working with M2

A

Andy_L

Joined
Dec 1, 2004
Messages
709
I'm new to making knives

I can get a lump of this steel free and can also get it heat treated so no problems there. I'm just after tips when working with it
 
Certainly would NOT be my first choice as a beginner steel. M2 is VERY wear resistant, so working with it is not gonna be any fun. If you have to use it, I would do a good bit of the work before heat treating.

But, if you can get it free, get it. M2 cannot be cheap to buy. I would save it until I got more experienced. Meanwhile, get yourself some O1 to play with. :)
 
The only quote I have gotten for M2 was 3X as expensive as D2 and 2X S30V. I would like to try it, but don't believe it's that nuch better than D2 or even any better than S30V, so I haven't bothered.

For free, I would jump on it.
 
if I miss this bit of M2 it's not like I wont be able to get another

IMy uncle works in the industry and they get pieces big enough for my needs that they can't use. Oddly enough he suggested M2 as it's relitively easy to work with!! I guess T1 is a lot harder still.

they also use A2 and 1095 quite a bit as well
 
M2 won't be any harder to work with than the stainless knife steels before heat treat. After heat treating, it may be a little harder to finish.

It'll make the hardest, toughest knife blade you'll come across. I'd use it on some of my knives, but my heat treating furnace can't handle that high a temperature. :cool:
 
that may also ccome in time

I've just found out that that there's some M2 with the HT done as well :rolleyes:
 
Andy
get all you can ! if you don't want it ill be happy to use it ! i love the stuff i made a double blade with a " Fuller " in it just yesterday . the guy's are right it makes a great blade !takes a great edge too .
i think it is better than S-30v i have ground both enough to form a opinion .
S-30v is a bit more difficult to take a razor edge but it will take it .
M-2 is like 154cm / ats-34 a very high temp steel .ive been working this stuff for 4-5 years now .if you don't want it maybe you can sell me some ?
 
Andy_L said:
My uncle works in the industry and they get pieces big enough for my needs that they can't use. Oddly enough he suggested M2 as it's relitively easy to work with!! I guess T1 is a lot harder still.
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Indeed it is, due to its high tungsten content which doesn't make it exactly the most suitable knife steel, judging by the lack of T1 knives - they'd be more prone to corrosion, arder to manufacture and more complicated to heat treat on top of being more expensive so why bother with T1 ?

In theory the advantage of high-speed steels (over "regular" cold-working tool steels) is the second hardness peak at working temperatures, as opposed to monotonous drop in hardness with increase of temperature of cold working steels. But this is irrelevant for knives - you surely don't intend to use your knife at 500+ degrees Celsius ? Why waste tools faster on HSS and make heat treating more complicated in addition to making compromises regarding corrosion resistance if you can just as easily get A2 ? If i were you i'd start with A2 as suggested (myself i'm starting with D2) and just store the M2 'cause you never know when your supply might dry out - you might even be able to trade it for tools or something like that to other makers perhaps ?
 
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