D2 & A2 question

J

JDW

Well-Known Member
I am wanting to try some D2, but have heard that it eats belts badly. also been thinking about A2 and it is not suposed to be as hard to grind, but not as good for edge holding as D2. I have been using O1, 1095 and 440C, and am looking to improve edge retention in small hunters and skinners. What do you guys that have used these two steels think?
And also I understand that both are air hardening steels, how does plate quenching compare to still air hardening? I plate quench my 440C but have not seen anything on plate quench for these two steels. I know that cryo treatment would benifit, but is it absolutely neccesary? Some steel data sheets say it is an option. What do you guys think? And any other thoughts or comments on these two steels would be greatly appreciated.
Dale
 
JDW said:
I am wanting to try some D2, but have heard that it eats belts badly. also been thinking about A2 and it is not suposed to be as hard to grind, but not as good for edge holding as D2. I have been using O1, 1095 and 440C, and am looking to improve edge retention in small hunters and skinners. What do you guys that have used these two steels think?
And also I understand that both are air hardening steels, how does plate quenching compare to still air hardening? I plate quench my 440C but have not seen anything on plate quench for these two steels. I know that cryo treatment would benifit, but is it absolutely neccesary? Some steel data sheets say it is an option. What do you guys think? And any other thoughts or comments on these two steels would be greatly appreciated.
Dale
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I have used both, I would not say that D-2 eats belts badly but it is more abrasive resistant, besides, belts are part of the cost of doing business if you are a knife maker. If you are looking at improving edge retention in skinning knives then D-2 is what you need to use, it is the best I've ever used. I have never tried still air hardening D-2, I plate quench all of mine and can tell you that this process works fine. Cryro is not necessary, it may increase hard ness but I don't know, besides, quenching between plates will get you 60 to 61 Rc if you temper for 2 cycles at 2 hrs. each at 350 deg. farenhite,I believe any harder would cause the edge to chip more redily. I cleaned 8 deer with my personal skinner that I made before toutching up the edge at the end of this hunting season. I have used a lot of D-2 and realy like it although I will not tell any one it is easy to work with but it is worth the effort. I am not predjudiced against ay knife steel I have also used A-2, O-1, 13c26, Alabama damascus, and Mike Norris damascus but mostly I have used D-2.
 
Thanks Calvin for the input, I will give D2 a try, been wanting to for some time now. Its time to decide on a knife to use it on.
Thanks again, Dale
 
I use A2 because I think I can sharpen it easier and get it a lot sharper in the field. I might give up a few slices to D2, but I think the trade off is worth it.
Neither is all that expensive, why not try both?
Chad
 
I have ground a couple knives from both A2 and D2 and I didn't really notice much difference in them. I acually like the A2 better. It finished up easier and seems easier to sharpen.

I send my knives out for heat treat so I can't really comment on that.
 
D2 is not that bad to grind but is harder to finish if you are looking for a mirror polish. If you don't have the option to cryo then you need to do a triple temper on it.
 
Thanks to all for the input. Cunningham, CDHumiston, you guys answered my next question about sharpening. Mike Miller, I had read that D2 is really hard if not impossible to mirror polish, and good to know about the triple temper. I think I will try both, in the same knife with the same grind, and do some testing, been wanting an excuse to keep a couple of users, and may even pass them around, during hunting season, to some friends for testing. I have decided to make them in my Pro Skinner with full flat grind, down to around .015 thick at the edge.
Thanks again. Dale
 
D2 will hold an edge much better than A2. I would use it if you are doing a small knife. If you do the heat treat don't let it go to room temperature before you temper it. It will not be as brittle if it goes in the oven at about 150 deg. Temper at least twice three times is better.

Joe
 
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