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The Newbies Arena Are you new to knife making? Here is all the help you will need.

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  #1  
Old 03-26-2003, 11:02 PM
Steve Milliet Steve Milliet is offline
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types of ss

hey ya'll,

i was wondering , what (if any) is the difference between 303 stainless steel and 304-T stainless steel???
i can an abundance of 304-T for next to nothing.???:confused:
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Old 03-27-2003, 05:06 AM
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Don Cowles Don Cowles is offline
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The 300 series of stainless steel is not very useful for knife making. It is not hardenable, thus making it unsuitable for blades, and it is gummy, making it difficult to use for bolsters.

Although you might not have a ready supply of it, you are much better off using 400 series for bolsters, and ATS34, 440C, 154CM, BG42, or other proven alloys for blades.


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Old 03-27-2003, 12:18 PM
Steve Milliet Steve Milliet is offline
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Well, i've read that a good many people use the 300 series SS for guards and such, which is my plans.......just trying to get a concensus on properties/comparisons and feelings on its usage in that arena.
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Old 03-27-2003, 04:11 PM
whv whv is offline
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steve -

the ads for production knives abound with references to 3xx steel components. whatever works for them to reach a price point (read cheap/ more profit)

imho, one of the objectives of a custom knife maker is to try to produce a product that is not obtainable in the production market. one of the most obvious ways to do that is to use superior materials.

as don pointed out, there are much better materials than 3xx. and by the way, an engraver won't touch 3xx if he/she knows what it is. just too difficult to cut (soft and gummy).


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Old 03-27-2003, 05:36 PM
Jason Cutter Jason Cutter is offline
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Thumbs up I heard all the same things

I used my first piece of 416 Stainless for some guards and bolsters not too long ago, and I consider it one of the best decisions I've made in knifemaking so far. It cuts, grind, sand and polishes beautifully. 410 and 416 SS are martensitic steels so they can harden and I think 416 is also used for gun barrels. Many makers use 416 and 410 for springs in their folders.

I also have some 303 SS which I won't touch now - it looks different, behaves almost wear resistant when grinding and seems to scratch and scuff very easily in use.

I'm told that 303 is identical to 18/8 SS which is a crockery grade steel - for use in cooking utensils - pots and pans. It contains 18% chrome and 8% nickel which may account for its weird behaviour (most things with that much nickel behaves like nickel itself). Speaking industrially, I understand that 303 can be stamped and swaged into shape which is why it is the industry standard for such items.

Please correct me if I'm wrong, but I wonder if thats why 303 is more widely available. You're quite right, 303 is found on quite a few factory knives, but maybe thats because the parts are cast or stamped to shape ?

Cheers. Jason.


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