D2 Steel for Blades?

Re: D2 Steel for Blades?

Tony Z.

>Used in my business (powder matallurgy) for our press tools, it is used mainly for core pins. However, it has been used for punches with some success, as long as it has a "double draw". In typical heat treat method, it can be very brittle.

Re: D2 Steel for Blades?

Tony Z.

>I should have added that our preference for in house tool making is A2 and to a lesser extent S7

Re: D2 Steel for Blades?

Bill Tindall, E. TN

>D2 is less tough(more brittle) than A2. Ideally a plane iron will be both hard, to resist crumbling, and tough, to resist chipping. I expect A2 will perform better than D2 for a plane iron.

Re: D2 Steel for Blades?

Andrew F in Australia

>Rolf,

Another metallurgist here.

D2 is a 12% Chromium steel and as such, the chromium carbides in the steel are likely to be large.

This will result in a fair chipping of the edge in a plane iron, in my opinion, making them unsuitable.

Having said this but, the knives used in paper mills in guillotines are D2 and they hold up quite well, so there's a chance it may work.

I'd be interested to hear if you trial the D2 to see how it went.

Cheers,

Andrew

(with a bet each way and sitting on the fence)

Bill, the diamonds?

Robin Frierson

>Did you make any progress on your diamond sharpening. Still having the problem of diamonds sticking to the steel?

Re: D2 Steel for Blades?

steve knight

>I have seen it used with no reall sucess. it works ok in knives and such. but they don't need the fine edge of a plane iron. plus the stuff is expnesive.

Re: D2 Steel for Blades?

steve knight

>I really don�t see a way to improve plane blades in this day and age the way we are going. The steels we have access too don�t make a better blade then 0-1. They may hold an edge longer but that's it. That usually extracts a cost of harder to sharpen and grind.

Right now all I can see is a laminated blade. The Japanese now do it the best but I bet a decent machine made blade would work very well. Laminated with w-1 or 2 or maybe even the harder to work steels.

I know what a laminated blade does over a solid steel blade from many tests. And so far pretty much all of the blades have had the same properties. First the blades vibrate at a higher pitch. I can tell a laminated blade by how it sounds in use. Second they seem to take a bit less effort to cut with. They also cut cleaner. Well I think of this as deeper you get more 3d depth effect in the woods surface. And they if they are a decent blade cut higher figured woods when bedded at the same angle as a solid steel blade. Plus depending on the blade they usually hold an edge longer. The Japanese irons are the clear winners here. And last but not least they are easier to sharpen. Though they are hard to free hand grind as the soft material tends to catch on my Makita wheels.

To me that makes a better blade those properties improve the blade just a longer edge holding. Japanese blades really cost too much. I sure did not plan on them costing me almost 100.00 each. But I guess they are harder to hand forge a blade that will fit most planes then a traditional japanese plane. But they improve my planes so it is worth it.

But I want to see someone get some production laminated blades made. With good steel edges and a decent soft backing. If I could sell them at 50.00 each it would be a pretty good upgrade. Far better then just using A-2 I think.

Re: D2 Steel for Blades?

joel

>Ray Iles in the UK have been making D2 blades for years. I use them (along with lots of other blades). THey take a really keen edge and hold it. That being said in both cases A2 and D2 need to be properly heat treated. It's easy to make a mediocre blade from both materials unless you know what you are doing and A2 might be more forgiving.

problem greatly lessened

Bill Tindall, E. TN

>I will have an update soon.

Re: D2 Steel for Blades?

Paul Benton

>Rolf,

we have them available down here in Oz for a number of years and I've had good success using them. Takes a keen edge and holds it for a considerable time, mind I've not used an A2 blade.

You might like to check out this site www.thewoodworks.com.au which stock these blades

....Paul