1095 or not?

[Andrew Garrett]

Many months ago, I asked a question about Nicholson files. I have made many knives out of them. Specifically, I use ONLY Nicholson Black Diamond files as it was made clear to me here on TKN that they are known to be made with 1095.

I was just re-reading Wayne Goddard's book in which he indicates that he likes these specific files due to the fact that they have a carbon content of 1.25 as tested by him.

1095 has a a carbon content of .90 give or take a tenth depending on where you look.

So..., what simple carbon steel has a carbon content of 1.25. I have looked up 1075, 1080, and 1095. None of these fit the bill.

Have I been opperating on false information? Ideas?

In any case, these files make great blades!

[Ed Caffrey]

The standard Nicholson files are made of 1095...in fact they are about the only files left that you can cosistently believe are 1095. Those Nicholson files that bear the "Black Diamond" logo are NOT 1095. They contain NEARLY the same general element content as 1095, but as you pointed out they contain 1.2?% carbon. The Nicholson "Black Diamond" files that I have had spectrographed have always come back with 1.27% carbon content.

[mete]

The specs for 1095 are .90-1.03 carbon. So the Black Diamond is a modified 1095.

[RICK LOWE]

What (if any) impact does the 1.2?% have with this steel? Would you still treat it like standard 1095?
Rick

[Andrew Garrett]

I do. It seems to work fine. I've not had one fail (but I haven't made that many).