"SILVER STEEL" Anyone used it ?

[Jason Cutter]

I'm posting this query in more than one thread.

I've located an ample supply of what is called 'SILVER STEEL" The basic tech sheets say it has

1.10-1.25% carbon
a little manganese
0.55% Chromium.


I'm told that it is made in England and Germany but is not heard of much except that the Japanese use their own version laminated with soft steel for their knives.

That somewhere between 5160 (0.5% chrome) and 52100 (1.5% chrome).

Has anyone used it before ? This may be nitpicking but I'm wondering if this would cause any difference in feel when forging, with the HT. Technically, what about hardening depth, ie.- will it work well with some sort of clay backed quench and produce temper lines. Theoretically, I'm thinking it will work like something in between 1095 and 52100.

Thanks in advance. Jason.

[Ed Caffrey]

Never heard of it.....till now. Hopefully someone will show up and educate us on this one!

[Jason Cutter]

Not happy. I had some time, so I went down to the place that sold "Silver Steel." It turns out that Silver Steel is O-1 tool steel, precision ground into rod stock. It is advertised with a higher carbon content than their usual flat ground O-1 bar stock and they don't include the other normal components of O-1 like the Vanadium, Tungsten.

It is cheaper than flat ground precision ground O-1 because as with all rod stock, it is cheaper to precision grind into that shape. Flat stock has to be precision ground on 6 surfaces to get the job done. Rod stock has also less surface area to its total volume.

It must be some kind of "cultural" thing in the steel business - some of the names I find difficult to get my head around.

Anyway, I managed to locate some D-2 at the store while I was there - 5 yards of 3/16 x 1-1/4inch bars for just $50 US. At least I was happy about that ...

Cheers. Jason.

[Wildman]

jason
where is the steel shop you go to?


mick

[Jason Cutter]

The main place I get O-1 carbon steel from is a place called ALLSTEEL in Bayswater Victoria, quite close to where I work. It is also very close to Hills Heat Treatment which does all my high-alloy HT. The guys there are always very helpful. It was there that I heard of "Silver Steel" and thats where I went to look for it. The guy was pretty up front that it was the same thing as O-1 and seemed a bit surprised that I hadn't figured that one out.

I went back and checked out some UK sites for steel and they do EXACTLY THE SAME THING in their classification of the steel. The silver steel seems to come from England and they typically put 2 separate pages up - one for silver steel and one for O-1. Both are precision ground but flat ground PG and rod PG are called different things.

No matter, had to be figured out.

I also intend to order some K100 from Bohler Uddeholm, which is in the same vicinity. K100 is 52100 in round bar stock - good for forging and a good price. Definitely worth a try. I get 440C and RWL-34 from Keith Spencer in Western Australia, BG-42, titanium and the CPM's from Eugene Dimitriades of XyloAustralis. D-2 is available cheap from ALLSTEEL also, but you need to negotiate that one yourself on a case-by-case basis.

Where abouts are you, Mick ?

Cheers. Jason.

[Wildman]

Jason

I live up in Canberra, nothing but support buisnesses for fed parly. I have bought some 440 ans rwl34 from WA and am happy enough but I like to find new sources for everything. Mostly I have to order all my supplies from WA and I would prefer to find somewhere closer.
Do you have a source for micarta on this side of the country?

Mick

[Jason Cutter]

We are now way off topic. There are definitely some good sources this side of town. You call me or I call you. I'll get out some info to you today. Catch you in a few hours. Jason.

email - kwongyeang@yahoo.com.au or visit my site on http://www.jcbknives.com and contact me via there.