A8 mod testing

rodriguezryan14

rodriguezryan14

Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
Joined
Jan 6, 2023
Messages
205
So I’ve been using A8 mod quite a bit lately, and honestly I’ve been pretty impressed by it, I skinned and quartered half an elk Sunday with this knife I made, 58-59 rc, aus temp 1900, 30 minute soak, cryo and triple tempered. I got a little roll on the edge cutting the back straps out, because I was hitting bone. Other than that, I did half an elk. And when I got home I cut up my quarter and packaged my meat without a touch up!! Not bad. All I did was hit it a couple times on a ceramic and it was back to hair popping sharp!! The steel was from Alpha Knife Supply Alpha Knife Supply
 

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I'm glad you started this thread, I've been wanting to try this steel for a while.
It seems like most are posting form Europe, and I'm glad you got yours locally.
I'm wondering why there is supposed to be a difference, what the difference is, and why? Which is better.....
*nice looking blade.
Hopefully more will chime in with what they used.

Thanks.
 
This steel is 5 percent chromium according to chuck. The heat treat response is good. I need to do some harder sample blades, I just haven’t had a chance. I’ve made big and small blades from it. And I’m happy with the performance so far! I did try the high temper, no cryo. But I need to test more. The low temper gives a crisper edge. Hard to explain! But the high temper has held up through anything I’ve put it through, it was a 5 inch wsk style camp knife! I’ve battoned the hell out of that knife!
 
Here are a couple of mine. Great steel. Impossible to chip. Semi stainless. Sharpens easily. Mine are 59/60 Hrc, convex grinds.

GYVJHge.jpeg


9XSGI1W.jpeg
 
Is all of it European based?
or does the steel get made elsewhere? Because of the variance?
 
Crag the Brewer said:
Is all of it European based?
or does the steel get made elsewhere? Because of the variance?
Click to expand...
He said something about that in an email the other day, something about the tolerance of A8 mod was all over the place! He said it wasn’t worth the effort because it wasn’t a popular steel anyway. I’m thinking of making a rather large order soon enough
 
It's probably cause he has a different version than what most people are used to.....

All the uses I hear about that
People like are from the kind that S Scaniaman uses....I


Maybe I should buy some of his (Aks) just to test

I hope we can get other suppliers down the road who will carry it
 
Crag the Brewer said:
It's probably cause he has a different version than what most people are used to.....

All the uses I hear about that
People like are from the kind that S Scaniaman uses....I


Maybe I should buy some of his (Aks) just to test

I hope we can get other suppliers down the road who will carry it
Click to expand...
The only difference is the lower chromium. It’s more like standard A8, minus the tungsten! I’d imagine if anything it might be a little tougher with less chromium! I’m liking it personally. The plan is a couple cut and destruction tests when I get more free time! I’ll be using the high and low temper, with and without cryo. In the next couple weeks, I’ll profile the blades and start heat treating them! I’ll update this post when I get the free time
 
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rodriguezryan14 said:
Chuck said he’s not going to be buying anymore
Click to expand...
I never said we were not buying more. In an email I wrote; "A8M does not have enough popularity or sales to justify me spending more time on it."

A8M should be more popular. It has good chemistry, excellent toughness, heat treats well and has good edge holding. I do not know why it has not caught on.

All our A8M has around 8% chromium. If I said 5% chromium I apologize for the confusion. If you want to see the certs for our A8M the codes are EAG, FOI, IKU, WCO, and WXE. Go here to enter the codes:
A8M Certification Information

Chuck
 
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Alpha Knife Supply said:
I never wrote we

I never said we were not buying more. In an email I wrote; "A8M does not have enough popularity or sales to justify me spending more time on it."

A8M should be more popular. It has good chemistry, excellent toughness, heat treats well and has good edge holding. I do not know why it has not caught on.

All our A8M has around 8% chromium. If I said 5% chromium I apologize for the confusion. If you want to see the certs for our A8M the codes are EAG, FOI, IKU, WCO, and WXE. Go here to enter the codes:
A8M Certification Information

Chuck
Click to expand...

Thank you, I'm going to look for all the info, and reviews I can find......
Then bout to buy some. Looking forward to it!
 
Sorry if I misunderstood you chuck, but that’s what I had got from the email
Alpha Knife Supply said:
I never wrote we

I never said we were not buying more. In an email I wrote; "A8M does not have enough popularity or sales to justify me spending more time on it."

A8M should be more popular. It has good chemistry, excellent toughness, heat treats well and has good edge holding. I do not know why it has not caught on.

All our A8M has around 8% chromium. If I said 5% chromium I apologize for the confusion. If you want to see the certs for our A8M the codes are EAG, FOI, IKU, WCO, and WXE. Go here to enter the codes:
A8M Certification Information

Chuck sorry if I misquoted you chuck, but that’s what I got from the email
Click to expand...
Alpha Knife Supply said:
I never wrote we

I never said we were not buying more. In an email I wrote; "A8M does not have enough popularity or sales to justify me spending more time on it."

A8M should be more popular. It has good chemistry, excellent toughness, heat treats well and has good edge holding. I do not know why it has not caught on.

All our A8M has around 8% chromium. If I said 5% chromium I apologize for the confusion. If you want to see the certs for our A8M the codes are EAG, FOI, IKU, WCO, and WXE. Go here to enter the codes:
A8M Certification Information

Chuck
Click to expand...
, and I never got an answer as far as chromium content
 
Alpha Knife Supply said:
I never wrote we

I never said we were not buying more. In an email I wrote; "A8M does not have enough popularity or sales to justify me spending more time on it."

A8M should be more popular. It has good chemistry, excellent toughness, heat treats well and has good edge holding. I do not know why it has not caught on.

All our A8M has around 8% chromium. If I said 5% chromium I apologize for the confusion. If you want to see the certs for our A8M the codes are EAG, FOI, IKU, WCO, and WXE. Go here to enter the codes:
A8M Certification Information

Chuck
Click to expand...
I’ll be putting in a bigger order this next week for some. Thanks
 
rodriguezryan14 said:
Also are you heat treating yours with a low temper or high temper?
Click to expand...

Aust temp 1038 C 30 min, temper 2x2 hrs 175 C. No cryo on these, but freeze to -40. I only use A8-Mod for larger blades so a percent or two of extra RA is isn't a problem and probably even a good thing.
For smaller blades where wear resistance counts more, I use other steels. With cryo.
 
Alpha Knife Supply said:
I never said we were not buying more. In an email I wrote; "A8M does not have enough popularity or sales to justify me spending more time on it."

A8M should be more popular. It has good chemistry, excellent toughness, heat treats well and has good edge holding. I do not know why it has not caught on.

All our A8M has around 8% chromium. If I said 5% chromium I apologize for the confusion. If you want to see the certs for our A8M the codes are EAG, FOI, IKU, WCO, and WXE. Go here to enter the codes:
A8M Certification Information

Chuck
Click to expand...
Tbl--Elements.gifTbl-A8Mod.gif

I think there's some confusion over the amount of chromium. This image is from the ordering page for A8 modified. The certification data checks out, but that table might be throwing potential buyers off. I think this is a steel that SHOULD catch on so long as people are aware that the edge retention is about the same as A2 but with much higher toughness. If fine edge stability is as good as A2 at equivalent hardness, I bet this stuff at 61HRC would be pretty nifty. If it's as easy to polish and sharpen as A2 and has a little better corrosion resistance, then I think it might be a winner. I'm not educated enough to know much about the edge stability, though.
 
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