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High-Performance Blades Sharing ideas for getting the most out of our steel.

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  #1  
Old 06-02-2016, 01:39 PM
Gajoreo Gajoreo is offline
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Question Making a Chef knife, steel recommendation? No Stainless Please!

Hey guys,

I am new to this forum and I am currently looking into making a chef knife and set for myself and I was wondering if anyone can weigh in on some steels that would make a good chef knife.

I would like it to not be stainless, I would actually enjoy adding the oil and taking good care of the knife that comes with the non stainless types of steel.

I would want it to retain an edge very well. Can anyone recommend a steel that is not stainless, that I can use for an 8 inch chef knife, I would not mind at all oiling it up and taking care of it if the steel is high quality, also I would not mind paying the $ for the metal if it is worth it!

I want a knife that sharpens well and holds the edge very well. I am looking to purchase a sheet of metal, grind/cut out the shape and grind it down into the knife. If it requires any heat treatment I wouldn't mind, I will be researching into whatever steels some of you may recommend.I saw some "Super Steels" on a list somewhere, but I just want to know what the best steel would be for a chef knife that is not stainless? A high carbon steel I think? Maybe the steels that some of the high end chef knives use??

Thanks!
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  #2  
Old 06-02-2016, 02:03 PM
damon damon is offline
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W2 and 52100 have worked well enough for me.

http://newjerseysteelbaron.com/
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  #3  
Old 06-02-2016, 02:19 PM
Doug Lester Doug Lester is offline
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I"ve made few kitchen knives but let me point out a few things from your post. As far as your "Super Steels" list goes I would say that it's bunk and wanting a steel that sharpens and holds an edge well you are looking at opposing characteristics. There are steels that are champs at holding an edge, a lot of them in the stainless group that you want to avoid, but they're difficult to sharpen. Likewise you can have steels, more likely to be in your lower alloy group, that take an edge well but need to be sharpened more frequently.

As far as requiring heat treating, all steels require heat treating. The questions are do you want to do the job yourself or send it out. Some of the more complex high carbon steels pretty much require a regulated high temperature oven (read at least 1500?) to heat treat. Some of the more complex air quenching steels may well need to go 300? higher than that. The good news is that it's not hart to find a heat treater who will heat treat air quenching steels. It's a little harder to find a treater that will treat oil quenching steels.

The next thing to decide on is whether or not you want to heat treat before or after you do your grinding. Heat treating before your grinding cuts down on warping of thin blades but grinding becomes slower afterward and you must protest the blade from over heating and changing the temper. Grinding a thing blade before heat treating gets more warping but speeds grinding and doesn't chew up grinding belts as quickly.

Deciding on how you want to fabricate your blades will help us point you to a more specific group of steels rather than give you the more easy answer of telling you to get some 1080 or 1084.

Doug


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Old 06-02-2016, 04:07 PM
Gajoreo Gajoreo is offline
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Hey again,

Sorry I must have posted in the wrong section. I am just looking for the names of some steels that are used for high end chefs knives (not stainless) and as for the heating process I can do/work with any. Like I was saying before, I intend to cut it out of a sheet and heat/grind as necessary. All I was wondering if anyone knew some high carbon steel types that people use for high end chef knives.
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Old 06-03-2016, 01:14 AM
Doug Lester Doug Lester is offline
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As Damon said W2 and 52100 will undoubtedly serve you well. I doubt that the shallow hardening on the W2 will give you any problem being that you will probably want to start out with 1/8" stock. CruForgeV would be another that is noted for edge retention though it's also noted to wear out grinding belts. O1 should be good for your purposes too. You could even look at D2. It's sometimes referred to as "almost stainless" and is air quenching. You could also look at 1095. If price really isn't a barrier you could even look for Hitachi White Paper Steel. It was designed for knife making but you might want to learn making your blades on something that runs a little less.

Your main problem is going to be availability. Contact The New Jersey Steel Baron, Damon supplied you with the link, and ask Aldo what he has in 1/8" sheets. Other than that you can start calling around to some of the other supplier, such as Admiral Steel, and see what they can do for you. Just be aware that special cutting might require a minimum order.

Doug


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Old 06-03-2016, 08:05 AM
Gajoreo Gajoreo is offline
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Talking

Perfect! Thanks man I really appreciate it! You rock!
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