W2

[MushiSushi]

I have been very impressed with some of the work I have seen done with W2 tool steel, it shows up a very good hamon and I have seen some excellent results on Don Fogg's site. I have found a supplier in the UK and for when I am up and running with the forges, I am planning on buying some W2 .....it comes in rounds of 25mm plus...... I will probably have to buy far more than I can use, so if there are any takers out there?

[Kevin]

I have been very impressed with some of the work I have seen done with W2 tool steel, it shows up a very good hamon and I have seen some excellent results on Don Fogg's site. I have found a supplier in the UK and for when I am up and running with the forges, I am planning on buying some W2 .....it comes in rounds of 25mm plus...... I will probably have to buy far more than I can use, so if there are any takers out there?

I have used W1 (or it may have been W2...but they are very similiar anyway.)
Its pretty easy to forge under the hammer, not like O1.
I did an edge quench in oil. The hamon/temper line was the best I personaly have ever had. It was like someone had drawn a line in with a black felt pen.

[jbaron]

I shall take you up on is offer 1 ton please

[MushiSushi]

I have used W1 (or it may have been W2...but they are very similiar anyway.)
Its pretty easy to forge under the hammer, not like O1.
I did an edge quench in oil. The hamon/temper line was the best I personaly have ever had. It was like someone had drawn a line in with a black felt pen.
Judging by the chat on Don's W2 is near impossible to get hold of out there, although W1 is still available. W2 is rated higher and has more carbon, take a peak at the 2 W2 threads in the metallurgy forum

[MushiSushi]

I shall take you up on is offer 1 ton please
Silly boy :twak: :D

[jbaron]

he he sorry i'll take a couple rods of 25mm please lol

[narsil]

Sounds interesting.

[MushiSushi]

wonder if this will work


Guess not

[Guycep]

I'll see what my hammering skills are like this weekend, if it looks like I could make a round flat, I would be up for some...(not holding my breath though!)

[Chris Barry]

I'll take some, sounds like a good idea. Just like if you need a little bit of pipe but you have to buy 6m of the stuff.

W2 is this a water quench steel? Did it harden enough in the oil coutel?

[Kevin]

W2 is this a water quench steel? Did it harden enough in the oil coutel?

Yes.

W2 is a tool steel...most cross sections of tools are a lot thicker than knives and designed for water quenching.

I made some hole punches out of W2 recently and water hardened....not a problem.

Knives are a lot thinner...and oil quenching is commonly accepted..but many do water quench knives with good success. I am just not one of them... :(

I know some makers water quench 10xx series..I tried it recently, but each time, my blade cracked at 45 degrees where the plunge line meets the ricasso. :(

[MushiSushi]

I believe it's gonna work out at £14 a metre plus postage for 25mm round bar if anyone wants some ..... i'm probably going to buy 10 metres to start with and see where I go from there .. (obviously I want a few metres for myself ;))

[narsil]

bonza...Put me down for a metre

[MushiSushi]

I will be ordering it in the next couple of weeks Chris ... along with some L6 ..... I'll keep you posted ... but I am going to be busy with work till the end of the month

[Colin KC]

I'll take 2 or 3 metres & some L6 Mushy, cheers mate;)

[MushiSushi]

it's a round sunshine ............ can ya bang it?

[PS_Bond]

I've got to pull the stops out and get that mill sorted... What price have you got on the L6?

[MushiSushi]

not got a price yet ......but the W2 is gonna be £14 a metre ish ... i'm expecting L6 to be similar .. the L6 was added last minute because I may one day be able to have a low and high temp salt pot ......... mmmmmmmmmmmm bainite ;) ... plus it makes a good combo with O1 for pattern welding

[PS_Bond]

I know - I just checked my books ;)

The W2 could be interesting too - frankly *anything* that is easier to forge than D2 & O1 would be good!!!

No, not mild, thank you...

Joking apart, once that mill is done, the usefulness of round stock - or more specifically the ease of using them for blades - goes up dramatically. Must scavenge some more steel for that soon.

[Colin KC]

Aaah, watch out for the next installment of "building more tools for my shop one day:rolleyes:" which will be a POWER HAMMER:D

[narsil]

Is there anything we should know about W2? I've only used O1, EN9, silver steel and mild before and only tempered O1 Can it be treated in pretty much the same way? Is it alloy or plain carbon. I haven't been able to dig up much info here or elsewhere.

Cheers

[MushiSushi]

http://www.ghcook.com/9257new.htm

here you go Chris

[narsil]

Great link, thanks Mushi. Never come across them before. Sounds pretty good, lots of carbon and none of that nasty chromium. Might get a bit more than a meter when the time comes if you have it spare, not too expensive really either.

:thanks: :biggthump

[MushiSushi]

if you're prepared to go for 5 metres then contact them direct, they have a minimum order of £50 plus £20 flat rate for delivery ..... that will get you about 5 metres of 25mm round