Subject: Identifying steels

From: [email-masked] (Will Martin)
Date: 18 Feb 1994 09:54:48 -0600

Please reply to this via e-mail; this is being posted using a mail-to-news
gateway, and my usenet-reading access is access- and time-limited and
generally unreachable these days, so I won't see posted responses.

I am asking this in the context of knifemaking and collecting, but it
applies to any steel metalwork:

Is there any reasonable and non-destructive way for an individual to
identify what type of steel a knife is really made from? For example,
I have some custom knives that the maker stated were made from W-2 (in
one case) and ATS-34 (in a couple others). I have no reason to doubt
him about this, but the knives are only marked with his logo and that's
it. I paid a premium to get the knives made with those steels over what
they would have cost if made from 440C. (He makes the same style in
different steels.) Twenty years from now, say, it should make a substantial
difference in their value.

But how would I prove that this one is made of W-2 and that one is
ATS-34? Slicing it in half and examining the grain structure with an
electron microscope or the like isn't an acceptable option, plus the 
cost would be prohibitive. Even chemical tests that would mar the finish
probably would not be acceptable. Maybe there is something to do with
magnetism that could distinguish one steel from another? What about
color reflecting off the surface, or using polarized light to examine
the material? Can an experienced metal worker just look at a polished
piece of steel and identify the type from the particular tone of grey or
sheen, or does this all depend on the polish and finish, regardless of
the base material?

Even in the world of factory production knives, there is sometimes a need
to determine what steel is in a blade.  I recall seeing an item in the
knife press some months back that a batch of special Spyderco knives had
gotten out mis-marked as to the steel they were made from.  (I think they
were really G-2 but were marked as being something else.) I could see a
need for a future collector to be able to identify the real steel despite
what might be marked on the item. 

Regards, Will
If header address doesn't work, try:
[email-masked] OR [email-masked]

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From: [email-masked] (RICHARD ALLAN JOHNSON)
Date: Thu, 3 Mar 1994 19:00:37 GMT

In article <[email-masked]> [email-masked] (Will Martin) writes:
>Subject: Identifying steels
>From: [email-masked] (Will Martin)
>Date: 18 Feb 1994 09:54:48 -0600
	I don't know if any real accurate way of telling which steel the 
knive are made of.  Since you have W2 and ATS-34 though in a few years the 
W2 bladed knife will either have rust or a nice patina (depending on care) 
while the ATS-34 should look like the day you got it.  
	Also I have noticed that when I polish my blade the stainless tends 
to look plated while the non-stainless steels don't look quite the same but 
this is not really reliable either.  
	Good luck.
	Rick