Spc13b...I think your changing from 5160 was probably a mistake. While O1 is an excellent knife steel, it is not a steel that I would recommend for a beginner. I also highly recommend starting with a 10xx steel, and both 1080 and 1084 are excellent choices...and I would probably rate 5160 as a third choice.
Although these are very forgiving steels to make a knife from, they do make excellent blades...and your chances of being successful in your early attempts will be much better than if you use O1 steel.
Also, there is no need to order precision ground stock. It only adds to the cost of the knife and does nothing to improve the quality.
I suggest ordering fully annealed 1080 from Kelly Cupples or Aldo Bruno. Either one is excellent, and they both have good steel at very attractive prices.
Once your profiling is done, you can either do your own heat treating, or have it done professionally. Doing it yourself with the 10xx series is about as easy as it gets...and requires no special equipment...and gives you a great feeling of accomplishment.
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