High carbon steel, a metallurgical marvel, derives its exceptional properties from a precise elemental composition. Primarily composed of iron and carbon, with carbon content ranging from 0.6% to 1.5%, this alloy undergoes a delicate dance of atoms that forms a crystalline lattice. The meticulous interplay between iron and carbon within the elemental structure of high carbon steel results in a blade that boasts remarkable strength, excellent edge retention, and the potential for achieving a razor-sharp edge. Knife makers and craftsmen harness this unique composition to create blades that are not only functional but also a testament to the artistry of metallurgy.
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Condition:
This alloy been properly annealed and is in the soft condition. You do not have to do any non-standard wasteful processes before heat treating. The steel must be heat treated to get to a hardened state. Follow the heat treat recipe and the steel will harden.
Ratings:
22 = Maximum Toughness
31 = Maximum Edge Holding
The rating scale is 0-100, 0 being minimum and 100 being maximum. The ratings are the maximum potential of the alloy. If the value shown is "NT", the testing has not been performed. I do not recommend heat treating to the maximum value. Choose a heat treat recipe that results in the attributes you want.
Thank you to Dr Larrin Thomas for all the testing he performed and information he has provided. Buy his book Knife Engineering to learn more about knifemaking.
Alloy Comparison Table:One of the best ways to make excellent knives is to use repeatable and reliable processes and materials. 1095 does not meet this criteria. The problem is the specifications are too loose. The composition shown above is for this specific batch of steel.
This is the standard specification for 1095:This is the standard specification for 1095:
There are five elements where the acceptable percentage ranges from 0.000% to a maximum of .400%. This is a ridiculous amount of variation. Loose tolerances is the primary reason why we previously chose not to stock 1095 for years.
To get around the problem of loose tolerances we purchased several thousand pounds of 1095 from the same melt. This means you can buy 1095 from us and it will be repeatable and reliable when heat treating. Another way to solve the loose tolerance problem is to buy from high quality mills like Bohler Uddeholm (B/U).
New Knifemakers - I’ve heard many beginning knifemakers say 1095 and O1 are the best steel for beginning knifemakers. When I ask where they learned this information, they almost always say YouTube. Do not believe anyone on YouTube who says 1095 and/or O1 are the best beginner steels. They are wrong. If they are wrong about steel, what other erroneous information are they sharing? In my opinion, the best steel alloys for beginners are 1084, 15N20, 5160, 80CrV2 or 8670. All these steels are much easier to heat treat than 1095 and O1.
I do not recommend 1095 for beginning knifemakers. If you are a new knifemaker and you make a knife with our 1095 that does not get hard, do not complain. You have been warned to use a different steel.
Hamons - Some knifemakers like to use 1095 because they want to make a knife with a hamon. If you want even better hamons, use 26C3 carbon steel.
Quenching - 1095 must be quenched quickly to achieve full hardness. I recommend using Park’s #50 as the quenching oil. Some people recommend quenching in water or brine. These quenchants work, but you can get cracks. The safest, most repeatable and reliable quenching oil is Park’s #50. It is worth the money.
When heat treating 1095, keep your quench tank close to your oven or forge. When the steel is at the correct temperature, remove the blade from the heat source and quench in one smooth, safe motion. Do not delay. Quench as quickly as possible or you will not achieve full hardness.
Flat Ground:
Any alloy that has “Flat Ground” in the description has been Blanchard ground. Our tolerances for flat grinding are +-.001” across 12”. You can identify Blanchard grinding by circular grind marks. Do not be mislead by other descriptions. Others try to pass off less accurate types of grinding with lower tolerances as flat grinding. This is why we call out our tolerances.
Information Sources:
There are many sources of information regarding knifemaking. Some sources, like Dr. Larrin Thomas of Knife Steel Nerds, are excellent. Other sources are not as credible. It is important to vet the your information sources. Be careful of anyone who says the way to heat treat 1095 or O1 is to heat to non-magnetic and quench in used motor oil. Anyone who publishes this type of information is not credible. When possible, we use information from manufacturers and industry experts.