What can you tell me about this steel? (105WCr2)

[Rasmus Kristens]

Hello all

Its really difficult to find thin wide stock in EU.
So i finally found some that looks like i can handle the HT at home.

But i don't really know anything about the steel, can you tell me anything about its properties?
Anything i should notice or take care of eg. grain growth?

Its content is this: C: 1,05 Si: 0,25 Mn: 0,95 Cr: 1,00 W: 1,15

[jimmontg]

http://https://www.nordisches-handwe...mm/100-cm-lang

I can't find anything on this steel except what the seller says about it. It seems it might be a bit tricky to ht in a forge at 1500 f. It would keep grain growth down with the Mn and Cr in it, but that tungsten amount is a bit high and it might make for a brittle knife if temps aren't held close. I'm sure it would hold an edge though. I've never ht a steel like this, but a 1500 heat and quench with a 425 temper gives RC 61 and I don't know if it would be brittle or not, the silicon would help here.

[Rasmus Kristens]

I could only find information on that webpage also, which is also the supplyer i bought it from.
I'm trying my luck on some kitchen knives, so i guess brittle isn't as big an issues as for a bushcraft knife.

What makes you say its tricky? Because its at a high temperature? I usually HT 80crv2 which requires 1540 f, so i hope its possible for me to hit that 1500.

[jimmontg]

At RC 61 most people will shy away from a hardness like that because it's so hard to sharpen unless they use diamond stones. I would experiment with a 210C temper and try for 60 hard.

[Doug Lester]

I can't access the companies web site to see what information is listed there but what I would expect with a steel with that much carbon in it is that you could run into a problem with retained austenite if it is heated too much. It also might take a bit of a soak at temperature to put the tungsten carbides into solution. A regulated high temperature oven would really be in order for this steel. It might also rate a sub-critical anneal to spherodize the carbides to improve machineability.

Does the data sheet say anything about the alloy being designed for high temperature tools. If it is I would say look for another steel to make knives from. I would also agree with Jim to temper at a higher temp and aim for an HrC of around 58.

Doug

[Rasmus Kristens]

Thanks for the info guys. Only have my gassforge for the HT, so that might be a problem :-)
I found a link expalining a bit more about the steel:
https://steelselector.sij.si/steels/MERILOEX.html
http://www.otaisteel.com/105wcr6-1-2419-tool-steel/

It's describes as a "Cold work tool alloy" and doesn't say anything about soaking.
It says an equivalent would be L3 steel.

[Rasmus Kristens]

On a side note, concerning quenching. Do you get a positive effect on your quench if you aggitate the quenching medium before the quench?

[Doug Lester]

If you think that the quenchant is not of an even temperature throughout then it would make sense to stir it before quenching.

Looking at the information from the link that you posted to get you hardness down to give a good balance between edge holding and sharpenability I would go to a tempering temp of 300° C which I imagine is above what can be obtained in a kitchen oven. One more reason to heat treat this alloy in a regulated high temperature oven.

Doug

[Landy]

[jimmontg]

I have never seen L3 steel here in the States, I'ved used L6, but it isn't like this stuff.