Why 1050 or 1060 for Japanese style knives?

Danbo

Danbo

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Nov 28, 1999
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Dumb question here. I see all these makers with Japanese style knives, and they are using 1050 or 1060 steel. I know that in order to get that nice, visible temper line a simple carbon steel should be used for best results. What I dont understand is why not 1084 or 1095 steel? It seems to me that the temper line would show up just as easily, but the edge holding would increase a lot. Anybody who has seen one of Don Fogg's knives knows that his forged 1084 blades show off an awesome temper line. I just cant understand the reason for using medium carbon spring steel for small utility or tanto knives. I thought that stuff was best for swords and choppers.

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Danbo, soul brother of Rambo
 
Midrange steels like 1050 are not really necessary for making knives with flerf. However, they're exponentially more forgiving in the quench than higher-carbon variants.

[This message has been edited by Robert Marotz (edited 03-12-2001).]
 
Over to Shop talk as requested by Danbo.

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" The real art of living is to keep alive the longing in human beings to become greater versions of themselves." Laurens Van der Post in memory of James Mattis
 
As Robert said, they're less likely to break on the quench. Also, it's a bit easier to get a dramatic hamon with less carbon in the mix. Fewer carbides isolate the hardened areas better, with a bit more tolerence on the temps.

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Oz

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These guys are right as usual, but also, japanese stuff had about .5 or .6 carbon, so it is also more like the steels in terms of carbon. The water quench is very brutal on steel in terms of shock, and the lower carbon steels handle it better.
 
5160 is also an easy steel to work (grind or forge) it may not be the king of steel but it's sure the drunken cousin. I do 90% of my work with 5160.
 
Robert -- would you mind telling me what "flerf" means or is? Have checked FAQs, AG Russell encyclopedia,search on this and the general forums. Search here didn't even pick up this thread for some reason.

Thanks, I'd appreciate it.



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Asi es la vida

Bugs
 
Thank you. Is this from differentially tempering, without using the clay process?



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Asi es la vida

Bugs
 
Doesn't particularly matter what process was achieved to create the transition zone. As long as it's there, it is flerf.
 
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