Best steel for simple heat treatment

S

skillgannon

Joined
Apr 27, 2009
Messages
991
I'm using up my first batch of 1084. Is there another steel that will give me more performance such as 01 or 80CrV2?

All I have is a small mini forge and canola oil.
 
With your current tools, 1084 is still probably your best bet.
What does 'performance' mean to you?
1084's shortcomings are rusting and abrasion-based wear resistance (yet it's quite tough). But you can run 1084 pretty darn hard and it holds up pretty well because of the very fine grain and lack of large carbides to tear out of the edge. How are you currently tempering for what target hardness?
 
skillgannon said:
I'm using up my first batch of 1084. Is there another steel that will give me more performance such as 01 or 80CrV2?

All I have is a small mini forge and canola oil.
Click to expand...

I have been using 5160 and 01 since I have started making knives. Both are great steels.
I purchased some 1084 at the blade show to give it a try, and I tell you what I was well pleased.
I don't think you could go wrong with any of them.
 
O1 is hard to heat-treat well with just a small forge. It should really soak at temperature for ~10min, and that suggests kiln/foil/oil. You can certainly treat O1 with just a forge and canola - I've done it - but you're leaving performance on the table, so it's a waste of money.

1084 vs. 5160 vs. 80CRV2: How should the OP expect to experience a difference in from these steels? At what hardnesses? What do they bring to the table vs. 1084 given his setup?

Skillgannon, what kind of knives are you making?
 
5160 is going to be tougher at the same hardness, with lower attainable hardness. Maybe the next most forgiving in heat treat.

80CRV2 will also be tougher at the same hardness and the vanadium is just enough to help retain fine grain when ht in a forge. I don't know if it forms chromium or vanadium carbides, but you can "soak" it in a muffled forge without too much risk of grain growth. Comparing it to 1084, in my opinion, is like comparing 1095 or W1 to W2. Similar carbon content with the am all addition of vanadium makes it outperform to a greater extent than the amount of V would suggest. My theory being that the am all amount of V doesn't form carbides, but strengthens the grain boundaries enough to perform noticebly better.

I would continue using 1084 for pure cutters and work with 80CRV2 for long blades or knives that would see chopping or miscellaneous duties/mistreatment, were I in the OPs position.

Actually that's exactly what I did when I was in the same position. Started with 1084 and started with 80CRV2 next. Still use both.
 
I am purchasing the 48"x15.75" sheets and there really isn't much price difference between 1084 and 80CrV2. I am making a few large chopping blades as well as small drop points. I'm also hoping for a few chef knifes
 
kuraki said:
80CRV2 will also be tougher at the same hardness and the vanadium is just enough to help retain fine grain when ht in a forge. I don't know if it forms chromium or vanadium carbides, but you can "soak" it in a muffled forge without too much risk of grain growth. Comparing it to 1084, in my opinion, is like comparing 1095 or W1 to W2. Similar carbon content with the am all addition of vanadium makes it outperform to a greater extent than the amount of V would suggest.
Click to expand...

Would love to play with 80CRV2 one of these days when I'm back in the States. For the record, Aldo's 1084 also has some vanadium in it. Used to heat treat it in a coke forge, and my grain size was always like glass. I can't speak for its performance vs. 80CRV2, but I was always impressed by its toughness.
 
I've been happy so far with performance of 15N20 I've heat treated in my two brick forge with canola. I know I'm not "extracting the max" but for my kitchen knives in use seems to be just a bit tougher than 1084 yet still easy for the user to maintsin sharp easily. Unlike O1, the price is similar to 1084. The main issue is unavailability of thick stock if you want thicker knives.
 
I've kind of been in the same boat. I've wanted to try some other steel outside of 1084 and although I have an oven, I'm still trying to stick with some of the easier options for now. I just put in an order and got some various stock to try for different projects.
Field knives: 15N20 in .125
Big choppers and camp knives: 80crv2 in .1875
Kitchen: 15N20 in .074 and grabbed some .98 AEB-L to try out a stainless.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top