How good is A2 tool steel?

ginshun

ginshun

Joined
Apr 6, 2004
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I think I am going to buy a new hunting knife, and I really like some of the Bark River knives that use A2 tool steel for the blades.

I know nothing about A2 though.

I have knives in D2 and M2 and think that both of those steels are awesome.

I am not really worried about corrosion resistance, as I know how and am willing to take care of a knife well enough to prevent rust. I am more intereested in wear resistance/edgeholding and toughness in comparison to the tool steel I have mentioned or any of the common stainless steels.

Thanks.
 
It is a very good cutlery steel. Bark River guys know how to heat treat it to a high Rockwell value without sacrificing toughness.

http://www.barkriverknives.com/

The Chris Reeve knives use it and they are famous for being tough.

Here is a link to knife steels. It is really designed for the maker not the user but it has some good info that you might enjoy and benefit from.

http://www.ajh-knives.com/metals.html

Bark River has a neat convex blade grind resulting in a knife that is extremely sharp (too sharp for beginners) yet has plenty of meat behind the edge to hold up for quite a while.
 
According to Crucible A2 is tougher than D2 or M2 but less wear resistant. Here's a PDF with comparisons:

http://www.crucibleservice.com/datasheets/dynamicPull.cfm?gradeName=Airkool

I don't know what hardness levels they were comparing but my experience pretty much bears this out.

A2 takes a fine edge very easily. Bark River knives are a decent value and some nice designs but I like A2 run harder than they do it .... edge retention on Bark River's is OK but not great.
 
An A2 blade will usually be sharper and tougher than a D2 or M2 blade. It is easier to sharpen than either of those and takes a particularly fine edge. It also tends to be less likely to chip than D2 or M2. I think that it makes a particularly good hunting blade. If you want to split a rib cage with the same knife that you use for skinning and gutting it makes a good choice.

PS. A2 is an alloy commonly used for drill bits while M2 is an alloy used for high-speed (high temperature) drill bits.
 
Agreed A2 is one of my favorites. It's comparatively tough and, in my experience, it takes a good edge and is easy to maintain. It's a bit of a mystery to me why more makers don't use it.
 
Good info. How is the corrosion resistance of A2? I was also thinking about buying a Bark River knife but want to carry it as a neck knife.
 
I got an A2 alloy knife with a comparitively thick blade that I wanted to reprofile. I used a coarse diamond hone for the job working under running tap water (to keep the hone free of steel and diamond debris). The steel debris visibly rusted by the time that I was done. The knife blade started to develop a patina during the process. I would rate A2 as closer to simple carbon steel for corrosion resistance than it is close to D2 or stainless.
 
Manifest said:
Good info. How is the corrosion resistance of A2? I was also thinking about buying a Bark River knife but want to carry it as a neck knife.
Click to expand...

I have a BRKT Highland. A2 is not super hard to take care of. Just wipe the blade when our done.. and your good to go. I put mine in a cup of vinegar for about 5 mins. The patina helps protect the blade and I think it looks good. :D
 
If you sweat a lot and you use it as a neck knife you will see some sort of corrosion. Salt + A2 don't get along. But even so, it is better than M2 as far as corrosion is concerned. I have not seen any corrosion on my Bark River knives in ordinary outdoor use. I just wipe them off, or clean them if sap is on the blade. I don't even have a patina.

I like how fine an edge the A2 takes, and how long it stays sharp. And the convex edge on the Bark River is something to experience to see how well it cuts, how sharp it stays, and how easily it sharpens.
 
A2 is a favorite steel of mine. It has 5% chromium while D2 has 12%. Just wipe it off and it will do fine. It is a great steel.
 
A2 will take an amazing edge for me. It is not very rust resistant though. It will hold up just fine in most cases especially with a light film of mineral oil, but a wet leather sheath is potential death (well I am exaggerating, but it will discolor quickly and the edge will deteriorate quickly aswell).
 
The Northstar works for me, even in the tropics!! Just be careful of wiping down the bade after gettiing it wet. Me likey Bark River Knives!! Its an addiction I tell ya..... The Sandstorm A in 12c27 is a good stainless and so is the Snowy river....

Did I tell u its an addiction!! :)
 
As long as corrosion resistance isn't a prerequisite for you, properly heat treated A2 is as good as most people need. Takes and holds a wickedly sharp edge, and is pretty tough too.
 
I've recently started working more with A2 and I'm very impressed with the wickedly sharp edge it takes. D2 was always my perference, but after using an A2 knife, I've started to do a little rethinking.
Scott
 
"I like how fine an edge the A2 takes, and how long it stays sharp. And the convex edge on the Bark River is something to experience to see how well it cuts, how sharp it stays, and how easily it sharpens."

Don M
I'm with you, on the Bark River convex edge.
Bark River makes one heck of a knife.

keyman
 
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