Heat Treatment Specifications
Austenitizing
Temperature821°C(1510°F)
Soak Time15 minutes
Tempering
Temperature204°C(399°F)
Time60 minutes
Cycles2x
Quench Medium
oil_fast
Target Hardness
60 - 62 HRC
Performance Characteristics
Toughness6/10
Edge Retention3.5/10
Corrosion Resistance2/10
Ease of Sharpening8/10
Overall Score19.5/40
Interesting Facts
- 1Developed in 1905 for ball bearings
- 2Ed Fowler popularized it for knives through Blade Magazine columns
- 3Wayne Goddard sent Ed Fowler ball bearings that started his 52100 journey
- 4Fowler developed 'triple quenching' technique for improved toughness
- 5In 2006, Fowler achieved '52100 Wootz' with ASTM 14 grain size
Famous Uses
Ed Fowler knives
STEELPORT kitchen knives
Many custom forged knives
Best For
Hunting knives
Edge retention priority
Slicing applications
Similar Steels
O1
Easier heat treatment, but coarser grain
80CrV2
Simpler and cheaper
AEB-L
Stainless equivalent by edge
Not Recommended For
- Wet environments
- Beginners without heat treatment control
- Budget projects
Expert Tips
- 1Modern heat treatment improved toughness
- 2Holds edges better than 5160
- 3Requires careful maintenance