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High-Performance Blades Sharing ideas for getting the most out of our steel. |
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#1
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Ats-55... ???
I read some interesting info on ATS-55 at www.ajh-knives.com/metals.html .
It explains that ATS-55 (which is designed specifically for high performance blades) is ATS-34 with the Molybdenum dramatically reduced and replaced with other alloys. The idea is that Moly gives the steel high-speed properties which most knives (if any) don't need. The alloys which replace it are intended to enhance toughness while maintaining the full edge holding ability of this steel. The other benefit is that Moly is very expensive. Thus, ATS-55 would be more affordable to the knifemakers. So... why haven't I heard anything about this stuff in the forums? I did a search for ATS-55 and not one hit came up. I'm a newbie... surely I'm not the only maker to have heard of this steel. It was on a knife site! Anybody use it before? ...know where to buy it? ...have a review? Any info would be appreciated. Andy :confused: __________________ "AN EXPERT IS A MAN WHO HAS MADE ALL THE MISTAKES WHICH CAN BE MADE IN A VERY NARROW FIELD." -NIELS BOHR Last edited by dudeinthehut; 03-31-2005 at 06:10 AM. |
#2
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As far as I know, Spyderco is the only company to use the stuff. I have a Spyderco Goddard made of ATS-55, and I've carried it daily since 1999. I think it chips out too easily, but that is probably more to do with the heat-treat than the steel type. Not the easiest stuff to sharpen, either, at least not to the point of wicked-sharp.
I don't know if this steel is available to the public or not. |
#3
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This is what you call marketing. If you look at the chemical composition of ATS-34 and 440, you'll see there's not much of a difference (as in ATS-34 only has slightly more carbon etc.) except for the presence of Molybdenum in ATS-34. It doesn't take a genius to realize that what makes ATS-34 better than 440 is the molybdenum and it's also what makes ATS-34 more expensive than 440 (not only in material, heat treating and metalworking on ATS-34 is harder than 440). Spyderco wanted to make a cheaper "version" of ATS-34 and still make it sound better. Hence, they look at what molybdenum is for in industrial steels, high speed properties which they site as being not needed. I don't know if they changed the composition of the so called ATS-55, but last I looked there wasn't anything added to replace the molybdenum to retain the performance of ATS-34. If you were to look at all knife steels used, it's the presence of carbon, molybdenum, and vanadium that improve the edge holding ability, and more doesn't automatically mean better (the eutectoid point is around 0.85 carbon or was it 0.75, whatever).
If you believed that crap Spyderco put out then I pity you. And it's not just spyderco mind you, Cold steel has their Carbon V and I don't even remember what the other knife companies name theirs. Basically, when a manufacturer hides the name of their steel by making up their own name, it's because they want to be able to switch to a cheaper steel later on in production to cut costs or in case their supplier won't be able to supply enough. |
#4
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Quote:
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#5
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Okay, I take that back, sorry.
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blade, knife, knives |
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