CRA or HR 1095 - What's the Difference?

[DonL]

I was looking over the steel selection at Admiral and noticed that they had two types of 1095. CRA, which I think may stand for Cold Rolled Annealed and HR, which I'm sure stands for Hot Rolled.

My question is, for knife making purposes, is one any better than the other? What are the differences?

Thanks,

Don

 

[murphda2]

Check your PMs please.

 

[Drew Riley]

If you're strictly doing stock removal, I recommend sticking with the CRA (Cold Rolled Annealed). If you're forging, then you can use either, but you might as well go with hot roll and save a little money.

The thing about stock removal with HR is that it's typically not annealed as well as the CRA and will be harder to drill. Also, it's just that much more scale and decarb that you'll have to remove to make a clean knife.

That's the short of it anyway.

 

[DonL]

Thanks, I appreciate the responses. I understand now!

By the way Andrew, I wanna thank you for posting that YouTube video about the CJS grinding jig. I made one and it's helped me grind better. I'm now practicing freehand and "getting" the hang of it after using the jig.

 

[Drew Riley]

Thanks, I appreciate the responses. I understand now!

By the way Andrew, I wanna thank you for posting that YouTube video about the CJS grinding jig. I made one and it's helped me grind better. I'm now practicing freehand and "getting" the hang of it after using the jig.

No problem Don! Not my original idea, but it does have it's uses and works halfway well on smaller blades. To be honest though, I mainly free hand myself, but I was bored, had the materials, and decided to make one.