While at the Shot Show earlier this year, I happened to find myself in an interesting conversation with Paul Bos, Devin Thomas, and Dick Barber from Crucible steel. It was sort of like the four points of the compass meeting in one spot, each sharing a different perspective on the same issues.

One of the subjects that came up was how to make a super performance damascus that would indeed combine the qualities of two steels to produce a single billet that offered ALL the qualities of both. The primary challenge was to see if we could formulate a stainless, HIGH performance steel. After some dickering, but not much, we decided that CPM-3V performance married to 154CM stainess would be a very interesting steel. Dick sent some steel to Devin, who hammered it out and sent a billet (one of two) to me, who shaped and ground it and sent it off to Paul for his magic. It eventually became a knife, and from working the steel I can tell you it is truly amazing.

One of the advantages of this combination is that both steels can use the same tempering schedules to hit Rc61, which is what this is. It is also STAINLESS, as attested by the fact that even after etching with FeCl and Muriatic acid I could barely separate the 3V from the 154CM. The deep lines you see are actually some AEB-L that Devin used in wrapping the billet. It etched a lot deeper than the 3V even though it is a stainless steel. I am told that is likely due to it having a different hardness, but I really don't know.

I only banged on this blade a little to see how it held up, but from what I saw it is indistinguishable from 3V in toughness. The finish is bright, because that's really all I could get, but I like that because you can actually put this steel through some hard use and it will still look the same. There's no surface oxidation to rub off.

http://badlands.badlandsforums.com/forums/photopost/data/507/4blade09-med.jpg

I have a closeup of the steel that I'll post later.

Here's that close-up.

http://www.knifeforums.com/ubbthreads/files//445833-3vdamascus.jpg

WOW! Good looking package too.

Now bend it 90 degrees :)

Just kidding Jerry. You can get the same effect on no-stainless damascus by buffing off the oxides after etching and still leave the pattern.

Looks very promissing

Mark, that's true right up to the point where it RUSTS while you're looking at it!!!

I go out of my way not to denegrate bladesmithing and its goals. Don't get me started... :)

I know Jerry.


Come see us at Trackrock this Nov 6.7.
Bring some of that steel or something made of it for us to gawk at. I promise I wont make fun :) I'll make Carl shut-up too.

Is it forged in an inert atmosphere or in a packet somehow?

To get that level of performance and to get to play with hot metal is the best of both worlds.

If you need someone unbiased to test that out for a year or three, I'd be happy to help you out. ;)

Its 3v and 154-CM, what could there possibly be to test? Looks like a great performance damascus mix. It would be interesting to somehow test the combination against 3V and 154-CM by themselves, to see how good the damascus effect really is. I'm tired of pointless arguments on the subject. :)

....actually you seem to have boundless energy on the subject of damascus, Larrin. ;)


Jerry - this looks very promising. Love it when new ideas emerge and the results are as good as the theory behind it.

Nice lookin' steel.

Of course I do. :)

That is a wonderful pattern. The marriage of 3V and 154CM should give remarkable toughness with very good edge retention. Did Paul let you know what temperature he tempered at?? I am guessing he probably austenitized at about 1950 F.

RL

I'm pretty sure Paul treated it just like he does 3V. 1975F austenitizing with cryo and a double temper at 950F. I don't know if he did a snap temper before cryo, but I think so.

Its 3v and 154-CM, what could there possibly be to test? Looks like a great performance damascus mix. It would be interesting to somehow test the combination against 3V and 154-CM by themselves, to see how good the damascus effect really is. I'm tired of pointless arguments on the subject.

It was a joke, you know... ha ha funny? I don't think it really needs 1-3 years of testing to be trusted in a knife, I was implying that he could send the knife to me since it's a cool knife.

I did understand. I couldn't find an appropriate smiley to show my sarcasm. :)

OK people, stop being nice to each other. I don't know how to deal with it... ;)

Jerry,

The real question, is when will this steel be available to people who don't forge? I like Damasteel, it (with Paul's help) run equal to ATS34, but I like to get a shot at this. Granted, I bet if it came available, it would take a lot of my pennies to get some but for something special what the hey.

Jim

I am certain that if enough people ask, Devin will make this a regular item available to all. I certainly want more of it.