Knife "Super Steel"

[muzzlebrake]

Dang! I'm still stuck on 80CrV2 carbon steel. One of these days maybe I'll have me one dem fancy dancy Evenheat or Paragon electric ovens. Sold 3 knives today so my stash money is growing. I definitely want to try some crucible steels especially on fish fillet knives.

[Bjankowski]

you should give RWL 34 steel a chance it grinds and sands better than 154cpm. Its from the Damasteel company.

CPM154 and 154CM are two complete animals for sure. CPM154 is very similar to RWL 34. 154cm is just a step up from ATS34 or 440c. I have used RWL34 and Damasteel Damascus both are easy to grind and sand.

I prefer CPM154 in stainless however I will use 154cm it all depends on how much my customers what to spend lots of difference in price between the two.

High Carbon I prefer 1075 it's a spring steel with enough manganese to do a hamon. I can get it to flex beyond 45 degrees at 61hrc. It can be heat treated in a gas forge but it's only going to be a hit miss, you won't get the most out of it..... I like to heat it to 1500 hold 10 minutes and quench in canola, not mineral oil, parkes 50 or brine, each has a different effect on the steel.
Sorry about ranting so much, of course each steel is only as good as the person that puts his makers mark on the steel and unless the heat treat recipe and method separates a knife from a hunk of steel.

I use Alabama Damascus mostly because that's what my customer wants, again Damascus is only as good as the heat treat recipe. I cryo Damascus like I do CPM154, I don't cryo 154cm I haven't found much benefit in it.

[Buckwheat]

Knife "Super Steel"

Nice!

[Shotgunner11]

Those look great, really like the blade shape on the skinner, looks really utilitarian.

I've been pretty happy with the cpm154 too, seems like a great performer.

[ldoyle]

Great looking blades . 62 hrc is pretty hard . Should hold a edge good I would think

[SamHarper]

When you were reading about super steels, did you ever come across M390? If so, what are your thoughts on that?

I've used a lot of M390 thanks to a generous benefactor who lives across the street from my brother. That stuff is REALLY hard to work with. It holds an amazing edge, but it's a real pain to sharpen it later. I personally prefer high carbon steel. I have a Santoku I made with 1095, and it's my favourite kitchen knife. I strop it after every use, and it keeps a razor edge.

[Bjankowski]

Sam; M390 is great steel. Why I call CPM154 Super Steel is due to many factors. It cuts a good as 01 tools steel in rope cutting tests, it's affordable, I can get it delivered it two days, and to me workability is important. I make and sell over 300 knives a year I can't afford to spend more time grinding and sanding a knife and make it cost effective. I still tell people when it comes to they buying strictly on materials used the material is not as important than the person heat treating it... and you know that was well as I do, it's like a bad cook turning a prime ribeye into shoe leather.
I can get the most out of CPM154 with my heat treat and Cryo. Edge retention and sharpening ability is why I call it "Super Steel"

[Raypo]

Nice work!

[AlwaysGigEm]

These are some exceptionally beautiful knives. Awesome work!

[VFTX]

Those are great! What kind of finish is on the handle?

[allenpeterson]

Looking good

[Bjankowski]

Those are great! What kind of finish is on the handle?

If you're asking about the first one, Nothing! Just buffed on the buffer.

[Cory.Shumate]

Incredible job.