[TheForge] Stainless steel

[Jerry Frost]

I like 440 SS as well but would go with 440-a for 
impact tools, it's lower carbon and won't become as 
brittle. 440-c is a common consumer knife steel Gerber 
uses it almost exclusively. Last time I looked Buck 
used 440-b. 440 stainlesses are very stain, corrosion 
and (again I believe) caustic resistant and does not 
require tempering, use as quenched through 440-c. don't 
quote me but I think all the 440s are as quenched.

On the other hand I don't know what shapes are 
available or how common 440-a is. Last time I looked 
Principle and Crucible carried it in strip, bar, round 
and sq.

I have no idea how it forges.

Frosty
-------------------------------
If it ain't forged
it ain't real.
Wrought iron is.
The FrostWorks

Meadow Lakes, AK.

http://www.artmetalradio.com/

From: "Ron Childers" <munlaw2 at hcsmail.com>


Phillip,

You might try automotive valves; non sodium-filled, of 
course. Otherwise buy
some 440-c stainless, etc. Jim Hirzoulous (sp) has a 
section on forging,
heat treating and procurement of knife making 
materials. Also, look in a
copy of Blade Magazine for a list of suppliers or 
Google knife making
supplies for 4,440,000 hits.

Ron Childers