What should I know about D2 steel??

savagesicslayer

savagesicslayer

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I'm thinking about buying a D2 knife and I'm wondering about the pros and cons of this type of steel.(FYI it'll be a ka-bar impact D2 fighter).
 
I have a BM Grip in D2 and find it to be an excellent steel. Holds its edge extremely well, and though technically not stainless, I've seen no corrosion or rusting. I did come with a black coating but I polish the edge to a mirror finish, thus removing the coating in that area.

I do wipe it occassionally with Tuff Glide.

I would not hesitate to buy another in D2 though I'm sure that the heat treating comes into play as well.
 
An excellent knife steel referred sometimes as semi stainless. With minimal care it won't rust or stain. Holds an edge very well.
 
It's one of the best all-around steels I know. D2 and 1095 rank as my favorites, with D2 being best for a knife that will be used in grimy situations.
 
From personal experience:

One of the best edge holding steels I have ever used. The only others that are comparable that I have used are CPM-3V and the new ZDP-189. Fantastic steel, especially in my Queen Stockman and 4180 Hunter. I have best results when I thin out the edge greatly (around 15 deg total) and polish it smooth. Seems to last forever...

From what I've heard:

Not the toughest steel around. You can break it if you try, although the same could be said for any steel. Some people have reported that it works fine with big choppers, I'd be a little leery of it for those uses. That's why I prefer it in my smaller knives.

YMMV.
 
It is technically a non stainless steel but it is the most stain resistant of the non stainless so it should perform much like steels you may already be familar with. Personally I like the steel and the edge holding in particular. It can be a bear to resharpen for some because of the steels wear resistance so once it does get to the point that it needs touched up you may find it a bit stubborn to yield to your will but other than this it is a great 'super steel' IMO.
 
I received an Ontario RAT3 on Friday and have had it with me all weekend. I have spent about 8 hours swimming and/or wading in the water (lake water) this weekend with this knife clipped to my waistband and the knife has spent about an additional two hours soaking in warm soapy tap water (trying to remove the smell of fish) and so far no signs of rust on the uncoated portion of the blade along the edge. As a side note, I am verrrrry impressed with the way this knife has held it's edge so far, so if this is indicative of how Ontario does all of their D2 then your KaBar should serve you quite well.
 
I'm thinking about buying a D2 knife and I'm wondering about the pros and cons of this type of steel.(FYI it'll be a ka-bar impact D2 fighter).
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I have a Q or two.

Are you talking about the spear pointed model?

If it is, have you handled this knife yet?

The grip is very unusual and this is one knife you really should handle before you get it. It's a serious love it or hate it kind of handle. I have one and I like it, but I can easily see where many would balk at it's feel.

It's a good medium size knife and if the grip agrees with you, I'm sure you'll enjoy it.

Oh, BTW, D-2 is a very good using knife steel.

If heat treated correctly, it holds a very scary sharp cutting edge. May not be the best choice for a big chopper with it's reputation for being brittle will attest, but with Kershaw's new 10" D-2 blade Outcast model out, we should be seeing whether this big beast with the D-2 blade will work as a chopper or not.

All the best,
Mike U.
 
I already own an impact warthog so the handle thing is not a problem.It has the same handle just it's not micarta.
I'm thinking of getting the fighter style D2 though the spear point is pretty cool also.How well does it work for everyday cutting chores?
 
For every day things D2 is fine, but i woulod consider this type of steel on shorter blades.

I would try to get special information about that particular knife. D2 is not a steel like 154CM. Every mill can produce it. There are differences in quality, which fall back on edge quality.

Hardness? I know there is a swiss knifemaker making large knifes out of D2 but keeps the hardness low at 57.

That is wasted money. D2, like many other hogh alloyed steel, is not loosing so much in toughness, if tempered to higher hardness, but will be better in its own reign, wear resistance. Carbides, which improve wear resistance, are hard. If the matrix is soft, they break out easier. If the matrix is harder, not as easy.

A D2 at 57HRC is like a boiled steak.

Search for info about hardness. Anything below 59 is wasted money and you will buy that knife only for the name of the steel.
 
Blop said:
Anything below 59 is wasted money and you will buy that knife only for the name of the steel.
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Is this just in regards to D2 on small blades or for all steels on all knives?

-Cliff
 
I like the way Dozier does D2. My only complaint is that if you aren't careful, and I'm not always careful enough, you will get rust spots. ;)
 
Cliff Stamp said:
Is this just in regards to D2 on small blades or for all steels on all knives?

-Cliff
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According to that topic that only counts for that steel in that knife.

I don´t see it as a small blade, that´s why i don´t think it is the best choice overall, but tim considered every day tasks, that would not include chopping or prying for me, so that the length is not of that importance here.
 
I never had compared one soft to another hard one but rely to a comparagraph where some corbon or middle alloyed steel grades are compared to high alloyed steel grades. I can´t find the source but got the picture here on my pc. Pieces of 5mm thickness were bend til breakage excluded the elastic moment. Just plastic deformation. If you like to see, send me an email.

The high alloyed steel grades were loosing very little "strength" or say toughness from 56 up to 62, compared to some carbon blades. You may change the views if you say it in percent, but.... :rolleyes:

Out of this i think a soft (57 to 59 can we really say soft here?) high alloyed steel isn´t the best choice. And that goes together with some of the things ppl. like you and Thom Brogan have noticed after rehardening some blades custom way.

Maybe it´s not the best to go up as far as possible in a general purpose knife but if a blade from D2 is offered in 59 to 62, it is the better choice over a D2 in 57 to 59. That step forth in toughness is not that much compared to the lost hardness. If someone chooses for toughness, D2 is the wrong way to go.
 
Blop said:
That step forth in toughness is not that much compared to the lost hardness. If someone chooses for toughness, D2 is the wrong way to go.
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Pretty much as I see it, there are different steels for this reason, choose accordingly.

-Cliff
 
The only thing about that comparagraph is, it only shows the plastic deformation, excluding the elastic deformation.

But if blades and edges are stressed, both parts come into play.

A comparagraph, showing the results of bending tests at different hardness including the elastic part would give a good view, i suppose.

Some makers drop hardness for thoughness. Ernie Emerson for example. But looking what i really gives you, it only proofs that the maker is not into steel or that steel is only use for the hype.

Mabe thats why Benchmade lets their AUS8a be relativly hard? It wont make sense to let them softer?
 
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