I'd say it's somewhere between stainless and carbon. D2 is one of my favourite steels purely because it combines some of the best qualities of both stainless and carbon steels. It won't rust anywhere near as readily as a true carbon steel, and you can throw it around and beat it up a lot more than a stainless. It's a great middle ground and perfect for outdoor use.
I agree...I really love D2...you got it nailed by the perfect middle ground philosophy...I have found it to perform very well overall. Thanks for watching!
@@nonyabusiness2041 You can indeed sharpen D2 fairly easily. I personally have a Lansky sharpener and after I took the time to put a 30° edge on it (originally 20°-25° I think), it sharpens well enough after about 30 minutes of work. Make sure you clean it before and after. I use mineral oil and a sponge before, then an oilcloth after.
I know it's a old video and you probably know by now that D2 is quite rust resistant but I just had to stop by and drop my two cents. D2 is kinda considered a staple in knife making or at least in my region where we have a tradition in the craft. Also, you should always take good care of and respect your knife, never take it's durability for granted, for some day your life may depend on it. Greetings from Bulgaria!
If you like Bulgarian knife construction, please take a few minutes to see my TFK T17. Google and TH-cam searches will give you plenty of info. I think you'll like it!! Thanks for watching!
I've just bought my first D2 blade and was looking for - will it rust if I slice up an apple? when I found this. Great video. I bought a Rough Ryder in D2 and cannot find out the heat treatment anywhere. If they do a good job or not - that sort of think. I know Buck do a good job with their stainless but know nothing about how these D2 blades are made in the reserve models. Many thanks Gray
Good video. This is probably over simplified, but I think of D2 as a mix between 440C and 1095 steel. It is in the middle of them in both toughness and stain resistance. It holds its edge better than both but is more difficult to sharpen. A really good all around knife steel IMO.
For blade performance there are two things more important than steel formulation. An appropriate blade profile for its designed tasks and most importantly, proper heat treating.
I've been making knives since 1992, at first I did O1 doing a heat treat in a forge. I had been sending 440C to a heat treating company called Hinderliter nearby in Oklahoma City. I liked the edge holding of liquid nitrogen cryo'd 440C at HRC 58, but the heat treater I had gotten to know by tig welding things for him said to try D2. It wasn't very expensive so I made some small EDC knives and Hinderliter did the ht for me. Well without a cryo you can get 60 hard by heat treating it right WITH toughness. My friend at Hinderliter taught me the process and the critical part was to temper at 1000 degrees. So you heat it up to 1900 and hold for 30 minutes then air quench with an air blast from an air hose at 60+ lbs. The funny thing is if you temper at 450 you can still get 60 hardness, but its not very tough, it's where D2 got the reputation for being brittle, cutting corners on the heat treat. Yet if you temper to 1000 degrees it softens the steel down to about RC 55 at 700 degrees and then it gets harder until you hit a peak at RC 60 to 60.5 and then you let it cool to room temperature afterwards, you do two two hour tempers. Then the blade has very good toughness while still being quite hard for edge holding ability. The 0.90% Vanadium makes carbides that are harder than tungsten carbides. That is why all the new super steels are high in vanadium. D2 also has 0.80 molybdenum and they make their own carbides too. Don't forget the 1.50% carbon is pretty high so you get a lot of carbides all around. The difference between stainless and D2 is one percent chromium. Technically to be called stainless a steel must contain 13% chromium and D2 tool steel has 12% chromium. Not much of a difference.
@@outerlimitless If you have the deep cryo capability with liquid nitrogen and do the same temper I outlined above it literally is a super steel. Its toughness becomes very good and you can put a 12 degree edge on it that won't chip.
Stainlesness should be determined by free chromium now overall chromium. D2 has a decent overall ammount pf chromium but a lot of it is tied up in carbides. It is relatively stainless but not as much as its chromium percent would lead many to believe. Zdp is also similar. Something like 20% cr but so much is tied up in carbides that it quite easily patinas.
I just put vinegar on a paper towel. I don't think boiling it speeds up the acidic reaction. It only takes a few minutes by wrapping a soaked paper towel around the blade, and you waste less vinegar.
When it is heat-treated, it is some extremely tough/ hard Steel! We used it in our nail making machines as the punch.. 2 carbon dies come together and grip The Wire then the D2 punch would punch a head out on it. 1000 to 1,500 nails per minute. All depends on size of wire and size of nail. I always thought this stuff would make a great knife or sword!
Wow...that's a busy machine! Yeah, D2 is pretty tough. It can be brittle if not properly heat treated, but when done right it is a great steel...reasonable corrosion resistance, edge retention, and durability.
D2 is a steel mainly use for the tooling on mills that make tubes from flat metals once heat treated to 62-65 Rc its very strong and take lots of pressure
outer limitless I’ve never made a knife with d2 I was a machinist and we made tooling for company’s that would make conduit and piping for oil rigs and they went through incredible amounts of pressure. When I first started I was told we could drop headed d2 off the roof and it wouldn’t damage it (much) the tooling I called bs and we did it and I was proven very wrong
In industry test they made not immerse but sprayed with salt solution at 60C chamber, if I remember. Vinegar is a weak acid, generally acid solubilized metals, that's why the knife seems cleaner, the acid removed the old oxidation layer (which is protective). This is not the kind of corrosion you are looking for.
Nice video. Regarding D2 steel aspects nobody mentions that this metal has some smell depending what is cut with it. I have a folder in D2 and it has some minor metal smell which can be increased by cutting some food and wiping clean. Therefore it may give some metal taste to food as well. I don’t know if I like this steel yet. It may loose some sharpness due the micro corrosion more easily because of this. Some guy made a video 1 hour long showing on some stainless steel knifes this effect depending on angle and time after sharpening. And now imagine those were stainless ones which D2 isn’t.
Well, I've got my own experiment coming up soon. I ordered the Rat 2 "D2" knife without a coating because all that was available was the uncoated type. I have steel wool and Birchwood Casey Gun Bluing. I hope it works, but they say stainless steel won't cold blue, it has to be heated and I'm not sure how to go about that.
I would suggest being careful with the heat of course...but I guess it depends on how hot. D2 will patina with the proper treatment. We use D2 on my T17's and get a nice acid stonewash finish.
I rate the IRON content with a STRONG MAGNET. I have stainless steel knives that are not magnetic at all! D2 is my FAVORITE knife steel giving me a good hardness & good edge retention!, in a price that I can affect!
One thing to add...I put my d2 in lemon juice and heated the juice to close to boiling. It did give the ricasso area front n back a blueish rainbow color but not on blade. Weird. I'm gonna try sanding it then hit it with the Birchwood. What do I have to lose at this point
I agree that D2 is highly underrated. It is not a complete stainless, but it does resist rust much better than a regular carbon steel. I have had very good luck with it myself, but I have heard others complain about chipping..my guess is that it was not a good heat treat/temper, but that is just a guess. I am no expert by any means, I just know I have had great luck with it, but I do generally buy higher end blades, so hence my heat treat theory. It is also a much copied steel, and some manufacturers might be using a lower grade variance. It kind of falls in between the 2 categories..it is a carbon steel, but with a higher chromium content than your average carbon steels, yet not enough to call it stainless. A blend of the best of both worlds, and if done right, a pretty tough steel.
I think you're probably right about people buying lower grade or poorly heat treated D2. I continue to have excellent experiences with the D2 that I have used. My next video will be on the Steel Will Roamer R305. I twisted the thing up pretty good during field use and the video shows how much the D2 can really take and still hold a practically perfect edge. Anyway, thanks for watching and your thoughts!
I was looking into getting a traditional sodbuster style knife made of D2, but I am rethinking my decision because part of the fun of having a traditional knife is formation of patina and doesnt seem D2 will do that
I Like that Maxpedition Geometric. I Really do Like D2 Good Testing if a patina was even even possible. You did show a great way to clean it . There are so many types of steel out there I have one that is" High Carbon Stainless' At this point after that Hot Vinegar bath I would say " Stainless"
Yes D2 will patina. Although differently than 1095. D2 gets a more cloudy blackish patina in my own experience. Whereas 1095 gets a browny blue black patina.
I'm not sure about sanding...I usually just strop my edges or use ceramic to hone them. Unless you seriously chunk an edge you shouldn't need to sharpen much.
Dude this is so weird. I just met you at blade show, and I finally get home just to randomly find one of your videos on youtube haha - Joe from Athena's Edge
11-18% chromium is generally the range where people agree a blade becomes stainless. D2 is usually around 12% so it is in that spectrum but on the bottom end. Ferric chloride would give you a better etch and darkening.
Judging stainlesnes off of cr percentage is misleading. 10-11% free cr is a super stainless steel. The issue is that cr for carbides. This keeps the cr from forming a passivation layer and allowes oxidation. A good example is zdp. 20% cr but also 3% carbon. That much carbon means most of the cr is tied up in carbides and is why zdp still pretty easily tarnishes.
I went on TFK website I assume the prices are in Bulgarian currancy ?? How does that convert to USD and how much approx for shipping I am in Toronto Canada. Great video just fount your channel and subscribed thanks!
I'm not 100% sure on the currency. It depends on your browser. I can help guide you... which model specifically are you interested in? My browser shows me prices in USD. Glad to have you aboard!
If you are interested in the T17, that is my design and I am currently taking preorders for an order that will be manufactured in the next couple weeks. They are made to order based on your specifications.
What the hell does the Steel Will Gecko have on it, and how is it applied? This is a great steel (got lots of of folders in it) that I want to darken and protect. Hot humid summers where I live and they rust spot quickly. S35vn is great, but gets spend quick. Great vid and mods to your personal gear. ✌
I treat it as a carbon steel just in case I believe mustard can help with patina also never tried I do have some blades in 01 which are slowly making there own patina even with me taking crazy care of them which annoyed me but I do like the patina look to guess I am afraid of change.
Sometimes it's good to force a patina...01 gets a nice even patina if you force it with boiled white vinegar...nice and dark. But, if you let it happen naturally it will be spotty and uneven...so that's kinda the trade off.
I have 3 custom Bowies in D2 , not this shining, but harder, and stays sharp more than the others in 440c I have, custom makers use D2 frequently, especially from 9 to 16 inches, hard to see rust if you have a minimum care.
That's awesome. I really like D2 and have great experience with it. I think it is a great option for people who like carbon but want less fuss and care. A leather strop is enough for me to keep mine razor sharp, or maybe a ceramic rod if I need a touch more.
It's funny...some people really like D2, and other people can't stand it. I don't really understand why, but D2 is a very polarizing steel choice. I built my own knife design, actually released it for sale a couple weeks ago...but I built it in D2 for the first release. I trust D2 and think it performs very well. I know it's holding my sales back, but I didn't build it for sales...I built it for performance and performance alone. I'm glad I did!
My D2 blades don't have a lot of dirt time but they seem to hold up well. And most D2 vids I watch show the same. Some still complain that D2 is not tough enough but it seems properly heat treated D2 will get the job done.
Ya, this T7 is definitely tough...in my review video, I pounded on it pretty good and it handles plenty well...and also keeping in mind that this is 5/32, not 3/16 stock.
ofcourse if its quality made d2 it should be pretty hard i wouldnt use a knife spine for flint steel unless u forgot ur other tools, not good to damage the spine.
I'm going to say you would probably have to get it hot then dip it into vinegar to accept it into the blade. But I don't know? Not to the point where your temper in it!
My vox rald has a looks like that and I only used it ! The sheath is fine modified a little ! Its the same sheath on the sogs but bias reviewers don't knock the one on the sog !
D2 is better than a carbon steel, but you will need to keep it clean after use. Especially under the scales if it gets really wet. D2 can corrode, but it's fairly forgiving.
D2 might be a good steel but I have seen enough bad heat treatments that make me second guess the steel. In my opinion D2 is as close to stainless as carbon steel can get. I think the formula for calculating if a steel is Stainless is (Chromium - carbon content). If the answer is 12 it is stainless. D2 is around 12.5 chromium - 1.5 carbon comes to around 11% free chromium, thus making the steel not stainless. In practice it is a steel that is borderline stainless.
Great vid! Reminds me so much of one knife in particular that I have used extensively for a couple years now...D2 with gorgeous micarta handle scales. I've always questioned whether it was really carbon or stainless. After trying trying to force a patina with vinegar, mustard and even a cold blue, no luck. Heavy use has given it a few slight discolorations but I have no doubt it could be returned to like new shininess in a matter of minutes and the shininess irks me probably more than is reasonable! Sharpens perhaps not quite as easily as 1095, but not far off. As, if not more, rust-resistant than a good stainless...in the end makes a great blade that is frustratingly shiny but incredibly useful and underrated, imho. Thanks for the video! Glad I'm not the only one. :)
Hey Rick, glad to hear from ya!! Yeah, I have been in LOVE with D2 for a long time now, but always intrigued by its characteristics. Like you said, I have had discoloration over time, but what about forced patina?? I had never tried it. I love to experiment and figured what the heck, let's go for it. I'm curious about your blade...where did you get it?
Going nerd, D2 is not stainless. 1. From Wiki :'Due to their high chromium content, certain D-type tool steels are often considered stainless or semi-stainless, however their corrosion resistance is very limited due to the precipitation of the majority of their chromium and carbon constituents as carbides.' 2. D2 is not listed by European and American steel grade as stainless. High chromium steel are very resistant to acetic acid. You need hydrochloric acid to test. This is what I heard from some 3V steel, It the heat treatment include cryo treatment, it becomes more rust resistant. I've heard that from 3V blades that are HT by Peter's. Do the Ht ma make it more rust resistant.
Interesting...still leaves me confused though...haha...that definition is almost in conflict with itself! Definition 1 said stainless, and definition 2 said not listed as stainless. I love this topic though, some great comments, thanks for weighing in!!
I do not have a hard time with D2. I am generally careful not to damage my edge...I generally avoid hard objects or chips on my blades, so ceramic rods and leather strops are able to get my edge back to razor perfect. How do you feel about D2?
It seems to me a good steel, I was trying to take a bushcraft knife with this steel, up to now I have always used 14C28N steel which I am very happy, strong, stainless, holds a good margin and it is simple to sharpen in the field, now so I do not know whether to try D2 or continue with 14C28N, what do you recommend?
I do not have too much experience with 14C28N, but I personally really like D2, so I would suggest it, but you might like to stick with what you are most comfortable with. Sorry for the late reply.
D2 will rust maybe a little slower than 1095 but I have seen substantial rust in 12 hours red and hard to remove although no pitting also be sure those knives are not made with an equivalent European D2 with higher stain resistance like Sliepner steel that being said I think D2 is way underrated and one of my fav steels
The TFK knife is European grade 1.2379, which my research shows to be D2. The company also markets it as D2, so I'm confident saying that. However I suppose it could have some difference that I am unaware of. But ya, D2 is underrated...it's great. Do you find it easy or hard to sharpen?
Ya, cool...for me it's all about the strop too. I agree about it being harder than 1095, but I don't generally chip my blades, so some touch up with a ceramic rod and a good leather strop and D2 is mint!
yea well made d2 is tough, i dont understand all the hate it gets by all the rich nerds on yt its just marketing to sell other uncessary "fancy metals" i heard this big channel say that d2 rusts in ur pocket while none of my d2s have rusted yet... the best budget steel hands down.
Makes you wonder if that is D2 ? From what I've come to understand D2 is not a true stainless material. It laks the chromium content % to achieve stainless steel performance. Over time it will oxidize.
outer limitless Thanks man! I love my CFK knives. Have used the hell outta one over the past couple years and only needed to sharpen it once. I strop after a couple hard uses but didn't really need to. You can't beat em for the price. Try one out sometime and lemme know what you think
Danny Cadle I've had a few CFK blades, but none in D2. But I really do like D2. It has always performed great for me. I agree about the strop... keeps a great serviceable edge.
D2 is my favorite ! It's edge taking and holding is outstanding ! Far better than s30v a little better than xhp but very little better ! Everyone crys it's hard to sharpen ! The harder it is to sharpen the better the edge holding ! S30v is easy to shatpen they say ! Yeah and is doesn't hold the edge ! So way did I pay more ! They say it's more rust resistant ! Not that much ! Thus the hoax ! Edge holding is what I'm after ! But these collectors want shiny ! I'm a user ! But ilI do collect clones of stupid high greedy priced cnc machine clone at custom prices ! Medford reeves microtech and others are greedy little rip offs ! Funny the company doesn't say anything about the clones ( thst I have heard ) only the customer that got ripped off ! Some say investment because you can sell it for the same or more ! I say yeah until everyone finds out the emperor has no close or the economy changes ! Then all you have is a bunch of cnc clones you bought at custom price ! A fair price is a % over production cost per unit ! That's what a loyal American company would charge ! When I get loyalty I give it and I ain' got none from these so called American companies yet !
I have always had great luck with D2. It is definitely one of my preferred steels. People get hung up on newest and greatest but sometimes forget what has worked and worked well. D2 for me works well...and can take a beating too. I like the edge retention and don't honestly find it hard to sharpen. Whoever said that doesn't seem to really know how to properly maintain and edge, because it's not difficult at all. I would honestly say it's harder to dull your blade than to sharpen it if that makes sense?
D2 isn't stainless. Too much of its chromium is tied up with carbon as chromium carbide. There's not enough free to form the chromium oxide film that makes it 'stainless'
@@outerlimitless it is rather stain resistant but a lot of the chromium is is the form of chromium carbide making its 'stainlessness' equivalent to a steel with 7% chromium.
I think this method with the vinegar is so stupid man,I've never gonna threat my knives like that to make them shinny. There are a lot of other methods to make the blade shinny, for example with watersand, special paste and etc.
Most likely a knife made by people who know and actually care about their products unlike the majority of knife makers that spend too much money and energy on promoting overpriced products that vary greatly from batch to batch. They count on customers egos and high chances of them not actually using the knives. See it all the time on knife channels where the pushers claim to work with the knife every day for whatever time period yet the knives appear to be just unboxed. Occasionally the skins will be worn but I can't help but think it's from fidgeting use and pulling it out to show it off. 😅 People who actually use the knives as intended are now a minority as fidgeting collectors cling on to the idea of being a man if they have an "edc" to open boxes from Amazon. People are becoming so disconnected from our objective reality with very little critical thinking processes happening as they seek the advertised latest and greatest. There used to be steels produced that would be considered magical nowadays. Why did those steels get shelved as well as the knowledge to produce them. Age of Obsolescence.
I'm thinking s30v is a hoax ! My s30v has to be sharpened as much or more than my 440c . So we already had stainless ! And why do we need more expensive stainless ? Hype ?
@@outerlimitless I feel that if you wanted to spend so much time talking about your conversions to your knives, you could have done another video. I clicked your video specifically to learn more about what the title says. Hope that helps. Thanks.
I totally realize that many many people are not fans of D2, but honestly...if properly heat treated and the manufacturer knows what they're doing with it, D2 is a great steel. I like it for hard use woodscraft, camp tasks etc. If a folder...well, generally I would prefer more of an S35VN or something similar, but D2 can be great!
I'd say it's somewhere between stainless and carbon. D2 is one of my favourite steels purely because it combines some of the best qualities of both stainless and carbon steels. It won't rust anywhere near as readily as a true carbon steel, and you can throw it around and beat it up a lot more than a stainless. It's a great middle ground and perfect for outdoor use.
I agree...I really love D2...you got it nailed by the perfect middle ground philosophy...I have found it to perform very well overall. Thanks for watching!
Orion Slaver I've had some negative experiences with D2 chipping a lot, especially a combination of D2 and scandi grinds
I like your video man, can you sharpen D2 steel once it gets dull? I ordered a nice custom d2 steel bowie knife at 15in overall
Pretty much if you dry it after it gets wet it will be ok?
@@nonyabusiness2041 You can indeed sharpen D2 fairly easily. I personally have a Lansky sharpener and after I took the time to put a 30° edge on it (originally 20°-25° I think), it sharpens well enough after about 30 minutes of work. Make sure you clean it before and after. I use mineral oil and a sponge before, then an oilcloth after.
I know it's a old video and you probably know by now that D2 is quite rust resistant but I just had to stop by and drop my two cents. D2 is kinda considered a staple in knife making or at least in my region where we have a tradition in the craft. Also, you should always take good care of and respect your knife, never take it's durability for granted, for some day your life may depend on it. Greetings from Bulgaria!
If you like Bulgarian knife construction, please take a few minutes to see my TFK T17. Google and TH-cam searches will give you plenty of info. I think you'll like it!! Thanks for watching!
I've just bought my first D2 blade and was looking for - will it rust if I slice up an apple? when I found this.
Great video.
I bought a Rough Ryder in D2 and cannot find out the heat treatment anywhere.
If they do a good job or not - that sort of think.
I know Buck do a good job with their stainless but know nothing about how these D2 blades are made in the reserve models.
Many thanks
Gray
Good video. This is probably over simplified, but I think of D2 as a mix between 440C and 1095 steel. It is in the middle of them in both toughness and stain resistance. It holds its edge better than both but is more difficult to sharpen. A really good all around knife steel IMO.
For blade performance there are two things more important than steel formulation. An appropriate blade profile for its designed tasks and most importantly, proper heat treating.
I've been making knives since 1992, at first I did O1 doing a heat treat in a forge. I had been sending 440C to a heat treating company called Hinderliter nearby in Oklahoma City. I liked the edge holding of liquid nitrogen cryo'd 440C at HRC 58, but the heat treater I had gotten to know by tig welding things for him said to try D2. It wasn't very expensive so I made some small EDC knives and Hinderliter did the ht for me. Well without a cryo you can get 60 hard by heat treating it right WITH toughness. My friend at Hinderliter taught me the process and the critical part was to temper at 1000 degrees. So you heat it up to 1900 and hold for 30 minutes then air quench with an air blast from an air hose at 60+ lbs.
The funny thing is if you temper at 450 you can still get 60 hardness, but its not very tough, it's where D2 got the reputation for being brittle, cutting corners on the heat treat. Yet if you temper to 1000 degrees it softens the steel down to about RC 55 at 700 degrees and then it gets harder until you hit a peak at RC 60 to 60.5 and then you let it cool to room temperature afterwards, you do two two hour tempers. Then the blade has very good toughness while still being quite hard for edge holding ability.
The 0.90% Vanadium makes carbides that are harder than tungsten carbides. That is why all the new super steels are high in vanadium. D2 also has 0.80 molybdenum and they make their own carbides too. Don't forget the 1.50% carbon is pretty high so you get a lot of carbides all around.
The difference between stainless and D2 is one percent chromium. Technically to be called stainless a steel must contain 13% chromium and D2 tool steel has 12% chromium. Not much of a difference.
Interesting. Yeah, I always say when D2 is done right it can be an amazing steel! I like it!
@@outerlimitless If you have the deep cryo capability with liquid nitrogen and do the same temper I outlined above it literally is a super steel. Its toughness becomes very good and you can put a 12 degree edge on it that won't chip.
Stainlesness should be determined by free chromium now overall chromium. D2 has a decent overall ammount pf chromium but a lot of it is tied up in carbides. It is relatively stainless but not as much as its chromium percent would lead many to believe. Zdp is also similar. Something like 20% cr but so much is tied up in carbides that it quite easily patinas.
I just put vinegar on a paper towel. I don't think boiling it speeds up the acidic reaction. It only takes a few minutes by wrapping a soaked paper towel around the blade, and you waste less vinegar.
When it is heat-treated, it is some extremely tough/ hard Steel!
We used it in our nail making machines as the punch.. 2 carbon dies come together and grip The Wire then the D2 punch would punch a head out on it. 1000 to 1,500 nails per minute. All depends on size of wire and size of nail. I always thought this stuff would make a great knife or sword!
Wow...that's a busy machine! Yeah, D2 is pretty tough. It can be brittle if not properly heat treated, but when done right it is a great steel...reasonable corrosion resistance, edge retention, and durability.
D2 is a steel mainly use for the tooling on mills that make tubes from flat metals once heat treated to 62-65 Rc its very strong and take lots of pressure
Super annoyed...I responded to all my most recent comments, but stupid TH-cam Creator Studio ditched them. I'll be responding as I can...sorry!!
Have you had good luck with D2? I really like how it performs.
outer limitless I’ve never made a knife with d2 I was a machinist and we made tooling for company’s that would make conduit and piping for oil rigs and they went through incredible amounts of pressure. When I first started I was told we could drop headed d2 off the roof and it wouldn’t damage it (much) the tooling I called bs and we did it and I was proven very wrong
I'm glad you've had good experiences. I've ruined knives by trying to modify them, so I don't do that anymore.
In industry test they made not immerse but sprayed with salt solution at 60C chamber, if I remember. Vinegar is a weak acid, generally acid solubilized metals, that's why the knife seems cleaner, the acid removed the old oxidation layer (which is protective). This is not the kind of corrosion you are looking for.
Nice video. Regarding D2 steel aspects nobody mentions that this metal has some smell depending what is cut with it. I have a folder in D2 and it has some minor metal smell which can be increased by cutting some food and wiping clean. Therefore it may give some metal taste to food as well. I don’t know if I like this steel yet. It may loose some sharpness due the micro corrosion more easily because of this. Some guy made a video 1 hour long showing on some stainless steel knifes this effect depending on angle and time after sharpening. And now imagine those were stainless ones which D2 isn’t.
Well, I've got my own experiment coming up soon. I ordered the Rat 2 "D2" knife without a coating because all that was available was the uncoated type. I have steel wool and Birchwood Casey Gun Bluing. I hope it works, but they say stainless steel won't cold blue, it has to be heated and I'm not sure how to go about that.
I would suggest being careful with the heat of course...but I guess it depends on how hot. D2 will patina with the proper treatment. We use D2 on my T17's and get a nice acid stonewash finish.
wow thanks i really like their 3" sparrow knife... I may get that. seems like a great value for 60 bucks
I rate the IRON content with a STRONG MAGNET. I have stainless steel knives that are not magnetic at all! D2 is my FAVORITE knife steel giving me a good hardness & good edge retention!, in a price that I can affect!
One thing to add...I put my d2 in lemon juice and heated the juice to close to boiling. It did give the ricasso area front n back a blueish rainbow color but not on blade. Weird. I'm gonna try sanding it then hit it with the Birchwood. What do I have to lose at this point
I agree that D2 is highly underrated. It is not a complete stainless, but it does resist rust much better than a regular carbon steel. I have had very good luck with it myself, but I have heard others complain about chipping..my guess is that it was not a good heat treat/temper, but that is just a guess. I am no expert by any means, I just know I have had great luck with it, but I do generally buy higher end blades, so hence my heat treat theory. It is also a much copied steel, and some manufacturers might be using a lower grade variance.
It kind of falls in between the 2 categories..it is a carbon steel, but with a higher chromium content than your average carbon steels, yet not enough to call it stainless. A blend of the best of both worlds, and if done right, a pretty tough steel.
I think you're probably right about people buying lower grade or poorly heat treated D2. I continue to have excellent experiences with the D2 that I have used. My next video will be on the Steel Will Roamer R305. I twisted the thing up pretty good during field use and the video shows how much the D2 can really take and still hold a practically perfect edge. Anyway, thanks for watching and your thoughts!
I was looking into getting a traditional sodbuster style knife made of D2, but I am rethinking my decision because part of the fun of having a traditional knife is formation of patina and doesnt seem D2 will do that
I Like that Maxpedition Geometric.
I Really do Like D2
Good Testing if a patina was even even possible. You did show a great way to clean it .
There are so many types of steel out there I have one that is" High Carbon Stainless'
At this point after that Hot Vinegar bath I would say " Stainless"
It cleaned up marvelously...haha, not my intended result, but that's why I like to experiment!! All in good fun, and a learning experience too!
Yes D2 will patina. Although differently than 1095. D2 gets a more cloudy blackish patina in my own experience. Whereas 1095 gets a browny blue black patina.
I haven't been able to get a solid patina on D2 yet...not with household stuff anyway.
Awesome video, Sir. Thanks for sharing. But may I know is D2 steel can sharpen by sandpaper? I've ever heard that it's hard steel to sharpen.
I'm not sure about sanding...I usually just strop my edges or use ceramic to hone them. Unless you seriously chunk an edge you shouldn't need to sharpen much.
Dude this is so weird. I just met you at blade show, and I finally get home just to randomly find one of your videos on youtube haha - Joe from Athena's Edge
Nice! I've been at it a long time man! Constantly pushing and growing! You're on my list to catch up with! Guess you beat me to it!
The weird part is, it is probably due to your phone listening, but hey let's never speak of this again js
11-18% chromium is generally the range where people agree a blade becomes stainless.
D2 is usually around 12% so it is in that spectrum but on the bottom end. Ferric chloride would give you a better etch and darkening.
Haha, ferric would have to be the option, because vinegar just cleaned my knife! haha. Thank for watching!
Judging stainlesnes off of cr percentage is misleading. 10-11% free cr is a super stainless steel. The issue is that cr for carbides. This keeps the cr from forming a passivation layer and allowes oxidation. A good example is zdp. 20% cr but also 3% carbon. That much carbon means most of the cr is tied up in carbides and is why zdp still pretty easily tarnishes.
Can D2 be blued / cold blued is my question. I have a mirror finish SOG custom made but want to blue it. Can it be done? Even half assed ?
Will D2 take forced patina fairly well?
I went on TFK website I assume the prices are in Bulgarian currancy ?? How does that convert to USD and how much approx for shipping I am in Toronto Canada. Great video just fount your channel and subscribed thanks!
I'm not 100% sure on the currency. It depends on your browser. I can help guide you... which model specifically are you interested in? My browser shows me prices in USD. Glad to have you aboard!
If you are interested in the T17, that is my design and I am currently taking preorders for an order that will be manufactured in the next couple weeks. They are made to order based on your specifications.
d2 is amazingly strong its used mainly in press toolls that take a bbashing.
I have had great luck with D2...it's a good steel for my uses.
What the hell does the Steel Will Gecko have on it, and how is it applied? This is a great steel (got lots of of folders in it) that I want to darken and protect. Hot humid summers where I live and they rust spot quickly. S35vn is great, but gets spend quick. Great vid and mods to your personal gear. ✌
It's D2... that's why it's in this video
It's just a powder coating of some sort...
But, I can tell you that it's a gorgeous and durable finish... very nicely finished.
I treat it as a carbon steel just in case I believe mustard can help with patina also never tried I do have some blades in 01 which are slowly making there own patina even with me taking crazy care of them which annoyed me but I do like the patina look to guess I am afraid of change.
Sometimes it's good to force a patina...01 gets a nice even patina if you force it with boiled white vinegar...nice and dark. But, if you let it happen naturally it will be spotty and uneven...so that's kinda the trade off.
This is why we created the term “SEMI-STAINLESS STEEL”.
I have 3 custom Bowies in D2 , not this shining, but harder, and stays sharp more than the others in 440c I have, custom makers use D2 frequently, especially from 9 to 16 inches, hard to see rust if you have a minimum care.
That's awesome. I really like D2 and have great experience with it. I think it is a great option for people who like carbon but want less fuss and care. A leather strop is enough for me to keep mine razor sharp, or maybe a ceramic rod if I need a touch more.
@@outerlimitless yep, depending the price, its still today one of the best options
It's funny...some people really like D2, and other people can't stand it. I don't really understand why, but D2 is a very polarizing steel choice. I built my own knife design, actually released it for sale a couple weeks ago...but I built it in D2 for the first release. I trust D2 and think it performs very well. I know it's holding my sales back, but I didn't build it for sales...I built it for performance and performance alone. I'm glad I did!
Very nice man great collection of knives
Thanks...it's an interesting group...I love D2...a solid all around steel...especially for a folder.
I love the pico that you show first I would like to pricing on that with a darker handle scale
My D2 blades don't have a lot of dirt time but they seem to hold up well. And most D2 vids I watch show the same. Some still complain that D2 is not tough enough but it seems properly heat treated D2 will get the job done.
Ya, this T7 is definitely tough...in my review video, I pounded on it pretty good and it handles plenty well...and also keeping in mind that this is 5/32, not 3/16 stock.
Do you know if D2 will spark a piece of flint or quartz?
ofcourse if its quality made d2 it should be pretty hard i wouldnt use a knife spine for flint steel unless u forgot ur other tools, not good to damage the spine.
I'm going to say you would probably have to get it hot then dip it into vinegar to accept it into the blade. But I don't know? Not to the point where your temper in it!
I think it needs harsher chemicals...the vinegar cleaned it very well though...haha!
blah blah blah.......info starts at 2:40....but i left
My vox rald has a looks like that and I only used it ! The sheath is fine modified a little ! Its the same sheath on the sogs but bias reviewers don't knock the one on the sog !
The vox rold is solid. I really enjoy that knife!
cheers bro im playing with forced patina using the drippings out of old whiskey bottles as we speak
Ooooh! Cool...how did it turn out?
How does this perform in salt water environment?
D2 is better than a carbon steel, but you will need to keep it clean after use. Especially under the scales if it gets really wet. D2 can corrode, but it's fairly forgiving.
D2 might be a good steel but I have seen enough bad heat treatments that make me second guess the steel.
In my opinion D2 is as close to stainless as carbon steel can get. I think the formula for calculating if a steel is Stainless is (Chromium - carbon content). If the answer is 12 it is stainless.
D2 is around 12.5 chromium - 1.5 carbon comes to around 11% free chromium, thus making the steel not stainless.
In practice it is a steel that is borderline stainless.
Great vid! Reminds me so much of one knife in particular that I have used extensively for a couple years now...D2 with gorgeous micarta handle scales. I've always questioned whether it was really carbon or stainless. After trying trying to force a patina with vinegar, mustard and even a cold blue, no luck. Heavy use has given it a few slight discolorations but I have no doubt it could be returned to like new shininess in a matter of minutes and the shininess irks me probably more than is reasonable! Sharpens perhaps not quite as easily as 1095, but not far off. As, if not more, rust-resistant than a good stainless...in the end makes a great blade that is frustratingly shiny but incredibly useful and underrated, imho. Thanks for the video! Glad I'm not the only one. :)
Hey Rick, glad to hear from ya!! Yeah, I have been in LOVE with D2 for a long time now, but always intrigued by its characteristics. Like you said, I have had discoloration over time, but what about forced patina?? I had never tried it. I love to experiment and figured what the heck, let's go for it. I'm curious about your blade...where did you get it?
Haha, yeah, I hate my blades being all shiny. I don't like them damaged, but I like the look of a well used blade!
Is not it difficult to sharpen the D2?
I have done some patina on my D2 knife. It only took 6 hours.....kkk.Still, if you leave in the vinegar for 6 hours it will patine.
Interesting...maybe that will be a follow up test for me!! Thanks for writing!
Going nerd, D2 is not stainless.
1. From Wiki :'Due to their high chromium content, certain D-type tool steels are often considered stainless or semi-stainless, however their corrosion resistance is very limited due to the precipitation of the majority of their chromium and carbon constituents as carbides.'
2. D2 is not listed by European and American steel grade as stainless.
High chromium steel are very resistant to acetic acid. You need hydrochloric acid to test. This is what I heard from some 3V steel, It the heat treatment include cryo treatment, it becomes more rust resistant. I've heard that from 3V blades that are HT by Peter's. Do the Ht ma make it more rust resistant.
Interesting...still leaves me confused though...haha...that definition is almost in conflict with itself! Definition 1 said stainless, and definition 2 said not listed as stainless. I love this topic though, some great comments, thanks for weighing in!!
Hi, I wanted to ask you if it's easy enough to sharpen this D2 steel? is it much more difficult than a 440C?
I do not have a hard time with D2. I am generally careful not to damage my edge...I generally avoid hard objects or chips on my blades, so ceramic rods and leather strops are able to get my edge back to razor perfect. How do you feel about D2?
It seems to me a good steel, I was trying to take a bushcraft knife with this steel, up to now I have always used 14C28N steel which I am very happy, strong, stainless, holds a good margin and it is simple to sharpen in the field, now so I do not know whether to try D2 or continue with 14C28N, what do you recommend?
I do not have too much experience with 14C28N, but I personally really like D2, so I would suggest it, but you might like to stick with what you are most comfortable with. Sorry for the late reply.
D2 will rust maybe a little slower than 1095 but I have seen substantial rust in 12 hours red and hard to remove although no pitting also be sure those knives are not made with an equivalent European D2 with higher stain resistance like Sliepner steel that being said I think D2 is way underrated and one of my fav steels
The TFK knife is European grade 1.2379, which my research shows to be D2. The company also markets it as D2, so I'm confident saying that. However I suppose it could have some difference that I am unaware of. But ya, D2 is underrated...it's great. Do you find it easy or hard to sharpen?
its pretty easy not like 1095 but if you strop it in amazing
Ya, cool...for me it's all about the strop too. I agree about it being harder than 1095, but I don't generally chip my blades, so some touch up with a ceramic rod and a good leather strop and D2 is mint!
Is Sliepner considered D2 ?
@@Temporalplace yes European D2 slightly more stainless is the claim
What do modifications have to do with the subject title? Nothing.
yea well made d2 is tough, i dont understand all the hate it gets by all the rich nerds on yt its just marketing to sell other uncessary "fancy metals" i heard this big channel say that d2 rusts in ur pocket while none of my d2s have rusted yet... the best budget steel hands down.
Maybe loaded them in the cnc machine by hand !
Have you ever tried liver of sulfur?
No I haven't...what is it? I'll do some research...sounds interesting!
I want all.my knives to be a mirror polished and blued. Haha
I would say d2 is a stainless steel. its more stainless than some "stainless steel"
That's a good point...that many proclaimed "stainless" steels really aren't that stainless. Great point!
Makes you wonder if that is D2 ? From what I've come to understand D2 is not a true stainless material. It laks the chromium content % to achieve stainless steel performance. Over time it will oxidize.
How many blades does a person need 🤔
I have maybe 150ish...not quite enough. Well, close...but not quite enough.
All of them.
just one more
Are the D2 steel knives from CFK actually really good D2 tool steel? I hope you reply quickly, in a friendly debate lol
I haven't messed around too much with CFK...but the knives in my video are TFK and they are SWEET!
outer limitless Thanks man! I love my CFK knives. Have used the hell outta one over the past couple years and only needed to sharpen it once. I strop after a couple hard uses but didn't really need to. You can't beat em for the price. Try one out sometime and lemme know what you think
Danny Cadle I've had a few CFK blades, but none in D2. But I really do like D2. It has always performed great for me. I agree about the strop... keeps a great serviceable edge.
Cold steel tantos are way to blunt !
D2 is my favorite ! It's edge taking and holding is outstanding ! Far better than s30v a little better than xhp but very little better !
Everyone crys it's hard to sharpen ! The harder it is to sharpen the better the edge holding !
S30v is easy to shatpen they say ! Yeah and is doesn't hold the edge ! So way did I pay more ! They say it's more rust resistant ! Not that much ! Thus the hoax !
Edge holding is what I'm after ! But these collectors want shiny !
I'm a user ! But ilI do collect clones of stupid high greedy priced cnc machine clone at custom prices ! Medford reeves microtech and others are greedy little rip offs ! Funny the company doesn't say anything about the clones ( thst I have heard ) only the customer that got ripped off !
Some say investment because you can sell it for the same or more ! I say yeah until everyone finds out the emperor has no close or the economy changes ! Then all you have is a bunch of cnc clones you bought at custom price !
A fair price is a % over production cost per unit ! That's what a loyal American company would charge !
When I get loyalty I give it and I ain' got none from these so called American companies yet !
I have always had great luck with D2. It is definitely one of my preferred steels. People get hung up on newest and greatest but sometimes forget what has worked and worked well. D2 for me works well...and can take a beating too. I like the edge retention and don't honestly find it hard to sharpen. Whoever said that doesn't seem to really know how to properly maintain and edge, because it's not difficult at all. I would honestly say it's harder to dull your blade than to sharpen it if that makes sense?
I alwas take off the top figure guards ! Theres no way they are useful !
D2 isn't stainless. Too much of its chromium is tied up with carbon as chromium carbide. There's not enough free to form the chromium oxide film that makes it 'stainless'
I do find it is rather corrosion resistant. Great edge retention when properly heat treated. I have had pretty good luck with D2.
Thanks for watching!
@@outerlimitless it is rather stain resistant but a lot of the chromium is is the form of chromium carbide making its 'stainlessness' equivalent to a steel with 7% chromium.
I think this method with the vinegar is so stupid man,I've never gonna
threat my knives like that to make them shinny.
There are a lot of other methods to make the blade shinny,
for example with watersand, special paste and etc.
Did you miss the entire purpose for the video? You might want to rewatch to revisit the purpose for the vinegar. Hint... it was NOT to clean it.
oh well i dont like patina i like a shiny blade
Haha, I don't blame you... but it was an interesting experiment and it cleaned the knife amazingly!
Most likely a knife made by people who know and actually care about their products unlike the majority of knife makers that spend too much money and energy on promoting overpriced products that vary greatly from batch to batch. They count on customers egos and high chances of them not actually using the knives. See it all the time on knife channels where the pushers claim to work with the knife every day for whatever time period yet the knives appear to be just unboxed. Occasionally the skins will be worn but I can't help but think it's from fidgeting use and pulling it out to show it off. 😅
People who actually use the knives as intended are now a minority as fidgeting collectors cling on to the idea of being a man if they have an "edc" to open boxes from Amazon.
People are becoming so disconnected from our objective reality with very little critical thinking processes happening as they seek the advertised latest and greatest.
There used to be steels produced that would be considered magical nowadays.
Why did those steels get shelved as well as the knowledge to produce them.
Age of Obsolescence.
Great MOD, Not😁
HAhaa, exactly!! That's awesome. Hey, I tried!!
😂
It must be 12% chrom to Be considered a stainless steel 🙂
1.2379 European standard D2 is exactly 12% Chrome...so does that qualify for Stainless?
I'm thinking s30v is a hoax ! My s30v has to be sharpened as much or more than my 440c . So we already had stainless ! And why do we need more expensive stainless ? Hype ?
Please. No more 15 minute videos....
You've uploaded 3 videos and 2 of them are over 15 minutes?
The title of your video is deceptive, just click bait!
What in the world are you taking about? Did you watch the video?
@@outerlimitless I feel that if you wanted to spend so much time talking about your conversions to your knives, you could have done another video. I clicked your video specifically to learn more about what the title says. Hope that helps. Thanks.
Why don't you just take a big Boulder and ...
I don't get it.
worst of both worlds.
I totally realize that many many people are not fans of D2, but honestly...if properly heat treated and the manufacturer knows what they're doing with it, D2 is a great steel. I like it for hard use woodscraft, camp tasks etc. If a folder...well, generally I would prefer more of an S35VN or something similar, but D2 can be great!
outer limitless I agree. But I do still prefer cpm cruwear, cpm 3v, a2, o1, s30v, s35vn, elmax, aebl, ...
D2 is a high chromium high speed tool steel with high hardenabilty
Can you get a patina on it from cutting acidic fruits?