AUS-6 Heat Treating Specs.

Tom Militano

KNIFE MAKER
I've never used the stuff and don't intend to, but somebody asked me about the heat treating specs for the stuff and I told him I'd try to find out. I'm not even sure how hard you can get it. I'm not sure why he wants to use the stuff, but different strokes for difference folks I guess. Thanks
 
I've never been able to find any information on heat treating this stuff. The young man that brought it to me works in a machine shop and got his hands on some of the stuff. I offered him some other steel to use, but he didn't want it, he's convinced it's good steel. I think it's the stuff they use in Pakistan and it may have another name. I don't think it will get hard enough to make a good knife, but I may be wrong.
 
Tom,
You can chek out Even Heats Web site, it's something like evenheat.com, they have a heat treating guide on there. Personally, I've only heard of AUS-8 for knife blade, and I would give it a fair rating, not great, not good, I'd have to look at the analysis to know if it would make a knife blade. Also, have you done a Google search? Hope this helps, Rex
 
I found this on Wikipedia- Rex

AUSx Series

The AUS stainless steel series is produced by Aichi Steel Corporation, Japan. They differ from the AISI 4xx series because they have vanadium added to them. Vanadium improves the wear resistance, toughness, and ease of sharpening.[4]
AUS-6 (6A) is comparable to 440A with a carbon content close to 0.65%[4]. It is a low cost steel, slightly higher wear resistance compared to 420J.
AUS-8 (8A) is comparable to 440B with a carbon content close to 0.75%[4]. AUS-8 is often used instead of 440C[4].
AUS-10 (10A) is comparable to 440C with a carbon content close to 1.10%[4]. It is slightly tougher than 440C.



I found another site that had an excerpt from one of Bob Loveless's books, where he states it's almost exactley the same as 440A the worst of the 440 steels! Personally, I wouldn't use it but it would be great to practice with! It "can" make a good knife if the heat treat is DEAD ON!!! If not it will be pure crap-ola!!! Rex
 
Last edited:
Back
Top