Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Nick Hansen on March 24, 2011 at 21:13

1095 seems to be a favorite to a lot of people.

 

I am sure that if I purchased and carried a Great Eastern Cutlery knife with the 1095 steel , then my opinions would change. But like I said, I don't have a whole lot of experience with it. I did cut up some boxes with my 1095 knife though and it held it's edge really well. I didn't feel as if I needed to sharpen it afterwards. 

 

I am more of a pocket knife guy. But if I could find a decent-looking, hunting-style fixed blade with a stag or wooden handle and a ~3" blade with a nice leather sheath, then I would carry it all of the time. A 1095 blade would make it even better.

In MemoriamPermalink Reply by Robert Burris on March 27, 2011 at 19:50

1095, 5160 and o1. These are my favorites. All knives need to be taken care of.  If you take care of these just a little bit and learn the ways to take care of them even better, you will not have any problem with carbon steel. I will post ways to take care of them later.   I am sure that their is alot of people that can help me with this.

Permalink Reply by Halicon on April 1, 2011 at 10:07

Hmm.. White Steel #1 but -only- if properly forged. Assab K120 is quite good too, Bohler 990k is also a clear favorite.

 

For longer blades I would say Tamahagane at around 1.7% carbon. The "bite" and cutting ability of Tamahagane is simply amazing, the edge almost feels like a magnet to anything that comes close to the edge.

 

There's also Tougou-Inukubi which is one of the hardest steels today to smith. Purer in iron than White Steel (even K120 which is super-pure with iron) and Tamahagane but not quite as high with the carbon percentage to keep the same performance.

It does have the biting feeling of Tamahagane and Bohler 990k because of it's high iron purity.

 

Those are a few but I can't really choose since I have a full array of different carbon tools, purer carbon tools, less pure ones. Then alloy tools, purer alloy tools and heavier alloy types so that I'm covered for any need I run up against.

 

For example, my White steel #1 tempered at 100 degrees is a true treat to use when working wood but it would shatter like glass if swung like a knife. For that I have a WS#2 Japanese woodworking machete (hybrid design to cut down trees aswell as branch and bark them, flat edge).

And so on, I simply switch my steel for my needs. The only finger I can put as a favorite is WS#1 tempered at 100 degrees ;)

 

Permalink Reply by Jan Carter on April 25, 2011 at 20:27

I gotta go with the 1095.  Donnie uses his knives hard at work.  Last brand we were buying for over 40 years.  Went from buying one new user a year to one per 1/4 because the steel would not hold up to the job.  The 1095 now however has been working hard for a year and still looks new.  Blades get wiped off daily and maybe once a week it gets a drop of rem oil.  Hold an edge, gets shapened maybe every  8 days or so.

In MemoriamPermalink Reply by D ale on April 29, 2011 at 0:09

 

D2

 

I was first exposed to D2 in the steel fab industry. Punches, knives, & other die components are hardened to a 60~61 Rc & then used to shear & punch holes in softer (30~32 Rc) steel.  Production runs of  25K ~ 35K pieces between scheduled maintence / sharpenings are common w/o proper lubrication to the die. Proper auto-lube in the die & a good run could be pushed to 55k parts before burrs would force the pulling of the die for sharpening.

This is simply some tuff schtuff  !!!

 

 

Permalink Reply by stephen tungate on April 29, 2011 at 0:48

great info dale thanks.

Permalink Reply by Halicon on May 8, 2011 at 20:28

Dale, you really need to forget your machinist past, especially when it comes to carbon steels. The uses are completely different and to be honest, your comment is mislocated since D2 isn't a carbon steel but made primarily for industrial use in the beginning.

Such a steel has it's limits and I could source you to a knife with performance that would literally drop your jaw since you can go from cutting straight into tempered steel without a single lost edge serration. Since you enjoy the machinist steels so much I'm actually surprised that you aren't using BS#1 & 2 more, both superior steels, hardens better, cuts better, finer grain and so on.

 

I personally use BS#1 as a burnishing steel for removing steel, it eats anything up (D2 is very low in this food chain), taking shavings out of as far as HRC 68 steel.

 

But please, what I want to get across is, don't limit yourself to D2. There are so many incredible steels out in the world and it's horrible that people are touting D2 as something end-all be-all solution.

Permalink Reply by falah gumilar on May 9, 2011 at 6:42

I love 1095, hold edge very well and very easy to sharpen

Permalink Reply by Jan Carter on May 11, 2011 at 17:50

I agree Falah

In MemoriamPermalink Reply by Robert Burris on May 11, 2011 at 18:00

Yes Falah and Miss Jan, it's probably my favorite carbon steel. What was good enough for my paw paw is good enough for me. What worked a 100 years ago still works today.

Permalink Reply by Jan Carter on May 11, 2011 at 18:21

Old school almost always works for me Robert.  Those 100 year old knives are still in use in your home and mine.  Takes a lickin' and keeps on tickin', thats why I love carbon steel

Permalink Reply by Halicon on May 12, 2011 at 9:03

Robert, why do you make a carbon steel thread when you only have one carbon steel in mind? Open your views on the matter my friend.

 

I feel terribly out of place here at iKC, I probably won't stick around for too long when it takes me months to convince someone to simply try an imported craft.

• ‹ Previous
• 1
• 2
• 3
• Next ›
• Page