Knife Steel

[walshie]

I'm looking at getting a half decent knife for Xmas. The one I'm interested in comes in 3 steels. O1, M2 or D2.

I know D2 is the most stain resistant, but apart from that I don't really know the difference.

It will be used for a bit of everything. Can anyone please explain the pros and cons? Ta.

[Dunkield]

Does this help? http://www.keymetalsinc.com/tool_steel_comparison.html  

[walshie]

Yes, thanks. Well sort of. Still not sure which is the best for an everyday knife. 

[Dunkield]

The brown one 

No idea myself to be honest I am sure someone more helpful will be along shortly.

[Uilleachan]

O2 is pretty good steel, tool steel, takes and holds a ready edge and easy to sharpen. Only down side is that it'll rust if it's left wet in a bag for a fortnight. It'll clean up easily though. Stainless is good too, but harder to sharpen but otherwise lower maintenance, can be brittle if the heat treatment isn't spot on. 

Personally, for a general purpose O2 works for me. I do have a couple of stainless bladed knives, laminate powder steel falkniven knives bought 2nd hand. One a folder kept in my pocket, the other fixed bladed knife lives in my fishing bag and doubles as a blade & priest. 

There can be issues with carbon steel and food prep, however if one preps the blade; clean it shiny dry it and wipe it over with veg oil and it'll be good for making sandwiches through to butchering a beast.   

 

 

 

[walshie]

33 minutes ago, Uilleachan said:

O2 is pretty good steel, tool steel, takes and holds a ready edge and easy to sharpen. Only down side is that it'll rust if it's left wet in a bag for a fortnight. It'll clean up easily though. Stainless is good too, but harder to sharpen but otherwise lower maintenance, can be brittle if the heat treatment isn't spot on. 

Personally, for a general purpose O2 works for me. I do have a couple of stainless bladed knives, laminate powder steel falkniven knives bought 2nd hand. One a folder kept in my pocket, the other fixed bladed knife lives in my fishing bag and doubles as a blade & priest. 

There can be issues with carbon steel and food prep, however if one preps the blade; clean it shiny dry it and wipe it over with veg oil and it'll be good for making sandwiches through to butchering a beast.   

 

 

 

Thanks for that. The knife I''m looking at does come in stainless, but I've got stainless blades of various types already. I think I'll go with the O1. 

[walshie]

Oops! Just noticed you said O2. Knife only comes in O1, M2 or D2. 

[washerboy]

Only ever machined D2 and I know how tough/ hard it can be I would go for that 

[Uilleachan]

28 minutes ago, walshie said:

Oops! Just noticed you said O2. Knife only comes in O1, M2 or D2. 

Meant O1  

You won't go wrong with carbon tool steel, it just needs looking after-ish compared to stainless. 

Edited November 22, 2017 by Uilleachan

[walshie]

6 minutes ago, Uilleachan said:

Meant O1 

Phew. Cheers. I'll go for the O1 in that case. 

[IEH]

D2 is very hard and can be a *****r to sharpen.

O1 is a very good workaday knife steel.

[bigman]

the hardness of the steel will depend on the heat treatment / temper temperature not the steel type 

some steels are capable of reaching higher levels of hardness than others 

for general use I like o1 it can be a very tough steel with good edge retention , but remember a knifes only as good as the heat treatment 

if you go for o1 just make sure you dry it before storing it will get a wonderful patina with use over time 

[walshie]

Yeah, looking forward to getting a nice patina on it. 

[Walker570]

I've made a number of knives from O1 and they have worked out fine. As said look after it properly and it will serve well.

[bigman]

What knife is it your looking at bud? 

[CaptainBeaky]

45 minutes ago, Walker570 said:

I've made a number of knives from O1 and they have worked out fine. As said look after it properly and it will serve well.

Likewise. D2 can also, I hear, be prone to edge chipping when at higher hardnesses.

O1 makes a lovely knife, and it's easy to sharpen.

[walshie]

5 minutes ago, bigman said:

What knife is it your looking at bud? 

Enzo trapper. 

[Walker570]

With any blade but more so with 01, I don't harden the whole blade. I take the blade to the right temp., and then just roll the 1/2 to 3/4 inch or so of the cutting edge in that depth of veg oil. I find it leaves the spine flexible but hardens the important part of the blade.

Edited November 22, 2017 by Walker570

[figgy]

For a everyday do everything knife go hard as nails stainless and a diamond sharpener. 

I have various knives and the one that gets used most and has for over a decade is the stainless leatherman micro just wish it was harder as I use it hard. 

[TIGHTCHOKE]

Could I suggest you have a look at this;

https://www.varusteleka.com/en/product/terava-jaakaripuukko-carbon-steel/56524

They stock lots of nice knives and their prices are very favourable.

[walshie]

12 minutes ago, TIGHTCHOKE said:

Could I suggest you have a look at this;

https://www.varusteleka.com/en/product/terava-jaakaripuukko-carbon-steel/56524

They stock lots of nice knives and their prices are very favourable.

[Graham M]

Trapper in D2 is brilliant. Brass guard and Lignum Vitea scales, makes for one really tough knife.

[walshie]

7 hours ago, Graham M said:

Trapper in D2 is brilliant. Brass guard and Lignum Vitea scales, makes for one really tough knife.

Veeery nice. 

[Uilleachan]

13 hours ago, walshie said:

Yeah, looking forward to getting a nice patina on it. 

If you're into that sort of thing, try starting it off by wrapping the blade in kitchen roll placing it on a saucer onto which you've poured some vinegar, leave it soaking for a few hours.  

[Graham M]

Or boil some white vinegar and dip it in for 10 minutes