O2 tool steel

scott.livesey

scott.livesey

Dealer - Purveyor
O2 or 1.2842 or 90MnCrV8 is a basic tool steel.
Basic composition resembles a hi manganese 1095. I just purchased a small quantity that was made by Simonds, the saw and file folks.
Composition:
Carbon: .85-.95
Silicon: .20-.35
Manganese: 1.3-1.4
Moly : .20-.30 (European version may contain Chrominum 0.25 and Vanadium 0.15)

Heat treat appears to be the "usual" for low alloy tool steel. Heat to 1425F. Soak for 5 minutes. Quench in warm oil, 125F. Temper at 350F for one hour. Cool. Temper at 350F for one hour. Result should be Rc62-64.

I haven't found anyone on this side of the pond who carries this steel.
On the Old World side(sounds better than right side) I have found the following references:
http://www.metalravne.com/selector/steels/merilo.html
http://jkz.cz/en/node/377
http://www.ozct.com.tr/en/pdf/1.2842 90MnCrV8.pdf
http://www.bestar-steel.com/site_files/files/material_data/BE2842.pdf

all of these references list "cutting blade with high dimensional stability" as a commercial use.

hope this is helpful.
 
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Thanks Scott, I've never seen any O2 for sale anywhere. When you get a chance, please let us know how it compares to O1 as far as grinding & blade performance. Some firmer numbers on tempering and hardness would be great too.
 
Darrin Sanders said:
Thanks Scott, I've never seen any O2 for sale anywhere. When you get a chance, please let us know how it compares to O1 as far as grinding & blade performance. Some firmer numbers on tempering and hardness would be great too.
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found some on my daily visit to Ebay looking for steel. was listed as "oil hardening", knew it was O2 once I saw composition. here is a source in Germany that carries O2, 80CrV2, and 1.2519.
http://www.schmiedeglut.de/shop-messermacherbedarf/messerstahl/
will post more info once i receive the steel.
i also bought some 1.2519 from this shop and will post more once i receive it.
 
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Scott, I saw your link to the European tool steel supplier on hypefree yesterday. Thanks for that, and these links as well!!!!!
 
did a little research in Tool Steel which is the major reference we have here at the office. in a nutshell, because O2 carbon is just hypereuctroid, 0.90% and very high manganese(1.4%) and very little of anything else, starting temperature for hardening is 1400F with a shorter soak compared to O1. I will do some test coupons when the steel arrives and post results.
scott
 
hi, heat treated first blade today. put blade in furnace, heat to 800C(1475F), equalize(blade is all the same color), soak for 5 minutes, quench in 125F 12 second oil. Temper at about 300F for an hour. blade was not ground, so I was able to test about 1/2" from cutting edge. 6 point check, all read Rc64. I used the Rc tester here at the office that was calibrated 2 weeks ago. i am going to leave the blade at this hardness and see how it grinds. the knife is going to be a small nakari or mini-cleaver. i am going to try and get toatal blade angle about 15 degrees. why should our brothers in the Japan be the only ones who make high Rc blades?
 
Scott, the knife you just heat treated, that is the O2 and not the O7 (1.2519), right? I'm curious to your O7 results as well.
 
hi all,
if anyone is interested in picking up a piece or two of O2, there is some available on Ebay. it is listed as Simonds Red Streak Flat ground Oil Hardened Steel.
 
Darrin Sanders said:
Thanks Scott, I've never seen any O2 for sale anywhere. When you get a chance, please let us know how it compares to O1 as far as grinding & blade performance. Some firmer numbers on tempering and hardness would be great too.
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Hi, Darrin,I believe you will need this, AISI O2 tool steel, we could supply AISI O2 steel with reliable quantity and good price. please let me know whenever you will need some O2 steel material.

Thanks,

Jeremy
 
I've never heard of that steel before, but those specs sound pretty interesting. High manganese steels are usually tough, so Rc62-64 after that heat treat makes sense.
 
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