Where to get round or square bar

[Joseph Bandeko]

Hello, I have plans for a integral chef’s knife, I was going use 52100 round, but I want to do a hamon.
Does anyone know where I can get some round or square bar for this?
I can get W1 from online metals but I’m a little concerned about the quality of it.

Regards,
Joseph

 

[Richard338]

How thick are you thinking? NJSB has W2 in 3/8" bars...
They also have 1080 in 1" square.

 

[D-weaver]

How thick are you thinking? NJSB has W2 in 3/8" bars...
They also have 1080 in 1" square.

is this the same steel that usaknifemaker carries? (they're out of stock, but specify the carbon and other elements).

 

[Richard338]

Yes

 

[Joseph Bandeko]

How thick are you thinking? NJSB has W2 in 3/8" bars...

Yes that would work (I'd just have to forge it a little to get it there), though again, how is the quality of there W2? I've heard mixed reviews.

 

[Richard338]

Yes that would work (I'd just have to forge it a little to get it there), though again, how is the quality of there W2? I've heard mixed reviews.

I used it in two projects this year with success. I'm not aware of anyone selling it that doesn't get it from that same place anyway.

 

[D-weaver]

Yes

Fantastic - thanks!

 

[Joseph Bandeko]

Thank you Richard338 for your help!
Unless someone has a better suggestoin I will give NJB's W2 a try.

 

[Joshua Fisher]

Pops has 3/4” and 1” round bar of 1085 that I’ve gotten subtle hamons with, you can also get W1 round bar with mill specs from places like grainger that will give a decent hamon, just doesn’t have the vanadium that W2 has. Keep in mind 1” square is more mass than 1” round. Also looks like njsb is out of their square stock and also don’t have mill specs available to check manganese content. Personally I’d get w1 round from grainger and request mill specs.

 

[Joshua Fisher]

This started as 2” round W1 from a metal supplier. Couldn’t say which supplier as it was given to me by the production team of Forged in Fire.