Heat Treatment Specifications
Austenitizing
Temperature799°C(1470°F)
Soak Time10 minutes
Tempering
Temperature190°C(374°F)
Time120 minutes
Cycles2x
Quench Medium
oil_fast
Target Hardness
60 - 65 HRC
Performance Characteristics
Toughness8/10
Edge Retention2/10
Corrosion Resistance1/10
Ease of Sharpening9/10
Overall Score20/40
Interesting Facts
- 1Used in the legendary Ka-Bar USMC knife since WWII (1942)
- 2One of the oldest and most proven blade steels
- 3Simple composition makes it ideal for beginners learning heat treatment
Famous Uses
Ka-Bar USMC (WWII)
Traditional hunting knives
Mora knives
Best For
Custom blades
Beginner knife-making
Traditional forged knives
Traditional knife making
Fixed blades
Bushcraft knives
Learning bladesmithing
Similar Steels
1084
Easier to heat treat, slightly softer, better for beginners
1075
More toughness, less wear resistance, ideal for machetes
80CrV2
Better hardenability, added vanadium for grain refinement
W2
Similar properties, but W2 produces beautiful hamon
Not Recommended For
- Wet environments without regular maintenance
- Marine knives and diving gear
- Owners not ready for frequent maintenance
- Kitchens with dishwashers
Expert Tips
- 1Simple to work with
- 2Easily hardened to 58-60 HRC
- 3Requires regular maintenance due to rust
- 4Simple composition
- 5Easy to heat treat
- 6Requires rust protection
- 7Industry standard carbon steel