Knife making steel
- Thread starter DEVINEGAN
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Fuad Accawi
Member
Hi DEVINEGAN,
I think Texas Knifemaker Supply will have what you need covered.
http://www.texasknife.com/vcom/index.php
Personally I don't have much use for 440c, but a lot of folks still like to use it. Good luck, and post pic's when you've made another.
Cheers,
Fuad Accawi
I think Texas Knifemaker Supply will have what you need covered.
http://www.texasknife.com/vcom/index.php
Personally I don't have much use for 440c, but a lot of folks still like to use it. Good luck, and post pic's when you've made another.
Cheers,
Fuad Accawi
JTW Jr.
Member
http://www.texasknife.com/vcom/index.php
http://www.alphaknifesupply.com/
http://www.popsknifesupplies.com/
http://www.trugrit.com/
http://www.knifeandgun.com/
http://www.jantzsupply.com/
http://www.midwestknifemakerssupply.com/
admiral steel can help ya get the steel at better prices than one of the knifemaker supply places though.
http://www.alphaknifesupply.com/
http://www.popsknifesupplies.com/
http://www.trugrit.com/
http://www.knifeandgun.com/
http://www.jantzsupply.com/
http://www.midwestknifemakerssupply.com/
admiral steel can help ya get the steel at better prices than one of the knifemaker supply places though.
alaskanativeson
Member
I've ordered stuff from alpha supply and had good luck with them. I have to agree with Fuad, I have no use for anything 440c. With the really good stainless these days (like CPM154 and S30V) not to mention D2 (which I believe is just about the perfect blade steel) it's kind of a waste of effort to use any 440 on a knife.
bikerdoc
Moderator In Memoriam
What alaskanativeson said.
Zeke/PA
Member
Try Manhatten Supply for your tool steel needs.
jakk280rem
Member
i would tend to agree. each task one would perform tends to require differnt steels and blade designs. however 440C is inexpensive and sharpens easily making it a good choice for hard use skining knives. other grades of 440 are useless.
bikerdoc
Moderator In Memoriam
Devinegan
Whatever you decide good luck and welcome to the forum. There is an incredible weath of knowledge in the search function, and a bunch of fine men willing to share their knowledge and friendship. Lokking forward to seeing your work.
Doc
Whatever you decide good luck and welcome to the forum. There is an incredible weath of knowledge in the search function, and a bunch of fine men willing to share their knowledge and friendship. Lokking forward to seeing your work.
Doc
Welcome to THR and good luck with knifemaking!
I can't completely agree with that. 440C is a mainstay in the stock reducing knifemaking community for very good reason. It is much easier to work with than most of the newer steels and heat treat is relatively simple. It produces a blade that performs well for most users that don't need a sharpened pry bar. I wouldn't use any of the other 400 series steels though.
I can't completely agree with that. 440C is a mainstay in the stock reducing knifemaking community for very good reason. It is much easier to work with than most of the newer steels and heat treat is relatively simple. It produces a blade that performs well for most users that don't need a sharpened pry bar. I wouldn't use any of the other 400 series steels though.
Welcome to THR and good luck with knifemaking!
I can't completely agree with that. 440C is a mainstay in the stock reducing knifemaking community for very good reason. It is much easier to work with than most of the newer steels and heat treat is relatively simple. It produces a blade that performs well for most users that don't need a knife that will withstand lateral forces and impact that would chip and break 440C. I wouldn't use any of the other 400 series steels though.
I can't completely agree with that. 440C is a mainstay in the stock reducing knifemaking community for very good reason. It is much easier to work with than most of the newer steels and heat treat is relatively simple. It produces a blade that performs well for most users that don't need a knife that will withstand lateral forces and impact that would chip and break 440C. I wouldn't use any of the other 400 series steels though.
JTW Jr.
Member
if you look at the prices...
based on a bar of 5/32 X 2" x 36 from Admiral Steel:
440C = $46.16
ATS34 = $45.63
154Cm = $56.68
S30v = $92.40
CPM154 = $74.94
01 Tool Steel : $57.11
1095 = $14
440C is not that inexpensive , and with proper HT will do just fine.
based on a bar of 5/32 X 2" x 36 from Admiral Steel:
440C = $46.16
ATS34 = $45.63
154Cm = $56.68
S30v = $92.40
CPM154 = $74.94
01 Tool Steel : $57.11
1095 = $14
440C is not that inexpensive , and with proper HT will do just fine.
1095 is some of the best stuff for beginners because it is so cheap and you can hone skills with it in a cost-effective manner. But it rusts.
jakk280rem
Member
would an over the counter cold blueing. such as oxphoblu from brownells, work on 1000 series steel? it wouldnt be very durable, but would look great for a while.
zxcvbob
Member
How about pickup truck leaf springs from the junkyard? Won't be stainless, but it's a good high-chromium carbon steel. [strike](don't remember what number)[/strike] It's 5160, ain't it?
Last edited:
Fuad Accawi
Member
My take on 440c,
440c is a widely used steel. It is one of the better performing stainless grades, and can be reliably heat treated although not as easily as straight carbon or alloy steels. It requires higher temps at longer soak times than carbon family steels, therefore it is more easily heat treated in a kiln than a forge. 440c can be sent out to be heat treated by most industrial heat treating facilities. High hardness can be achieved in 440c and the edge retention is good. Many high end art knife makers employ 440c because it is resistant to oxidation and makes for a beautifully polished piece that will resist tarnishing due to fingerprint oils. I used 440c strictly during the 1980's because I was a full time machinist and was allowed to include my blades in batches sent out to our heat treater. 440c also is relatively easy to work by conventional means as HSO mentioned, and is a relatively stable steel during the heat treat process meaning you can have it finished to 90% and not be too concerned about warpage. This is not the case with many carbon steels which are heat treated with less stock removed and finish ground after hardening and tempering. I suppose the question is what DEVINEGAN wants out of his knife. Does he need it to be stainless so that it can be left in a tackle box for a season without rusting away? Then 440c or any of the afore mentioned good stainless grades that JTW Jr. listed would be fine. Does he want to make a great inexpensive knife that will hold a keen edge for longer than average that he doesn't mind cleaning and oiling? If this is the case a straight carbon steel would be my recommendation. Like anything else in life stainless vs. carbon is a question of trade-offs & benefits vs. drawbacks. Either way I wish him well in his endeavor and would like to see what he comes up with.
440c is a widely used steel. It is one of the better performing stainless grades, and can be reliably heat treated although not as easily as straight carbon or alloy steels. It requires higher temps at longer soak times than carbon family steels, therefore it is more easily heat treated in a kiln than a forge. 440c can be sent out to be heat treated by most industrial heat treating facilities. High hardness can be achieved in 440c and the edge retention is good. Many high end art knife makers employ 440c because it is resistant to oxidation and makes for a beautifully polished piece that will resist tarnishing due to fingerprint oils. I used 440c strictly during the 1980's because I was a full time machinist and was allowed to include my blades in batches sent out to our heat treater. 440c also is relatively easy to work by conventional means as HSO mentioned, and is a relatively stable steel during the heat treat process meaning you can have it finished to 90% and not be too concerned about warpage. This is not the case with many carbon steels which are heat treated with less stock removed and finish ground after hardening and tempering. I suppose the question is what DEVINEGAN wants out of his knife. Does he need it to be stainless so that it can be left in a tackle box for a season without rusting away? Then 440c or any of the afore mentioned good stainless grades that JTW Jr. listed would be fine. Does he want to make a great inexpensive knife that will hold a keen edge for longer than average that he doesn't mind cleaning and oiling? If this is the case a straight carbon steel would be my recommendation. Like anything else in life stainless vs. carbon is a question of trade-offs & benefits vs. drawbacks. Either way I wish him well in his endeavor and would like to see what he comes up with.
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