Professional Soldiers ® - View Single Post - Knife Steels-Material Science

**Bill Harsey** · 05-06-2006, 08:35

OK, back to work.
The significance of the hardness and toughness thing goes to not just what alloys are in a tool steel but how the steel is made because this is how carbide grain size is controlled. Carbide size has much to do with toughness, edgeholding and toughness. You will see this material again.

Here is something very important to know about knife steels. The hardness, usually stated in a Rockwell "C" Scale number, is not a direct indicator of blade quality or edge holding. In other words, the higher the indicated Rockwell hardness does NOT mean the knife holds a better edge

05-06-2006, 08:35	#32
Bill Harsey Bladesmith to the Quiet Professionals Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Oregon, Land of the Silver Grey Sunsets Posts: 3,879	OK, back to work. The significance of the hardness and toughness thing goes to not just what alloys are in a tool steel but how the steel is made because this is how carbide grain size is controlled. Carbide size has much to do with toughness, edgeholding and toughness. You will see this material again. Here is something very important to know about knife steels. The hardness, usually stated in a Rockwell "C" Scale number, is not a direct indicator of blade quality or edge holding. In other words, the higher the indicated Rockwell hardness does NOT mean the knife holds a better edge
Bill Harsey is offline