Has anyone tried High Speed Steel?

J

J.S. Carter

Joined
Jul 4, 2007
Messages
915
I was wondering why we dont see anyone using "High Speed Steel" to make blades out of? It's used in industrial blades and cutting tools. I'd even go as far as saying it easier to come by, since it can be purchased in ANY hardware store. it can be readily welded and forged has a usually high carbon content (not seen any under .70) and has AMAZING edge holding ability. take for instance drill bits, mill cutters, lathe and shaper bits. not to mention planer blades. all stay sharp and cutting under extreme conditions.


Metalurgical Composition Comparison (taken from*http://www.diehlsteel.com)

W1 Tool Steel
C 1.0
SI .20
MN .25
CR .15
NI
MO .10
W .15
CO
V 1.0

BLUE STREAK 42 AISI M-42 HIGH SPEED STEEL
C 1.10
SI .30
MN .30
CR 3.75
NI
MO 9.50
W 1.60
CO 8.0
V 1.15

Where (all figures represent percentages)
C = Carbon
SI = Silicon
MN = Manganese
CR = Chromium
NI = Nickel
MO = Molybdenum
W = Tungsten
CO = Cobalt
V = Vanadium

to find out what all those individual elements do for the blades go here
http://www.diehlsteel.com/t_effects.aspx#mn

I think I'm gonna try some Drill Bit Damascus! I'll let you know how it comes out!

Jason
 
I've made blades out of M4 and M2. I would not say they are readily forged. It can be done, but you have to keep it HOT or it will crack and crumble.
The main problem I have with it (M4) is that it's sooooo difficult to work with after hardening. Best to do as much as you can before heat treating.

Where in Indiana are you? I'm in Fort Wayne.

BTW, W1 is not a high speed steel.
 
High speed steels are designed to work at elevated temperatures ,especially where friction heat buildup is a problem (thus the high speed designation). They tend to be brittle in thin section,too. Tool steels are similar in make-up (as the W-1 you listed) ,but are tougher,and are better for blades.
Stacy
 
A fellow named Alvin, in Arizona, makes skinning knives from M2. They're very hard (RHC 66), very thin, and sharpened at very acute angles (5 deg honing angle) where a more typical blade material would suffer bad edge roll. Cliff, who I have not seen post anywhere in a while, did a review of a bunch of blades and found Alvin's HSS to have very good cutting ability and edge retention in nonabusive use.

I have used it to make utility blades used to cut very abrasive materials in short run production. Slitting something like scotchbrite before feeding it into a press. I did a test and found it to have better edge retention than D2 in my testing. I also cut nails with it without any chipping. Try that with S30V...

It is a high strength material (anybody got any references? Mete?). So, while it isn't ductile, it's strength makes up for some of the brittleness in careful use. In my experience, highspeed steel taps (which don't get hot when I use them) are tougher than high carbon steel. So HSS is used in that application, even though it is not a "high speed" application.

I think one of the reasons it isn't used much is the heat treat. It is very hot (beyond the range of my furnace) and may quench best with salt baths, which most people don't use.
 
Thanx fellas for the feed back, I really appreciate it. I've made a few knives (3 so far) my first was a rail road spike me and my dad forged out, and the next was a bit more indepth as it was a cow femur bone slab sided cable damascus tanto. The 3rd is a Copper Slab Sided Kitchen Knife for my wife made from an old Leaf Spring from some old chevy... I believe it's 1090. just finished riviting the copper on today... Phill, I'm in a little town called Sharpsville, in Tipton County. I've only been to Ft Wayne a few times. but the union I belong to is based up there, IBEW local 723, of which I am a Steward at Verizon. I put the W1 up there as a comparison to show the similarity between the Tool Steel and the HSS. I too am a machinist Nathan My Fathers and GrandFathers and his Daddy before him we're all Machinist's and we have a small machine shop we play in every chance we get. Kind of a tradition in our family...we mostly make anything we want but recently have focused our attention to Long Range Muzzleloaders loosely based in design to the Sharps Plains rifle and the Stevens Model 44 1/2. anyway again to ya'll I thank you for your feedback. Say anyone tried that new "Super Blue" steel by Hitachi? I read it's supposed to be the next best thing in steel.


L8R
Jason
 
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