What's the difference between w1 and 1095????

Phillip Patton

Phillip Patton

Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
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Jul 25, 2005
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i just got a 1 1/4" x 36" bar of w1 from Enco. (which I'll be forging into knives, obviously) My ASM manual doesn't have much specific heat treating info...
On paper, w1 and 1095 look very similar. However, different sources list w1's composition differently. My ASM book says w1 has no manganese, but I read somwhere else that it has .25 percent. Does it need an even faster quench than 1095?
How do you guys do w1?
 
YOu wouldn't see any difference in HT temp and/or quench.
Make sure you don't use water as quenchant, use warm oil
instead. While W stands for "W"ater, the shock it too much for
the higher carbon content.
 
So basically the only advantage of w1 is that it's less expensive? I've also heard that the quality control is better (cleaner), since it's a tool steel, whereas 1095 is "plow steel". I'm looking forward to trying it out.
 
Carbon content range of W1 is .60-1.40 !! If you use it find out what you have first.
 
Mete is right about carbon content.
I use alot of W1 in drill rod and it's all been 1% carbon. I HT just like 1095 and can tell no difference. Enco should list the specs in their catalog, I know MSC does. It's a great knife steel :thumbup:
 
The specifications are from the Spyderco Steel Chart:

Steel------------1095-------------W-1
==========================================
Carbon--------0.900-1.030-----0.700-1.500
Chromium----------------------------0.150
Manganese-----0.300-0.500-----0.100-0.400
Molybdenum--------------------------0.100
Nickel------------------------------0.200
Phosphorus----------0.040------------
Silicon-----------------------0.100-0.400
Sulfur--------------0.050------------
Tungsten----------------------------0.500
Vanadium----------------------------0.100


The W1 knife I used cut great and held an edge for a long time.
 
Thanks everybody for your input. I'll probably forge a couple knives out of it today. I'll let you know how they turn out.
I hope the Enco catalog comes today and has the actual carbon content listed. :)
 
Chuck, not to be a s##T disturber or anything, but that sure doesn't look like what I've always known W1 to be. For instance, I always thought that the difference between W1 and W2 was the addition of Vanadium. That listing shows not only Vanadium for W1, but a lot more than what would be considered trace. Also, those seem to be a good bit more than trace elements of Chrome, Molybedenum, Nickel and especially Tungsten. I question the validity of that chart.
 
You would be amazed at the trace elements that are actually in steel these days. Problem being copper for one.
 
Danbo. I have the same Syderco chart and I question the accuracy, other charts show no chromium and no vanadium.

Also, no nickel, no tungsten and no moly in W1.
 
As a side note, I'd sure like to get ahold of some of that W1 as listed on the Spyderco chart. ;) Looks like some good stuff, with all those other goodies in it. :)
 
All the sources I've seen (except above chart) list C, Mn, and Si as the only alloys. I wish it had tungsten, vanadium, and nickel. :)
 
Mark brought up the issue of other elements in steel. As time goes on and we have more steel tested, we are seeing more elements like aluminum, copper and titanium in the chemical analysis.

To further confuse the issue, I did some research and found the following chemical compositions for W1:

W-1 Steel......Spyderco....Daido.....EM.......efunda......MatWeb
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Carbon......0.70-1.50...0.90-1.00...1.00...0.70-1.50...0.60-1.40
Chromium.........0.15........0.35....--.........0.15........0.15
Copper......................--.......--.........0.20.......--
Manganese...0.10-0.40........0.50...0.30...0.10-0.40........0.25
Molybdenum.......0.10.......--.......--.........0.10.......--
Nickel...........0.20........0.25....--.........0.20.......--
Phosphorus......--..........--.......--.........0.02........0.02
Silicon.....0.10-0.40.......--......0.30...0.10-0.40.......--
Sulfur..........--..........--.......--.........0.02........0.02
Tungsten.........0.50.......--.......--.........0.15.......--
Vanadium.........0.10.......--.......--.........0.10........0.01
EM = Encyclopedia of Metallurgy
efunda = Engineering Fundamentals
MatWeb = Materials Database

Has anyone had their W-1 tested? Having chemical analysis performed is the only way to truly know the composition of the steel.
 
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