You probably don't want to harden D2 to 62

Brock Cutlery

Brock Cutlery

Joined
Jan 10, 2015
Messages
1,673
Just saying...

I regularly work with 63 AEBL and 52100 and it's tough, but doable, very doable.
D2? I went through 2 40 Cubitrons, 2 60, and 120, 220.
Good grief!
I'll probably throw this one away, or make a Frankenstein knife experiment out of it.
I imagine it will slice carbide fairly well.
 
How've close to finish shape was the blade befor you heat treated it. I get my D2 to just about finished blade befor I heat treat. D2 can be a bear to grind after heat treat but it's totally worth it as long as the heat treat was done correctly and tuned for knives.
 
I've found D2 and A2 to be about the most stable things out there in heat treat. I'll normally grind them completely to finish size before heat treat, and to a fine enough finish I only need to buff after hardening. Cuts down on a lot of belts
 
I guess I should have asked before I HT these blades. I only put a small bevel on them prior.
I hollow ground this one on a 14 inch wheel. Just trying to clean up the scale is eating belts. It's pretty crazy.
I guess I will proceed since I have so much into it already, but I won't do it this way again.
Thanks for the tips guys!
 
Do a 1200 degree anneal then finish grind and re harden. It will save you a lot of work.
 
I'm by no means an "expert" but D2, like some other high alloy tool steels, from what I've seen, is one of those that has an incredible range of potential HT, and comparing one piece even of the same geometry, to another, at the same hardness, can give a very wide range of results.

I've seen INSANE performance from D2, and I've seen performance that I'd never want to be associated with, both at the same hardness, with similar or equal geometry, but vastly different HT recipes. Many high alloy tool steels are this way, and you can't expect to get the best results for knives, by following "industry standard" HT regimes that were created as baselines, for other applications.

Edit: Lol clearly I didn't read the OP well, I thought you were bitching about performance. I responded below with input on grinding it.
 
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Also, in regards to grinding hardened tool steel, there is only one belt choice: Yellow 967 Cubitrons. They are completely different than the two other cubitron II red belts (984F are my go-to, but not for hardened stainless or high alloy tool steels) There's another red cubitron II, (964? or 944?) that is supposed to break down under lower pressures, but I found they glazed easier and I didn't like them.

Probably HT'd 52100 is as hard or worse to grind, and the 967's will eat it up.

Another thing to mention: Forge scale, is harder than any steel, and will destroy a new belt. Use an old belt to remove it, or pickle it first. Also, always cut the sharp corner off the edge bevel with an old belt, or it'll strip abrasive from a new belt very quickly.
 
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I'm trying not to gloat. ;)

This is exactly what I experienced with Niolox. My lesson from that encounter is it needs to be ground to 99% before HT.

Otherwise, it eats your belts, sheets and self confidence. :D
 
The black Norton R999 belts could be worth trying too. Only come in 24 and 36 grit.
I haven't used the cubitron belts, but these nortons eat hardened steel like crazy.
 
I keep a few around for rough grinding chef's knives (aeb-L, ground entirely after HT) and I find them well worth the 2x per belt cost of my usual VSM ceramics
 
I can only Sharpen high hrc D2 with diamonds... so I would say try a diamond belt (I don't make knives)?
 
I've been taking D2 to 63. It really is a great alloy.

Grind a bunch of 4V at 64 and you'll appreciate hard D2...
 
Anyone know where to get 967s in Canada? I can get the black Norton 999s locally.
 
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