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Posted: 7/7/2006 12:57:31 PM EDT
| I'm having a knife made for me by chase at chax knives they have several knids of steel to choose from but the main two I am interested in is the d2 and the m2 the m2 being more expensive does anybody have an opinion knife will be used as a combat knife and as an infantry soldier probly see alot of hard use for the next 15 years thanks |
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M2 has about the same toughness as D2, but much better wear resistance; read: edge retention. It gets very hard and is more difficult to sharpen than other steels. Think of toughness as the ability to withstand impact. Look at some of Crucible's Data Sheets here. There may be other steels that you might prefer, depending on your needs and whether offered by your maker. S30V is a fine steel and it is stainless, but it is not any tougher than the other steels you mention. For a soldier in the field, I would use neither of the steels in your list. There are a number of steels with superior toughness that would be preferred in that type of environment, although S30V is the best of the stainless series. For the best combination of toughness and edge retention, my selection would be L6, CPM3V, A2, O1 or 5160. Just my $0.02. |
I must respectfully disagree. Each knife steel has characteristics that are inherent in the steel. When each is given the optimal heat treatment, including tempering, they will still only perform within their capability as defined by their chemistry. While a good heat treatment is imperative in any good blade, the steel itself is the prime factor in durability. |
I'm not gonna talk too much crap Fox 'cause your knives are prettier than mine. However, you pretty much made my point when you typed the word "optimal". I also have a serious high carbon bias cause I prefer sharpenability over edge retention. I can always find a rock that will sharpen 1095, 5160, or L6. Diamond hones are alot harder to find in the bush. Cheers, |
No arguments here. As you can see from my list, stainless is not a contender. I have a strong bias towards the high carbon/alloy non-stainless steels. All of the steels in my list offer a great combination of edge retention, toughness and sharpenability. For a high use field knife, sharpenability is critical - you never know where you will be and that diamond hone may be far away. Funny you mention rocks for sharpening. I have used rocks to sharpen blades in the field more times than I can count. I never carry a sharpening stone or device in the field because I do not want the extra weight. If blades are properly cared for, a rock will get the job done. It is more difficult to use for the inexperienced, but you never have a problem finding a rock.  For the benefit of those reading the thread, a few words about strength and toughness. Both terms as applied to a blade can often be over-emphasized. In most practical applications, stainless steels like S30V, ATS-34, 154CM and even well treated 440C are plenty tough enough for almost any chore, as is the semi-stainless, D2. The assumption here is that you are not looking for an "axe" or a "crowbar with and edge". It takes a phenomenal amount of force to break any of the aforementioned stainless blades when they are in the 3/16" or 1/4" range of thickness. However, when I make a knife for someone, a soldier for example, he may be betting his life on that blade so I want him to have every advantage I can offer, which means carbon steel for optimal toughness. This is not a denigration of any of the stainless steels, it is a matter of personal philosophy and preference. I recently made a knife for a SpecOps guy in Afghanistan. As he put it, a knife in his business is used far more for field craft and shelter than anything else. It is rarely, if ever, used in hand-to-hand combat. In his case, I used 5160 since it offered a very high degree of toughness and strength with good edge retention and excellent sharpenability. In short, steels are like all tools - use the right tool for the job. Note that CPM3V, not a stainless, is in a class by itself since it is a high alloy, air tempered steel that is very tough. You will find it in Fehrman's blades. If you wanted a ranking, in order, of common steels by toughness, it would look something like this: L6, 5160, CPM3V, A2, O1, 1084, and then the stainless series. |
Great info.
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