Thoughts and opinions regarding A2

ACLakey

Well-Known Member
Okay, let me preface this by saying I have only made a few knives with A2 but wanted to share my thoughts.


As we know, A2 has a reputation of being a tough steel, relatively easy to sharpen and holds a descent edge. It benefits from a cryo treatment and with cryo performs well around 60 rc. With that out of the way, I was thinking about using A2 for a series of knives with blades in the 3-4.5" range used primarily for hunting and skinning tasks....cutting tasks not hard use tasks. I was planning on using .125" stock, taking the bevel to a thinner .010" prior to sharpening and using a high flat grind or hollow grind to make for a good slicer. My thought is with the toughness characteristics of A2 I could make a thin slicer that would hold up to field use cutting flesh and other hunting tasks. Do you feel this would be a decent plan of attack? Would you recommend another steel and if so which one?
 
Would it be prudent to make some simple test blades? Trying different grinds to see how thin you can get without making a weak blade? I would definitely NOT recommend another steel as I am planning to make most of my knives from A2....and I want to hear your results!:biggrin:

from my research (but not real world experience) I think A2 is a terrific under-rated steel. For stock removal blades I don't think you could ask for better steel....unless stainless is an issue. (whatever happened to cleaning a blade after using it?...lol) I think it should be able to hollow grind with the good edge toughness characteristics.

I would not be using this steel without a decent furnace and tempering set-up. as you know it will respond well to a dry-ice treatment in between tempers.

Please post your results.

Here's the test blade I plan on using for my A2 edge tests. quick to make and cheap. 1 1/4 wide ground stock, coupla 1/4 holes to mount to a wood scrap. 6 inch radius on the belly.
test blade.jpg
 
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3/32"-1/8" A2 @ 60-61 HRC with a FFG and 0.010" behind the edge makes excellent knives for cutting hair, hide, & flesh. A2 is an overlooked steel mostly because of the shift to PM steels but it is one of my all time favorites. Of the reg. smelted tool steels it is my favorite by far.
It also makes a good chopper by using heavier stock and leaving more steel at the edge (.018"-.025") depending on actual use. You MAY wanna run it a tad lower on the RC scale but not much, if any. I tend to run choppers at pretty much full hardness but that's another subject.
I think you'll be pleased with A2. Let us know how it turns out.
 
i guess one question is what kind of blade are you making and how hard do you want the blade? another would be is it 2 or 3 times better than O1 or 80CrV2 although it will cost 2 to 3 as much. A2 is used in machine shops here not because it is better than O1 but because it is easier to heat treat.
if you are going to go with an air cooled steel, why not 440C or AEB-L(similar heat treat and price)? here is a link to an HF discussion of A2(http://www.hypefreeblades.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=653) As Roman Landes notes:
"So finally you have to tackle with all the same efforts you put into a stainless but not getting a stainless blade. You getting corrosion resistance close to carbon steel and hardness, edge stability and toughness can be get easier with simple steels and more simple HTs at a higher level."
 
Not even double the price at Tool steel service of California. A 3/32 thick by 1 1/2 wide by 18 inches long is $16.64 in A2 and $10.42 in O1.

I'm making small edc with my A2 out of 3/32 material. I haven't really looked at 440C....I think I figured sawing and milling would be tougher than A2...if not should probably take a gander.
 
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