My take on 01 tool steel? This stuff is amazing! Especially during heat treat. I heated the blade just a bit past non magnetic quenched it, let it air cool then put it in the oven for two hour long cycles on 415 degrees wrapped in tin foil and it came out a straw color with some purple and dark blue inclusions in places.
Uploaded with
ImageShack.com
Actually this is a bad pic, the straw color and purples are much more prominent than this shows.
Wow, this stuff sure beats the heck out of straightening leaf springs which may or may not be 5160. But it's a lot more expensive too, 3 feet of ground 01 for $31.50. What other steels have these properties but are a little cheaper?