What steel next

U

unky_gumbi

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Aug 28, 2009
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So far I have worked with 5160, O-1, and 1084-15N20, but do I stick with what I know works for me or do I keep trying different steels? I am fairly new to this so why specialize with one steel this early.

First blades where 5160, I found it hard to work with my files, but polished up nicely and is tough.

Then I got a piece of 1084-15N20, it was easy to work with my files, but I have yet to send it out for HT so I don't know how it will finish yet.

Lastly I made a couple of knives with O-1. I found it just as easy to work as the 1084-15N20, it didn't polish as nicely as the 5160, but in my preliminary tests it is taking and holding a great edge. So far this is my favorite steel to work with:thumbup:

I will be ordering some more steel in the next couple of weeks, I will be ordering some more O-1 but what would you suggest that I try along with it. Keep in mind that I am doing stock removal mainly with hand tools still and that my designs lean more towards the camping and hiking style of knife with 4-5" blades.
Here is what is available to me from where I choose to shop
  • 1075/1080 Carbon Steel
  • 1084 Carbon Steel
  • 1095 Carbon Steel
  • 5160 Tool Steel
  • CPM D2 Semi-Stainless Tool Steel
  • CPM3V
  • D2 Tool Steel
  • O1 Tool steel

There is also a large selection of stainless steels as well, but I am unsure if I am ready to make that step yet. I am budgeting to spend $100-$150 on steel. I could put it all into O-1 but I don't want to miss out on trying new steels so I am thinking 1/2-2/3 on O-1 and the rest to experiment with a different steel or two. I have a D2 710 and love the knife but it is a pain to sharpen so I think it may be out of my workability with hand tools. So speak up and tell me what you think please, and will straight 1084 work similar to the 1084-15N20?
 
A-2 would be a step above O-1 .
For a CPM stainless I'd suggest CPM154 .To me it's much better than CPM D-2.
Both these of course would require sending out for HT unless you had the proper controlled furnace.
 
Since you are sending out for HT already, I'd be curious to try a real high end steel - it seems like S3V and S30V are the two current "magic" steels, but S3V might be wasted in a small knife since it isn't a stainless nor is going to be beat up very much. A2 is certainly good stuff too, but my S3V comment applies to it as well - probably more worth the hassel of using carbon steel if the knife is bigger.

ATS-34 and 154 (same stuff) seem like really good stainlesss steels, and Admiral does sell AT3-34 much cheaper than any other premium SS. That might be your best bang for the buck in an exotic.

One also hears so much about (real) L6 - that's on my potential list.
 
You'll like the air hardening steels way better. They come back from heat treat much cleaner than carbon steels. ATS34 and 154CM are very good steels. For premium, try S30V for a satin finish and CPM154 or RWL34 for a mirror finish. The CPM S30v is alittle harder to work. I doubt you could tell any of the others apart in a blind test.

If you are considering big blades, we can do up to 20" long in the air hardening steels. For the oil hardening ones, our quench pail depth limits us to 12-13".

Rob!
 
I find that part of the fun is in mastering the heat treat yourself (provided you have the means and set up to do it) even if it's just in one steel. It is in the heat treat where all the "magic" takes place. I wouldn't want to miss that most incredible part of making a knife. It is that part...heating to bright red/orange and quenching, watching all the smoke and flame, testing with a file as the steel changes form, then tempering and watching the colors change...that makes me feel like a knifemaker the most. I learn so much more about knifemaking just doing it all myself. But I guess it's good there are other options if you are not set up to do the heat treating yourself.
 
Right now I am not set up to heat teat myself, and I really like the service I get from Rob. Even though I can pick up some of the steels locally, its not that much of a savings and I don't get half of the customer service that I do through Knifemaker.ca so that little extra that I pay and the bit of a wait is worth it to me.

In time I will start doing the HT on some of my stuff, but I like knowing its been done right.
 
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