Well, as in all things, moderation (in other words I am going to try and straddle the fence here, let's see how that goes
).
I agree that at the entry level of knife making a detailed knowledge of metallurgy and materials is not required and can even get in the way in some cases. Don't overthink things and focus on the mechanical issues behind shaping a piece of steel. With 1084 the heat treat is pretty much cookbook just follow the instructions and you'll get a good edge.
But then at some point soon afterwards you are going to ask the dreaded question - Why?
* Why is the heat treat slightly different for 1095 than it is for 1084?
* What is Austenite, Cementite and why should I care?
Now the metallurgy of steel is a very complex subject and people can spend many years studying it but the basic principals (for simple steels) are fairly straightforward. May I suggest wikipedia as your first stop:
*
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austenite
Also Google is your friend - there are many resources available that give good basic information on the chemistry of steel. If you find yourself getting a bit lost or confused then a good layman's survey like Verhoeven (caveat: I have not read it) may be in order. But give Google a try first and see what you find.
Good luck,
-b