High Carbon Blade? - Page 2

QKShooter · September 22nd, 2007, 06:57 AM

That's an interesting chart.
I really like the AUS-8 steel which seems to be right in the middle of the road according to that chart.

ELCruisr · September 22nd, 2007, 10:01 AM

Knife steels are all a compromise. There is abrasion resistance (makes it keep an edge longer but harder to sharpen), toughness (resistance to shock and breakage), corrosion resistance, hardness among some other points. They all influence each other and gains in one area will change the others, often negatively.

Then you throw in the effects of heat treating and tempering. I, personally like D-2 in my working blades. A little brittle (Don't pry with it) and a little harder to sharpen but will maintain a wonderful edge and has just enough chromium to resist rust.

When I was learning knife making one of the old timers who had made a lot of military specialty knives had settled on O-1. A "simple" carbon tool steel for his field blades. His attitude was "let it stain and rust, so what!"' The advantage was a tough flexible blade that was very hard to break, when properly heat treated, but that could take a razor edge very easily with a small hand stone or smooth rock. An advantage in the boonies. With some of the simple tool steels you can compound temper the steel. This leaves a softer, tougher spine with a nice hard edge. You can't do that with stainless or "complex" tool steels.

It's really only in the last few decades that everyone is worried about their knife steels staying nice and shiny. All the old blades I've handled have a nice brown patina but take wicked edges with basic tools.

The trick is to match the desires of the owner and job at hand to the steel. The real problem is usually to get the owners' expectations into the world of reality!

Oh, and for the ultimate edge take your newly sharpened blade to a buffing wheel and some green chrome rouge! OOOHHHHH YEAH! I did some Scagel style blades once. The blade runs a flat taper from spine to edge, no sharpening bevel really. Mirror polished and absolutely phenominal cutters.

blgoode · September 23rd, 2007, 09:12 PM

you have it backwards my friend. Stainless is way harder to sharpen than non stainless blades. I mainly use 0-1 tool steel and it holds an edge a long time and it sharpens to hair popping sharp in under a min with just a simple stone. Cant to that with High Carbon Stainless.
http://www.bgoodeknives.com

September 22nd, 2007, 06:57 AM	#11
QKShooter Assistant Administrator Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Off Of The X Posts: 20,001	That's an interesting chart. I really like the AUS-8 steel which seems to be right in the middle of the road according to that chart. __________________

September 22nd, 2007, 10:01 AM	#12
ELCruisr Distinguished Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Central FL Posts: 1,876	Knife steels are all a compromise. There is abrasion resistance (makes it keep an edge longer but harder to sharpen), toughness (resistance to shock and breakage), corrosion resistance, hardness among some other points. They all influence each other and gains in one area will change the others, often negatively. Then you throw in the effects of heat treating and tempering. I, personally like D-2 in my working blades. A little brittle (Don't pry with it) and a little harder to sharpen but will maintain a wonderful edge and has just enough chromium to resist rust. When I was learning knife making one of the old timers who had made a lot of military specialty knives had settled on O-1. A "simple" carbon tool steel for his field blades. His attitude was "let it stain and rust, so what!"' The advantage was a tough flexible blade that was very hard to break, when properly heat treated, but that could take a razor edge very easily with a small hand stone or smooth rock. An advantage in the boonies. With some of the simple tool steels you can compound temper the steel. This leaves a softer, tougher spine with a nice hard edge. You can't do that with stainless or "complex" tool steels. It's really only in the last few decades that everyone is worried about their knife steels staying nice and shiny. All the old blades I've handled have a nice brown patina but take wicked edges with basic tools. The trick is to match the desires of the owner and job at hand to the steel. The real problem is usually to get the owners' expectations into the world of reality! Oh, and for the ultimate edge take your newly sharpened blade to a buffing wheel and some green chrome rouge! OOOHHHHH YEAH! I did some Scagel style blades once. The blade runs a flat taper from spine to edge, no sharpening bevel really. Mirror polished and absolutely phenominal cutters. __________________ If you stand up and be counted, from time to time you may get yourself knocked down. But remember this: A man flattened by an opponent can get up again. A man flattened by conformity stays down for good. ~ Thomas J. Watson, Jr.

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September 23rd, 2007, 09:12 PM	#13
blgoode Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: NC Posts: 26	you have it backwards my friend. Stainless is way harder to sharpen than non stainless blades. I mainly use 0-1 tool steel and it holds an edge a long time and it sharpens to hair popping sharp in under a min with just a simple stone. Cant to that with High Carbon Stainless. http://www.bgoodeknives.com