>>452652>For example, quality knives will be quenched just past the blade by the tang, allowing some heat to run back into the tang next to the blade to create tougher but elastic steel there, then high heat will be applied directly to the spine and allowed to run through to the edge of the blade before it is quenched again to stop the tempering continuing, resulting in a much softer elastic spine and tough hard edge.So, so full of shit. That's basically the opposite of how to get a hard blade and soft spine. When you put the blade of the knife vertically into the quenching media you'll get as close to uniform hardness edge to spine as it's possible to get. Good quality knives are given differential heat treatment, with the cutting edge quenched first and the spine quenched only after it's had some time to cool.
>>452652>it is heated until it has become non-magnetic or austeniticAustenitic steel is stainless with at least 16 percent chromium and has nothing to do with good knife steel. That's 200 and 300 series stainless and they don't harden by heat treatment.
>>452652>tool steel and high carbon steel are basically the same thingBullshit.
1095 composition by percent:
.8 to 1.3 carbon
.3 to .5 manganese
.04 max phosphorus
.05 max sulfur
balance iron
M42 is a common HSS steel. Its composition by percentage:
1.05 to 1.15 carbon (more carbon here)
3.5 to 4.25 chromium (none of that in 1095)
7.75 to 8.75 cobalt (none of this, either)
.15 to .4 manganese (nope, not in 1095)
9 to 10 molybdenum (also not in 1095)
.15 to .65 silicon (sensing a trend?)
1.15 to 1.85 tungsten (still trending)
.95 to 1.35 vanadium (ahem)
0.03 sulfur max
balance iron
>Also on the subject of construction, axes constructed with a carbon steel insert are just a money saving / selling point thing now, modern carbon steels allow for axes to be homogenous and have the same or better properties than an axe with a welded carbon steel insert.Pretty much agree here.
