour, twice at 450f for a Rc hardness around 61-62. You have to temper W2 at 475f to 500f to get below 60 Rc. These Rc numbers may vary depending on the smith. W2 has become my steel of choice, it amazes me how fine the grain gets with this steel and it cuts like crazy :D
 
sunfishman said:
Fred, for W2, I normalize three times. I heat to 1425f-1450f and soak for a few minutes, quench in a fast oil. I temper one hour, twice at 450f for a Rc hardness around 61-62. You have to temper W2 at 475f to 500f to get below 60 Rc. These Rc numbers may vary depending on the smith. W2 has become my steel of choice, it amazes me how fine the grain gets with this steel and it cuts like crazy :D
Click to expand...

I have done 4 blades with this W2 so far and all have good edges. Not scary hair poppin sharp, but the equal to most of my field grade custom knives. Mine are sharpened on the grinder and finished on a stone with no buffing or stropping at this point cuz i don't know how to do either...:D So they could be even sharper. There is one blade. however that turned out differently. It is an oddball in that I had to "save" it a couple of times. It was forged out of 7/8 round bar, which gave me tendonitis:eek: When I quenched it, the scale didn't "pop" off like I am used to. so I quenched it again. It warped. so I had to temper it 3 times at 450-475 and pour water on the blade right out of the oven on one of the cycles. It had a pretty thick ricasso, but I screwed up the stamp, so I had to thin it out. What I ended up with is a slightly ugly knife that cuts like no other one I have ever made. It is not a small, thin blade and yet it will shave hair, "catch my fingerprints" a bit and the edge is indestructible. I am thinking that I have found my "magic formula" for this stuff. The only thing that I can figure is that the extra quench knocked the grain size down even more. Any thoughts?
FYI.....at 450 tempered twice, my edges were too hard and chipped a tiny bit. The good news is at 3 times at 450, 465, and 475, I can take down the edge to a sliver before you sharpen it, even on a decent sized blade
 
Joe, your probably right, you reduced grain size even more. Very small grain size will make a sharper, tougher edge. W2 is capable of reaching very, very small grain size. It's one of the finest grain tool steels out there.
 
I'm loading the truck with W2 for Batson's Hammer-in next week and I already have a good bit sold. I'm trying to get a handle on how much to bring, so if you're interested in picking some up, please drop me an email.

Thanks,

Edit to add: I'll be bringing long bars, 2', 3', 4' and 6' and they will be priced a little cheaper than the short bars I'm offering here.
 
Batson's Hammer-in was a great time this year. I enjoyed visiting with you guys :thumbup:

And thanks for letting me leave 1500 lbs of W2 in Alabama :D
 
Yes, I finally got to meet Don "The Steel Pimp" Hanson at Batsons. He was there selling W2 out of the back of his pickup like some New York goombah selling hijacked Marlboros:D A good time was had by all. Unfortunately, now I want one of those integral grinders that Ray Kirk was using.....:eek:
 
I still may try to modify the small wheel attachment for my KMG. That is what Uncle Al uses for his grinder. I was baffled by how to get the platen flush, but after seeing how Al milled out the aluminum and put an adjustable steel platen in, I have some better ideas. Being able to shim that platen up also solves the prob of using different sized wheels
 
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