david weaver
Experimentation that ends up yielding something that you actually like is always fun.

Absolute failures, not so much, but you can give good advice then to anyone else considering doing the same thing.

I didn't ask whether or not I should open atmosphere heat treat these irons or temper softer or fabricate blades with minimal tooling because it isn't "the right way" and I already know what answer most would give.

I think you would've said "you know, a machine shop can do all of that"

That's true. what'll happen if I experiment, though? How much performance will I lose. 10% of it or all of it?

The only thing i wish I could find is stock in .125 or .140, because then I could use that stock to make infill plane irons. Right now, the authorized distributor of XHP reminds me of Henry Ford's comment about Model T Colors.

you can have XHP in .093 ground, or you can get any of our other sizes that are also .093 ground stock.

(all three of my irons have the same feel on the stones and the same quality on wood, so i'm confident that I can purchase stock when its available and not waste the princely sum that just the bare stock costs (about $60-70 a pound).