Choose a steel?

T

Timy

Well-Known Member
I know this has probably been argued ad nausea. However I am curious on your guys opinion.

I want to make a full tang tomahawk.

I want to use either A2 or O1. I have experience with both making small to medium knives.

I dont care about stain ability, I want whichever of these two would be tougher and have better edge holding.

The thickness will be 1/4 to 3/8.

I was leaning towards a2 then realized how many o1 choppers are out there so I am back to square one. I know geometry and heat treat are equally if more important, but those are two I have control on so which?

Thanks for your time.
 
Timy,
This is one of those times in knife/Tomahawk making that the best thing to do is make at least one in each steel and test them hard till you find a preference.

That way you as a maker know your reasons for the chosen steel. That counts for a lot when you look a customer in the eye and tell them your reasons for your design & materials.
 
How will you shape them? If forging, I would suggest neither, as neither is known for great shock resistance. If choosing between the two, I would say 01, but neither are greatly forge friendly either, and will require a lot of pre-HT steps before hardening. 5160 would be a much better choice for a tomahawk. If using stock removal, A2 and 01 are going to be very expensive to saw a full tang tomahawk from.
 
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Stock removal. And honestly a sheet big enough for a tomahawk in o1 is around $50, a2 $76 so like 1/10 of what places who make them charge ( $400-$500)

I would love to forge it just not set up for that yet, maybe in the next 10 years hopefully. My neighbors wouldnt take kindly to the noise I would imagine ;)
 
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