80CRV2 against D2 steel

T

thedirector93

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Dec 10, 2013
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i was gonna make a tactical knife soon (9 inches overall, 1.5 inch wide blade, 3/16 thick), but im not sure which steel to use, im stuck between using 80CRV2 or D2, which is tougher? i've heard both are tough but i've heard D2 is really rust resistant, so im kinda leaning towards that, but i've only read a little bit about 80CRV2, so i just want some opinions
 
If corrosion resistance is important look into CPM 3V. Its almost stainless, has excellent edge holding and is as tough as blade steel gets.
 
I make heap of my pig stickers out of D2 with only positive feedback. I have a D2 knife that i made and its been performing very well. Mind you I havent worked with the other steel mentioned here. I mostly use D2 , ATS34 and S30v. 440 series on kitchen knives.
D2 isnt junk.
 
D2 certainly isn't junk. Steels all have various properties in various proportions. D2 is not considered a steel with high toughness, so it's not the best choice for a large tactical knife.
 
D2 has great edge holding, excellent rust resistance and good toughness. I would consider it one of the most well rounded blade steels out there. I feel the chipping issues are somewhat of a myth as I test my steel extensively and have nothing but good to say about D2 even at a high hardness.

The 80CRV2 sounds excellent on paper but I have not used any. I want to try some!
 
Mike Routson said:
Thick D2 is a good knife steel!
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Yes sir Mike. I've used D2 for years, and found it to be "one" of my go to blades for the field. Every knife is a different tool, and has its own specific use. I'm 63, and have been an enthusiast since I was 8 in 1963. I don't believe there is a knife that exists that does it all. I have "Full" confidence in my mid-high end D2 knives.
 
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D2 was designed for wear resistance. It’s a fine steel, but it has been replaced largely with steels such as cru-wear, which is tougher plus more wear resistant, z-wear/cpm Cru-wear, which adds a good deal of toughness to the mix, 3V, if you need something tougher yet, and are willing to give up some wear resistance compared to other steels in this group, or 4V/V4E, which is more wear resistant than any mentioned thus far.
 
Thank you very much for your valuable time sir. I have an extensive collection, but I must say I haven't researched D2 comparitavely. I'm looking for a good antidog knife. I have the 5150, Ka-bar, Hinderer blades, but one D2 in particular caught my eye. I was attacked 2 years ago by a pitbull. I had the Recon I folder. I lost 400 bucks worth o f.c clothes but the XHP did its job. I truly appreciate you. Thank you again.
 
D2 is fine for small to medium fix blade. The corrosion resistance could be better than most people expect with the right HT (high aus temp, fast quench and cryo) The edge holding is comparable to many modern PM alloy. Its just didnt design to withstand high impact due to low toughness.
 
Welcome Mike and Mark,
When you pull up a thread in a search, look at the date of the last few posts. This is a four year old thread.

In the past, there were only a few steels available to most smiths. Today, there are dozens ( maybe a hundred?). The choice of steel may seem daunting, but the best choice is to pick a readily available steel with good properties and learn to master that steel. The steel alone will not make a good knife - it takes proper forging/grinding and the right HT to make the steel good. The ones most popular are those with the most use and data. 1084, 80CrV, 52100, Cruforge V, AEB-L, CPM-154, CPM-S35VN are a few of the most used.
 
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