J S Machine
Well-Known Member
So I was commisioned about a year ago to build a new flipper designed for a friend. He apparently knows more about blade steels than I do.
Saturday, at Blade, I gathered the materials for the knife, which I have just not gotten around to buying yet. In my search for blade steel, I had several people tell me that they no longer carried this stuff or had any desire to ever again. I was kind of shocked, because the customer made it sound like this stuff was some really good blade steel. I wondered why it was so hard to find..
I'm no pro on blade steels, and I'll be the first to tell you that it isn't really the biggest concern for me. I am fine using D2, ATS 34, 440C, or other common steels. I never have really bought into the -what I call- exotic steels. For one, they are a pain to heat treat properly, and two, many have to be cryo treated. I have no problem with this, but I am not set up to do it and I would rather do everything in house. The little bit of extra performance that is supposedly there just never has really appealed to me over the more common steels. Do most of the buyers really use a knife that much to justify its exotic steel over a common steel?
Question is..Are either of those steels any good?
And, How do I apparoach the situation when my buyer wants a certain steel, but I am not comfortble using it based on others opinions? Is the customer always right, or do I attempt to sway them towards something that may be better?
Saturday, at Blade, I gathered the materials for the knife, which I have just not gotten around to buying yet. In my search for blade steel, I had several people tell me that they no longer carried this stuff or had any desire to ever again. I was kind of shocked, because the customer made it sound like this stuff was some really good blade steel. I wondered why it was so hard to find..
I'm no pro on blade steels, and I'll be the first to tell you that it isn't really the biggest concern for me. I am fine using D2, ATS 34, 440C, or other common steels. I never have really bought into the -what I call- exotic steels. For one, they are a pain to heat treat properly, and two, many have to be cryo treated. I have no problem with this, but I am not set up to do it and I would rather do everything in house. The little bit of extra performance that is supposedly there just never has really appealed to me over the more common steels. Do most of the buyers really use a knife that much to justify its exotic steel over a common steel?
Question is..Are either of those steels any good?
And, How do I apparoach the situation when my buyer wants a certain steel, but I am not comfortble using it based on others opinions? Is the customer always right, or do I attempt to sway them towards something that may be better?