What stainless to use??

Keith Willis

Keith Willis

Well-Known Member
I am starting to try my hand at slipjoints,and have never used stainless,what stainless would you guys recommend?
I will be sending it out to be heat treated
Thanks for the help

God bless
 
Even though I haven't made any slip-joints yet, My choice would be 440C or CPM-154.
Both take a great shine as fine as you want to make it and have excellent edge retention and corrosion resistance.

Laurence

www.thinoknives.com
 
154 / CPM154 / ATS34 all make great blades, but you have to cook the bejeebers outa them to get a good spring temper on the backspring. Come to think of it, that applies to most stainless. Some of the finest pocket knives of all time have sported good old fashioned D2 blades which is almost stainless and takes a wicked sharp edge.

Making slippies is a journey that has a lot to do with geometry and fine tuning, and to be honest, I think I'd be inclined to spend part of that journey with PG O1 or D2. There are bigger bumps ahead than your steel choice.

Disclaimer; I'm not a slippie maker - about 1/2 dozen finished and none that I'm happy with yet.

Rob!
 
CM154 or equivalent is my choice. I've made 12, so not a rookie, but not a vet. Go ahead and pay extra for precision ground, it's worth it. As far as cooking the bejeebers out, you've got to go to 1950 to heat treat, so 1125 to temper is no big deal. If you're sending them out for HT, pick whatever you want and let the guys with the oven worry about cooking the bejeebers.
 
I like the Sandvik steels,14c28n,12c27 or 13c26.
I will donate a surface ground piece of 14c28n and heat treat it for you if you would like to try it.
 
The old stand bys like 440-C and ATS-34 don't compare in quality to grind or for use, and finish overall to CPM154, 154 CM, Elmax and M390, along with a few others. These steels are cleaner, grind better, and give far better edge retention than 440C or ATS34. The fact that they are cleaner made steels means they will give better finishes overall. The buyers, too, like the updated steels for the same reason. Frank
 
I second the advice on getting a ground stock in the powder CPM steels.
While the steel is cleaner. The can that they roll it out in is not.
Only once I purchased some unground .87" ? CPM 154 for some small culinary knives that has been bear to clean up on the flats.

From now on I will always pay the extra for the ground stock in the Powder steels..

Laurence

www.rhinoknives.com
 
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