How stainless is D2

boobar

boobar

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I have read several things that say D2 is semi-stainless, I am not sure what semi-stainless is. I want to use a D2 bladed knife for an everyday carry and I would like to know what kind of care needs to be take to avoid rust. Any info would be appreciated. Thanks
 
You'll hear alot of people say it's "almost stainless" or "near stainless" because it has a high chromium count. However, it is not a stainless steel, it is a tool steel. It won't rust as easily as 1095 or O1, but it will rust. From what I understand D2 is a steel that is used for cutting bits in lathes. D2 can withstand higher temperatures without losing its temper. D2 can also be hardened pretty high on the Rockwell scale. I know experienced knifemakers who say it offers no substantial benefit over any other tool steel. But there are those who swear by it.

Bob Dozier uses D2 almost exclusively and knows more about this steel than almost anybody else. I suggest contacting him with any questions you may have.

I'm sure a search in these forums will turn up pages of info.
 
I went night fishing last summer, and cleaned three walleye with my D2 Dozier. I lazily wiped the blade on pant leg in the dark, swished it in the water, and returned it to its sheath. I pulled the blade out the next afternoon and it still had some blood on it, and the blade was wet in the sheath. The total damage was three small black spots of patina that easily rubbed out with some wet/dry paper. Not bad.
 
Very rust resistant if the heat treat is right.
None of my D2 Dozier knives have given me any problem with rust.
I do, however rinse and wipe them down at the end of the day.
 
The only times I have heard of D2 staining or 'rusting' is when it has been in contact with fish blood, as previously mentioned. It is a tool steel and should be treated as such but the only advantage a true stainless would have over D2 is that D2 does not take as good a polish but what the heck it is meant for working knives.
 
I get a little rust spotting on my Cuda Maxx from time to time, but nothing too bad. I have seen the same or worse on a CRKT Ryan Model 7 in AUS 6. But just to add I wouldn't take my Maxx anywhere near the ocean if I thought it was going to get wet and to be honest I wouldn't take it near any water (salt or fresh) if I thought it was going to get wet. But for EDC I think D2 is pretty good. I really like the newer Queen slip joints in D2 and would EDC on of those for sure.
 
Look at the Dozier forum. There are people, who never had any rust problems wherever they took a D2 blade. There are others, who had problems at any time.

D2 is usually ht for corrosion resistance meaning hardening is not too hot and tempering aswell, so that a lot of cr stays in the matrix. But it is not a hot working steel. It looses its temper, like every steel, when you reach the temperature on wich it was tempered. It is best at secondary hardness tempering, but will rust easier then. But i didn´t found anyone to do this on production knifes.

I got a BM D2, no problems, even when cutting fruits. I take it on jogging and the sweat makes no problems. Yes i clean it after that. But i would do this with every steel. Because every steel will rust if not treated properly.

Dozier himself said, rust problems may depend on own physical moisture. He said, as he was younger, he could touch on everyhing and it starts corroding. So, are you grown up?:) :grumpy: ;) ;)
 
D2 is high in Cr content (11.5-12 wt%), but the 1.45-1.55 wt% C is a factor in classing it as non-stainless. In order to be stainless, a steel should have 10 wt% Cr left after carbide formation to form a coating of Cr-oxide that protects the steel from corrosion.

I use D2 a lot and have had no problem with rust in the hardened, finished state. Annealed D2 rusts easily and any steel with a rough finish, like bead blasting, will tend to rust easier due to increased surface area
 
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