Thread: Blademeisters: Bellied Hollow?

All I know echos Mike Blue's comments. I get a stiffer feeling edge feel. The two full hollow razor in my rotation have a belly the others are 1/2 holllow territory.

Originally Posted by shooter74743

...1095...would it work for a hamon line or should I do it in another steel? If another steel, what would you guys recommend?

Japanese swords are usually in the 1060 steel range. That is where the hamon seems to get the most activity in a water quench-low hardenability steel. But they've had a thousand years or more to sort this problem out. And, these are not fancy cool unobtainium or wunderstahls. Plain Jane working tool steels.

If you can find some ultra clean 1060 or 1070, it would be a good place to start. 1095, of the right recipe (above) will water quench but I wouldn't recommend it for first blades trying clay/water unless the steel is free and your time and heart can take the abuse. You're going to crack a bunch of blades until you figure out the process. Remember, low manganese, as in the least amount you can find, less than 0.3% or around that, not more than 0.7% and that's pushing the limits of sanity. Scrap steels won't do, there are too many unknowns. Unless you find a pile of steel laying on top of metallurgical spec sheets...

i have some of don hansons W2 that i plan on using also have been told that parks 50 is safer then water and about 90% as good