Thread: Japanese white steel

can white steel (which as i observe is always laminated) be made into a non-laminated knife blade and if it can will it work good as a knife?

Are you sure you are in right part of the forum?

The Masamoto KS series of gyuto are 100% White Steel #2. From everything I've read, these are great knives.

Cheers,

Jack

Moved to the Forge

no im new so i don't really know how to do stuff quite well right now. sorry for any inconvenience

Originally Posted by dedox

can white steel (which as i observe is always laminated) be made into a non-laminated knife blade and if it can will it work good as a knife?

the most common steel used on Japanese knives is White #2, solid or san mai.
The draw back is that Japan does not export their steels so if you want to use white 2 you will have to find someone to ship you some from Japan.

Shirogami #1 is a fantastic steel(#2 is also good and fairly common). It can be forged as a Honyaki blade, but the outcomes vary depending on the maker. Forging a Honyaki blade is 'alot different than say San Mai or Waricomi knife. Alot of makers prefer the laminated styling for a number of different reasons(regardless of price)...even tho Honyaki blades are always more money. Honyaki blades are supposed to be more sensitive, sharper and hold their edge longer.

I have a few Nakiri's. One is Aogami #2 and the other is a Yasuki type...probably Shirogami #2 or #3. They both get more than sharp enough for kitchen use.

Originally Posted by dedox

can white steel (which as i observe is always laminated) be made into a non-laminated knife blade and if it can will it work good as a knife?

You can make a knife out of white steel #2 (White Paper #2) but it is expensive and that is one reason it is used as a laminate. Also WPS#1 & #2 is very pure high carbon steel and the tempering range is much narrower (margin of error) than with blue steel that has several alloys, so the skill level is considered more demanding with WPS. Japanese WPS#1 is in the 1.10 to 1.25 carbon content range, I think #2 should be slightly less. In Japan they use WPS frugally in kamisori razors, tools & knives not only as a laminate but also with hollow ground configuration because of the cost but also at those high carbon figures if you harden the steel to the max it becomes a huge chore to sharpen wide bevels.
Good luck, Alx

BladeForums.com

I'd check here.

Originally Posted by alx

Also WPS#1 & #2 is very pure high carbon steel and the tempering range is much narrower (margin of error) than with blue steel that has several alloys, so the skill level is considered more demanding with WPS. In Japan they use WPS frugally in kamisori razors, tools & knives...
Good luck, Alx

AFAIK, Aogami Super is just as difficult to forge properly, if not more so. Shirogami is widely used in Knives, but it seems less so for razors...the reasoning, i'm not sure. I'm quite sure the steel is capable of beveling to that degree. My current Aogami knife is very thin(as are most japanese knives), but it's essentially Shirogami...with a few more alloy's for corrosion resitance and toughness. I have seen some Yasuki type razors on ebay.

But yes, to answer the poster's question...Shirogami can and is forged Honyaki...but it's expensive and takes alot of skill. Alot of maker's prefer Kasumi knives(clad) for a number of reasons.