[samuraistuart]

"If you never ever get at least slight warping with 01, you are running thick unfinished blades, or you're just not trying hard enough."


Can you expand on this statement...why you think this is the case? I buy PGO1, never thicker than .110", bevels always cut prior to HT, edges at .020", 120 grit lengthwise, ATP641, placed into prewarmed kiln (never ramping from a cold kiln as this does no favors to aus grain or decarb if unprotected), nor do I employ a pre soak at any temperature. I also quench in Parks 50 oil with O1, an oil that is technically too fast for O1, and I have never had O1 "warp" or "bow", or God forbid "corkscrew" on me. I'm getting 65-66 post quench, and have to temper at 425F just to get it to 62-63. There may be some extreme small amount of distortion that I do not detect, that gets ground even post HT.

Other steels that are not PG, like 1084, W2, 52100, I get some small amount of distortion. Hitachi Blue and white san mai with iron jackets usually will warp to some degree. I have used a 1200 stress relief on these steels that does seem to help...not always. But I am always surprised at O1...it has always been extremely stable for me, even in a fast oil quench. Same with O7 from Germany....stuff stays very straight. Maybe not dead nuts flat as it was pre quench...but distortion that is basically undetectable by eye, ground off during post HT grinding. I'm guessing that is what you mean, and I agree. There is some distortion that goes on during quenching....it's a matter of physics, and no way around it. But O1 for me, it's LACK of distortion, surprises me. There is nothing to straighten during MsMf, nor tempering.