Subject: Re: information on steel

From: [email-masked](VT)
Date: 2 Aug 1996 19:26:50 GMT

On Aug 02, 1996 17:07:17 in article <Re: information on steel>,
[email-masked] (Jeffry  Johnston)' wrote: 

>What's the difference between L1 and 52100E? 
> 
>Alvin Johnston  <--Libertarian 
 
about 4 characters...... 
 
Seriously though, what steels do the razor blade manufacturers use - like
Gillette, Schick etc.   
 
I think they are fairly obviously STAINLESS steels.....? 
 
Another thing I have noticed inusing razor blades that they actually SHAVE
better after a few uses/days - more comfortable, better cutting/shaving
ability. 
 
Anyone with a plausible explanation about this? 
 
Can it be that razor blades start out by being just TOO sharp (I know there
is NO such thing as TOO sharp on rec.knives, but hey, I am sacreligious),
and are worn/blunted to optimum sharpness? 
 
What is optimium sharpness? 
-- 
Vincent 
[email-masked]

---

From: [email-masked] (Christopher Lau)
Date: 1 Aug 1996 20:37:18 GMT

This really belongs more in rec.metalworking and rec.knives, so I'm
crossposting to those groups and redirecting followups there instead
of to sci.engr.metallurgy.

Kevin Otto ([email-masked]) wrote:
: Could you please explain to me the differences between
: the swordmaking steels which are used today?  I know of several
: and would appreciate information on these and any others which
: exist; those that I know of follow:

I'm going to re-arrange your list:

: 	420 Stainless (does J2 signify anything?)
: 	440A Stainless
: 	440C Stainless
: 	440 Carbon
: 	surgical steel

These are all chromium-bearing steels with a chromium content of >14%
and a carbon content that can range from as little as .2% (plain 420,
no A,B,C,etc postfix) to around 1.2-1.5% for the 440C varieties..  
"Surgical" steel is a generic name given to *any* stainless variety
that is commonly used in surgical instruments, this can be a 300 series
steel or a 400 series steel..  

: 	1095 Carbon
: 	Krupp CK55
: 	spring steel

1095 is an AISI designation for a plain carbon steel with 0.95% carbon.
CK55 is a German steel with 0.55% carbon.  Spring steel, like the "surgical"
label above, is a generic name given to any carbon steel commonly used for
making springs..  The varieties you're most likely to encounter are 
5160 and any 10XX steel where XX ranges from 40-95..  

The term "carbon steel" used without any further qualification (ie, plain
carbon, stainless, etc..  composition data with this designation would
also be helpful) is pretty much meaningless because *all* steels, stainless
or otherwise are an alloy of iron and carbon (and other things, but the
carbon is the key). 

: I would particularly like to know the differences as pertaining
: to blade weapons, such as ability to hold an edge, flexibility, 
: resistence to nicks, etc.

Any stainless steel is poor for making swords..  Stainless has poor
shock and impact resistance and flexibility compared to plain carbon
steels, but is used in replica swords because it polishes up to a
mirror finish quite easily and is resistant to corrosion due to sticky
fingers :-)..  Any martensitic plain carbon steel or non-stainless
alloy tool steel is probably ideal for swordmaking.  As with any
steel, the higher the carbon content, the harder the steel can be made
through heat treating.  Adding other trace elements such as silicon
and manganese and chromium can improve flexibility, toughness or add
corrosion resistance to the steel.  I like 1065 for my swords, but
5160 is also a pretty good choice because it has great impact
resistance and a trace of chromium in it, which doesn't affect its
impact resistance nor does it make it stainless, but does make it
marginally more corrosion resistant than the 10XX series steels (ie,
fingerprints don't etch the surface as easily as with 10XX).  52100
ball bearing steel is also a fairly good choice for sword blades.
52100 is ABS Master smith Ed Fowler's favorite steel.

--
Christopher Lau       | Nortel Wireless Networks / Bell-Northern Research Ltd.
Mr. Unix              | This article contains my own opinions, not BNR's.
--                    | Bring back Trudeau!
[email-masked]       | (613)-763-8392

---

From: [email-masked] (Jeffry Johnston)
Date: 2 Aug 1996 17:02:57 GMT

Man, I really liked this post and don't want to detract from it
I just want to add to it.

: 5160 is also a pretty good choice because it has great impact
: resistance and a trace of chromium in it, which doesn't affect its
: impact resistance nor does it make it stainless...
: --
: Christopher Lau

I read where the main reason for the addition of chromium to automobile
springs (5160) was to improve it's resistance to fatigue cracks.

Vanadium is always thought of as being a grain refiner but chromium and
tungsten also do this when used in small percentages as in 5160 52100 
and in O1.  It just takes more Cr or W to do the same thing as V.  When
you use two alloys the effect is doubled.  Like in O1 .5% Cr plus .5% W
is equal to 2% of either Cr alone or 2% of W alone.

Check it out, can you find a better steel to make a straight razor 
>from  than F2?  (not including cost)

---

From: [email-masked] (Jeffry Johnston)
Date: 2 Aug 1996 17:07:17 GMT