What steel do you use for blades?

Darrel Ralph

Darrel Ralph

Joined
Dec 14, 1998
Messages
4,870
I talked to the metalurgist today at crucible.
They have some real exciting new products comming out soon.

Here are the new names for the CPM steels as of this date.

CPM 440v will become S60v
420v = S90V
10V = S10v
3V = ?

What are you using?

I was informed there is a new stell coming out that is there forumula cpm 3v with enough
chrome to make it a Stainless :] It will be called S125V

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Web Site At www.darrelralph.com

[This message has been edited by Darrel Ralph (edited 06-26-2000).]
 
Just the names to combat the 420 v type situation where folks compare 420v and 420j2
The new 3v will have more chrome to make it a stainless.

[This message has been edited by Darrel Ralph (edited 06-26-2000).]
 
Thanks for the clarification Darrel. I wasn't sure if the new modified CPM-3V was, in fact, being designated S125V, or if S125V was something different altogether. Now I know. I wonder if we can further assume that CPM-15V will become S15V?

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Semper Fi

-Bill

[This message has been edited by Bronco (edited 06-26-2000).]
 
Darrel,
Can ANY of those you listed be heat treated with a standard oven, 2200 F max?? Without an 8 hour soak time or something
wink.gif

Neil

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Talonite, new pics, knives in stock!

blackwoodknives.com
 
me and Jerry are working on a new prototype out of very top secret stuff and cant tell anyone....especially you!!!!
 
Darrel, I spoke with them last Friday. I think the new Stainless Modified 3V is going to be called S30V. Only Stainless steels get the SxxxV designations. The S125V and, believe it or not, S150V are other steels they have in the works as well.

CPM-3V will still be called CPM-3V I was told.

The S30V really interests me. It won't be as impact resistant as 3V, but it should pretty good with impact toughness and have everything else besides.

With all the Chrome and Vanadium in some of these, you wonder if there's any iron left.

It should be fun times ahead.

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Jerry Hossom
www.hossom.com
 
Jerry
Your prolly right He was confused when I asked him about the new names.. HE was ok on the 420, 440, ect..

He did say they had 3v comming with 12.5 of chrome. Hell I dont know what theyll call it but is one of the new ones. I like the ideas they have for advancement in metals.. he didnt know about the d2 upgrade. Any news on that. That sounded interesting when I heard it.
They are packing lots of new alloys together these days ... Should be interesting..
I hear there is some new stellite type metals comming also from another manufacturer..



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Web Site At www.darrelralph.com
 
Darrel, that 3v with 12.5% chrome is the stainless, S30V, I think. Because of the CPM process and the fact that there is little carbon (0.8%) in 3V, half of the carbon is taken up by the Vanadium and rest is divied up between the iron and the chrome, so there is a lot more free chrome than normal. That's what makes it Stainless. That also keeps the grain size smaller than normal in stainless.

They muttered something to me about the heat treat being very critical on some of these new things. I'm not sure what that means.

Another thing I'm liking about what Crucible is doing is the pricing. I just bought 8 bars of 3/16 x 2 x 36" precision ground A2 for $26.75 a bar. That's less than half of what I was paying.

I also like the fact that 3V and 154CM come in plate. It gives me a lot more flexibility when I lay out a blade. If I want more guard on a blade, I don't run out of steel before I get it. I can also make swords and other longer blades with more curve, and still not waste any steel.

Yeah, that new Stellite type stuff is called Possumite. I'm making a new folder out of it, called the PAP. Possumite an' Plutoniun. Top that Tom!
smile.gif


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Jerry Hossom
www.hossom.com
 
Hey fellas,
Anybody tried forging the 3V? After looking over the specs (and likely it will take a lot of experimenting) it looks on the surface like it might be a good thing. I've always said that one day they will come up with something that will be able to "run" with 52100 (in a forged blade) maybe this has the potential.
I haven't checked prices on the 3V, what's the economy of this stuff compared with 52100?
I suppose I better make some time in the future to experiment with it.



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Ed Caffrey "The Montana Bladesmith"
ABS Mastersmith
www.caffreyknives.com
 
dont make any pb&j sandwiches with it or you could really smear things around

[This message has been edited by tom mayo (edited 06-27-2000).]
 
Ed, Crucible tells me a couple folks are forging it. Price is about $10-14lb. In your area, you should call the Dallas office 800-365-1168. Ask for Bruce DiVita.

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Jerry Hossom
www.hossom.com
 
I dunno about other people, but I find this alphabet soup of steel names to be confusing. I wish someone would put together a wall chart that I could put on my shop wall for reference. Just the names of the steels, basic ingredients, and basic characteristics, and price range.
 
I went a forged a small scrp of the 3v
Works well . Its tougher than 52100 to forge . The edge came out great after normalizing and heat treat.. Kinda like forging between d2 and 52100..Short range.

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Web Site At www.darrelralph.com
 
Thanks Jerry for the $$ info, and Darrel for the forging insight. You mentioned that you heat treated it....did you accomplish it via the specs, or did you "experiment"? Did you have any red short problems when forging? Now you guys have gone and done it! With Jerry giving me a source, and Darrel teasing me into wanting to forge the stuff, I suppose I'm fresh out of excuses. I'll get my hands on some, and once I get it worked out and tested, I'll post the results.

cjensema: I have charts on my website, your welcome to print off if you'd like. http://www.caffreyknives.com/steelid.htm is a general chart of letter/number designations. http://www.caffreyknives.com/content.htm is a good companion to the ID page. I keep both hanging in the shop, and have found it helps customers to understand the steels a bit better.

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Ed Caffrey "The Montana Bladesmith"
ABS Mastersmith
www.caffreyknives.com
 
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