Razor from A-2?

[medicevans]

Has anyone worked a razor from A-2? A local machine shop has a bunch of .300 A2 scrap that they will sell me barely over the cost of the waterjetting! If it is a usable steel, I'd be ok using it rather than O1, but I'm afraid of the large carbides popping off the edge and making it hard to sharpen to razor level.

[Theseus]

I've seen many razors on here made with A2 steel. It is a bit harder but should sharpen with little problem and give a great edge.

[medicevans]

Also, I wondered if it would be easy enough to work with files, compared to O-1

[Theseus]

I'm not sure about the filing but I'm sure it is probably a little more difficult. I've been looking into A2 and D2 steel for making a frameback due to them being air cooled and less susceptable to warp.

[pike3e]

A2 should work just fine for a razor however if you are doing your own heat treat you will need a furnace or forge that can hold it at around 1750 for 20 to 40 minutes. O1 needs less of a soak. If you are sending it out for ht it actually may be better than O1 because it is air hardening, instead of oil, and many places HT only air hardening steels.

[Str8Shooter]

Our own Kenny Powell made this beauty for me out of A2

[medicevans]

Point received. That's a honkin' 12/8. How's the edge?

I called the machine shop and told them to start jetting. It was going to be $44 just for the steel at Enco, and they are going to be only a little higher than that including setup and Waterjet machine time and steel. Maybe I can have them cut an odd corner off and I can do a fixed blade too.....hmmm. I need to go back to the shop I guess.

They say they will be able to cut exactly square within .005". That seems nuts! I wish I could watch and take pictures. I need to call and ask. That would be fun.

[Str8Shooter]

Point received. That's a honkin' 12/8. How's the edge?

I called the machine shop and told them to start jetting. It was going to be $44 just for the steel at Enco, and they are going to be only a little higher than that including setup and Waterjet machine time and steel. Maybe I can have them cut an odd corner off and I can do a fixed blade too.....hmmm. I need to go back to the shop I guess.

They say they will be able to cut exactly square within .005". That seems nuts! I wish I could watch and take pictures. I need to call and ask. That would be fun.

LOL 13/8!! The edge is fantastic! Very smooth and holds quite an edge. The hardest thing is stropping due to the sheer size if it. It's actually easy to shave with.

[TURNMASTER]

A-2 will be a good choice

[Caledonian]

I agree, it should work fine, does offer a useful reduction in the chance of distortion, and should be a little more difficult to work, but not seriously. With a bench drill, hacksaw and Dremel tool you could do the profile yourself.

As a more general principle, though, rather than about your case, there is so much work in a razor that it doesn't make sense to count collars on the steel.