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Permalink Reply by Jack Haskins, Jr. on July 15, 2013 at 10:02

This sounds great to me.  I think EDC knives are much better with a toothier or coarser edge.  VG-10 and S30V are both great steels IMO.  Easy to sharpen with great edge holding and very little chipping even at lower angles.  ZDP on the other hand...  Talk about hard! :)  I love the steel though.  Just know how to sharpen it and it's great.  Put a really low angle on the very edge and you may be in trouble. :(  Keep the very edge at 36° - 40° and you're fine I think.

Alexander Noot said:

Jack, I think edgeholding should be somewhere in between VG-10 and S30V.

But it takes a courser edge than VG-10 in general. It's not as finegrained.

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Permalink Reply by peter force on July 15, 2013 at 12:32

youll dig it!..if not let me know.

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Permalink Reply by peter force on July 15, 2013 at 12:34

NOOT! AGREE ON THE g-10 all blades with it have held edges forever!...

Jack Haskins, Jr. said:

This sounds great to me.  I think EDC knives are much better with a toothier or coarser edge.  VG-10 and S30V are both great steels IMO.  Easy to sharpen with great edge holding and very little chipping even at lower angles.  ZDP on the other hand...  Talk about hard! :)  I love the steel though.  Just know how to sharpen it and it's great.  Put a really low angle on the very edge and you may be in trouble. :(  Keep the very edge at 36° - 40° and you're fine I think.

Alexander Noot said:

Jack, I think edgeholding should be somewhere in between VG-10 and S30V.

But it takes a courser edge than VG-10 in general. It's not as finegrained.

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Permalink Reply by Alexander Noot on July 15, 2013 at 12:41

I have to agree on that Robert. It took me months to tweak my gunstock to where I was happy with it.

Robert Burris said:

I am not a big fan of D2 in general but it can make a good knife blade. With that said, I'll tell you what I found out about the Queen knives in D2, pre Daniels. The steel and it's temper were fine but the edge bevel was much too steep, for me. It took me a while to figure out the problem. Once I discovered the problem, it took me a good while to get the bevel a bit flatter, because D2 is a bit hard to shape or sharpen using oil stones.

    I now have the bevels correct for my use and it is a lot easier to sharpen and does a fine job, in the cutting department. I have not bought { shame on me } a knife from Queen since the Daniels have taken over, so I can't give an opinion or review on their knives.

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Permalink Reply by peter force on July 15, 2013 at 12:49

Jack Haskins, Jr. said:

Alexander Noot said:

I've not had any real rust on my Queen blade. Some light discolouring after cutting steaks with it but nothing much really. The stuff takes a great edge as well. Stays sharp. A little bit more effort needed to actually get sharp.

You say you're NOT familiar with CPM-D2? What are you used to? I feel that for a small blade D2 is an excellent choice. Great edgeholding.

The blade steels I've had enough experience with to form an opinion are:

AUS-8

VG-10

CPM-S30V

CTS-XHP

CPM-M4

ZDP-189

I've had a couple of Case knives with the tru-sharp SS and the Chrome-Vanadium (CV) steels.  I have mostly been using knives other than the "traditional" type in the past recent years.  I've used Gerber, SOG, CRKT and a couple of others but my favorite has been Spyderco. Now I'm developing an interest in the "traditional" type pocket knives like I used most of my life.  I believe if I use the same type of knives I used as a kid it will make me younger. :)  Girls change their hair style.  Men change their pocket knives. :)

"I believe if I use the same type of knives I used as a kid it will make me younger. :)  Girls change their hair style.  Men change their pocket knives. :)"-LOLOLOLOLOLOLOL~~

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FeaturedPermalink Reply by Craig Henry on July 15, 2013 at 16:46

If I were to use a Queen I wouldn't mind trying D2. I've heard guys that say they like it, and I've heard guys that say they prefer a straight 1095 or CV.....or something else.  I think it comes down to what it all comes down to with knives (and everything else); personal taste and opinion. I say, give it a try then you'll know. What is more fun than trying a new knife steel? And you can always go back to something else if you want.....or switch back and forth.

I used to carry knives with VG10 and S30V and I like those steels alot. So if it's between those, like Alexander says, you should like it.

I CAN see my mailbox from the house. I can get my knives faster if I'm at the mail box. The Post Office should count themselves lucky that I don't go down to the Post Office and wait......'cause I'd have to sleep there.....and I don't sleep in pajamas.

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KnifeMakerPermalink Reply by Vance Wade Hinds on July 15, 2013 at 16:47

D2 is my favorite knife steel.  It is fairly economical and holds an edge outstandingly.  My experience with D2 comes from 2 separate Bob Dozier neck knives.  For years, I kept one of them on all the time.  I lost one in the Comal River floating on an inner-tube and drinking beer.  I also have a Knives of Alaska caping knife in D2.  I love those knives and that steel.  I liked it so much, I bought my brother a D2 Queen Trapper and I think he is on his 3rd Queen D2 Trapper.  He bought one for his best friend and deer hunting buddy, and neither one will use anything else but the Queen Trappers.  I think you will love the steel and the Queen knives.  The only down sides are the difficulty in sharpening and the blade being brittle because of how hard it is.  My brother broke a back spring on his first trapper.  I have the knife and hope to repair it for him.  My Knife of Alaska tip broke off when my son decided to stick the knife in the cleaning table.  So I had to reshape the blade.  If you have patience in sharpening and don't abuse the knife, I think you will love it.  I have knives made of s90v, 30v, m4, 5160, 1084, 154cm, and many others, but seem to prefer D2.  Enjoy the knife.  Vance Hinds, Texas Sharp     

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KnifeMakerPermalink Reply by Dave Taylor on July 15, 2013 at 17:06

I too am back on the Queen bandwagon along with Steve.  I have used the Queen #06L Teardrop pattern in D2 for many years.  It is a fine blade steel for a working knife and has always performed well for me.  Although D2 is not considered a "stainless" type steel it is close and I have had no issues with rust or corrosion. 

The way to alter the initial blade bevel for a Queen knife in D2 is to forget the traditional "oil stones" and go right to a medium diamond hone followed by a fine diamond hone.  Once you have the initial bevel where you want it you can easily maintain it with your favorite type of sharpening system and stones.  That's why D2 is such a great working steel, it is hard, and therefore holds its edge well.

Queen D2 and Schatt & Morgan ATS-34 have never let me down. 

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In MemoriamPermalink Reply by D ale on July 15, 2013 at 18:37

I believe you'll be quite satisfied .. I know I am with mine. 

They hold an edge longer than most of my other knives.

I've never seen rust on any of mine ......... but then, rust doesn't grow on EDC's. They will tarnish quicker than stainless. 

I've heard the PH in the PH-D2 stamp is for Peter's Heat Treat Inc.  i.e. it's not just their use of D2 .. it's HOW they use it ..or.. heat treat it.

You might want to invest in a diamond file .. I personally have the Eze-Lap product.

Queen's done a good job w/ the D2 I have of their's .. I'd be surprised if you're not pleased.

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In MemoriamPermalink Reply by Robert Burris on July 15, 2013 at 18:40

Dave, that's good advise but I just didn't realize the problem for a while. Thanks, for the info.

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Permalink Reply by Steve Pfeiffer on July 15, 2013 at 18:48

Queen will replace the broken backspring at no cost under warranty and they do an outstanding job, always have for me anyway.

Personally I have mixed feelings about Queen's D2. For all of the effort you have to put into reprofiling and sharpening, the best I can get is an average level of sharpness. And my experience has been that the edge holding is no better than any other steel that I have tried, like Case CV, Case 420SS, and 1095. In fact the D2 is worse than most. And I have carried and used over a dozen Queens in the D2 since they introduced it in 2002.

Vance Wade Hinds said:

D2 is my favorite knife steel.  It is fairly economical and holds an edge outstandingly.  My experience with D2 comes from 2 separate Bob Dozier neck knives.  For years, I kept one of them on all the time.  I lost one in the Comal River floating on an inner-tube and drinking beer.  I also have a Knives of Alaska caping knife in D2.  I love those knives and that steel.  I liked it so much, I bought my brother a D2 Queen Trapper and I think he is on his 3rd Queen D2 Trapper.  He bought one for his best friend and deer hunting buddy, and neither one will use anything else but the Queen Trappers.  I think you will love the steel and the Queen knives.  The only down sides are the difficulty in sharpening and the blade being brittle because of how hard it is.  My brother broke a back spring on his first trapper.  I have the knife and hope to repair it for him.  My Knife of Alaska tip broke off when my son decided to stick the knife in the cleaning table.  So I had to reshape the blade.  If you have patience in sharpening and don't abuse the knife, I think you will love it.  I have knives made of s90v, 30v, m4, 5160, 1084, 154cm, and many others, but seem to prefer D2.  Enjoy the knife.  Vance Hinds, Texas Sharp     

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KnifeMakerPermalink Reply by Dave Taylor on July 15, 2013 at 19:20

Robert Burris said:

Dave, that's good advise but I just didn't realize the problem for a while. Thanks, for the info.

I'm with you Robert.  I love my traditional oil stones and used them for a good many years.  When I discovered that diamonds worked so well on D2 I was very impressed with how quickly I could get that initial edge bevel that I personally prefer.  After I get that initial bevel established the diamonds get put away until I buy another D2 Queen.  Then I maintain that edge with my favorite stone combinations.

Sharpening is a relaxing pastime in itself for me.  Sunday afternoons are sharpening day at my place.  I go all the way to 1000 grit and then polish the edge to a mirror finish.  Stropping on a horsehide strop finishes the job.  Then I have to go find something to cut !! 

And I want to say right here that I should not have advised using the Medium Diamond hone!  I meant to say that I use the Fine Diamond and then the Extra Fine Diamond.  My mistake and I apologize for the error on my part.   

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