There are many sheets of steel found in today’s world that are used in making knives; d2 steel is one of them. Some of you perhaps already know about d2 steel.
If you are not aware of d2 steel, this article may help you in knowing d2 steel. In this article, we will share all the information related to the d2 steel, and you may find this article helpful.
What is d2 steel?
D2 steel is known as one of the durable and sharp steels which are made from non-powder steel. Some of the d2 tool steel properties are that it provides a powerful combination of toughness and wear resistance, and it requires low machinability. This is the reason that many knife-makers and companies are using d2 steel.
D2 steel is common steel that is used in making long production, hard work, and high wear applications because it provides great edge retention. This steel is also used in the making of knives, blades, and other related things.
D2 steel is also known by different names. Some of the other popular names of d2 steel are German designation 1.2379, Uddeholm Sverker 21, Japanese designation SKD11, and many more.
Chemical Composition of d2 steel
D2 steel is a high-carbon and air-hardening steel that is comprised of the following chemicals:
- Carbon (1.5 %): It increases the hardness and strength of the steel. It also increases the brittleness and hardenability of the steel.
- Molybdenum (0.9%): It increases the corrosion resistance, hardness, strength, and electrical conductivity of the steel.
- Sulfur (0.02%): It increases the machinability of steel.
- Manganese (0.45%): It decreases the critical cooling rate during hardening, which means it increases the steel’s hardenability.
- Silicon (0.40%): It also increases the hardness and strength of steel but less than Manganese.
- Vanadium (1.10%): It is used to control the grain size of the steel and also used to increase the strength and hardness of the steel.
- Chromium (12%): It increases the corrosion resistance and increases the steel’s hardenability.
- Phosphorus (0.03): It improves machinability and increases resistance to corrosion in steel.
Rockwell hardness of the D2 Steel
D2 offers a good hardness and toughness with a long-lasting edge, and it has wear resistance properties.
D2 steel is a high-carbon and air-hardening steel, and it has a minimal distortion in heat-treatment relative to other tool steels. It is heat treatable and offers a Rockwell hardness that ranges from 55 to 62 HRC.
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D2 steel for knives
It is noticed that to make a good knife; you need a good piece of steel. The usage and reputation of d2 steel are increasing day by day in the knife industry because of its excellent quality and amazing properties. D2 steel has better wear resistance and toughness than some of the other related steels; that is why it is widely used in making knives.
D2 steel gives the better or same performance as M2, or S90V steel is giving. M2 and S90V steels are widely used steels in the market. The d2 steel cost is much lower than other related steels, which gives a great advantage to d2 steel.
Most of the knife makers are using d2 steel to make knives. There are many knives that are made with d2 steel and are available in the market. Some of the popular and best knives of d2 steel are as follows:
1. Cold Steel Leatherneck Tanto
The cold steel Leatherneck tanto series comes with two blades. The leatherneck has amazing hand-honed ground clip blades that give extra strength to the knife. The blades of the knife are made with tough d2 steel with a non-reflective black powder coat finish.
The knife’s overall length is 12-inches with a blade length of 7-inches and handle length of 5-inches. The thickness of the blade is 5mm, which makes it a perfect survival knife. The weight of the knife is also light which is another benefit of this knife.
The knife’s handle is made with a Kray-Ex that gives an easy and comfortable grip, and Cold Steel looks beautiful in the hand when you hold this knife. The knife also comes with a full-tang that gives the perfect balance to the knife.
The other good feature of Leatherneck’s knife is that it comes with a solid steel double quillon guard that prevents the user’s fingers from sliding onto the sharp edge. These are the perfect survival tactical knives.
2. Ontario Rat II Liner lock OD Green
If you are searching for a smaller knife with a lot of good features, then this might be the one that you are searching for. The overall length of the knife is 7-inch with a blade length of 3-inch. The weight of the knife is light which may not be a problem to carry with you.
Ontario’s knife is made in Taiwan with top-quality materials that ensure the knife’s better performance. The material used in the making of the knife’s blade is Carbon steel that increases the knife’s hardness and strength.
The knife’s handle is made with G10 material with a satin finish that gives more comfortability and durability to the knife. This handle is also easy and comfortable to grip.
The knife comes with an index finger groove on the handle that prevents the knife from slipping in your hands, and because of this, you can easily grip the knife even with greasy or wet hands.
3. KATSU Handmade Japanese Pocket Folding Knife
If you are looking for a traditional Japanese style knife that is made with d2 steel, then this might be the perfect pick for you. The length of the blade is 3-inches with a total length of 7.5-inches. The thickness of the blade is 3.5 mm that makes it the best folding knife.
The KATSU knife is hand-made with a d2 tool steel. This knife comes with a double-bevel blade that helps the knife in sharp cutting. This small folding knife is best for small tasks.
KATSU knife has a bamboo style G10 handle that looks beautiful when you hold it in hand. The G10 handle offers more comfortability and durability to the knife. The design of the knife is so amazing, and also it comes with a pocket clip that makes it more appealing and perfect for a gift.
Pros & Cons of d2 steel for knives
As you know, there are many Pros of d2 steel, but with Pros, there are many Cons of d2 steel. In this section, you will get to know of some of the Pros and Cons of d2 steel.
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D2 steel Vs Other Steels
In this section, you will get all the comparisons of d2 steel with other steels. For this, I will make comparison tables so that you can easily understand which steel is better than other steel.
D2 vs 440C
| D2 | 440C | |
| Edge retention | 3.5/10 | 2.5/10 |
| Stainless Steel | Semi-Stainless | Yes |
| Corrosion Resistance | 4/10 | 7/10 |
| Rockwell Hardness | 55-62 HRC | 58 HRC |
| Ease of Sharpness | 4/10 | 7/10 |
| Rust Proof | No | Yes |
| Toughness | 6/10 | 5/10 |
D2 steel has better toughness and edge retention, while 440C steel is better in terms of ease of sharpness and corrosion resistance.
D2 steel vs VG10 steel
| D2 | VG10 | |
| Edge retention | 3.5/10 | 5/10 |
| Stainless Steel | Semi-Stainless | Yes |
| Corrosion Resistance | 4/10 | 7/10 |
| Rockwell Hardness | 55-62 HRC | 62 + HRC |
| Ease of Sharpness | 4/10 | 6/10 |
| Rust Proof | No | No |
| Toughness | 6/10 | 4/10 |
D2 steel offers the best toughness, while VG10 steel is better in terms of edge retention, corrosion resistance, and ease of sharpness.
D2 vs A2 steel
| D2 | A2 | |
| Edge retention | 3.5/10 | 6/10 |
| Stainless Steel | Semi-Stainless | Yes |
| Corrosion Resistance | 4/10 | 3/10 |
| Rockwell Hardness | 55-62 HRC | 57-62 HRC |
| Ease of Sharpness | 4/10 | 6/10 |
| Rust Proof | No | Yes |
| Toughness | 6/10 | 8/10 |
A2 steel is better in terms of Edge Retention, toughness, and Ease of Sharpness, while D2 steel has better Corrosion Resistance.
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D2 steel vs S30V
| D2 | S30V | |
| Edge retention | 3.5/10 | 5/10 |
| Stainless Steel | Semi-Stainless | Yes |
| Corrosion Resistance | 4/10 | 5/10 |
| Rockwell Hardness | 55-62 HRC | 58-61 HRC |
| Ease of Sharpness | 4/10 | 7/10 |
| Rust Proof | No | No |
| Toughness | 6/10 | 6/10 |
D2 and S30V steel are similar in most cases, but S30V steel is better in terms of ease of sharpness and corrosion resistance.
D2 steel vs AUS8 steel
| D2 | AUS 8 | |
| Edge retention | 3.5/10 | 2/10 |
| Stainless Steel | Semi-Stainless | Yes |
| Corrosion Resistance | 4/10 | 7/10 |
| Rockwell Hardness | 55-62 HRC | 58-59 HRC |
| Ease of Sharpness | 4/10 | 9/10 |
| Rust Proof | No | No |
| Toughness | 6/10 | 6/10 |
D2 has better edge retention, while AUS 8 has better corrosion resistance, and AUS 8 is easy to sharpen as well.
D2 steel vs 1095 steel
| D2 | 1095 | |
| Edge retention | 3.5/10 | 3/10 |
| Stainless Steel | Semi-Stainless | No |
| Corrosion Resistance | 4/10 | 3/10 |
| Rockwell Hardness | 55-62 HRC | 55 HRC |
| Ease of Sharpness | 4/10 | 7/10 |
| Rust Proof | No | No |
| Toughness | 6/10 | 8/10 |
D2 steel is better in terms of Edge Retention, and Corrosion Resistance, and 1095 steel has better Toughness, and Ease of Sharpness.
Conclusion
D2 tool steel offers some amazing features which make it a great choice for making knives. D2 steel provides a powerful combination of toughness and wears resistance. It requires low machinability, which makes it a perfect choice for knife-makers.
The d2 steel cost is much lower than other related steels, which gives a great advantage to d2 steel. We hope the above information will help you.
Furthermore, if you have any questions related to this article, you are most welcome to leave your comment below. I will try my best to solve your problem. If you find this article helpful, please share this article with your friends so that they can also take advantage of this article.
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