What is A2 Steel?

T.C. sits down to talk about A2 steel, when it was developed and how, when it started being used in knives, it's composition and what makes it a great blade steel along with what knifemakers use it today...
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[@davidfrye7713]

I love A2. I have several Bark River Knives in A2. Extremely tough and very easy to get a sharp edge.

[@SMKWcom]

🙌🙌🙌

[@OzMan9989]

Best description of A2 I’ve ever heard. Thanks.

[@SMKWcom]

Thanks for watching!

[@concernedcitizen2898]

Ive heard a slightly better description but he did well.

[@byronkennedy7912]

TC ... kudos to you and SMKW staff for a great summary of A2. I'll second the suggestions for Elmax, XHP, and 52100.

[@koreybrown6787]

Yes sir

[@SMKWcom]

Great suggestions and thanks for watching!

[@12345678927164]

This guy really is passionate about his job. I love that.

[@SMKWcom]

TC has a blast here at SMKW and has a long history with metal so it shines thru

[@CentralKyBushcraft]

My first experience with A2 steel was a love hate relationship. It was a Blackjack Trail Guide. It would get scary sharp and hold it's edge for a long time but it was next to impossible to sharpen in the field. That being said I was turned off to A2 for a long time. I really liked the feel of the Lt Wright Bushcrafter so I took the chance on A2 again and am glad I did. It has the same edge holding/retention as the other but is easier to touch up in the field. I've found that all A2 is not the same.

[@SMKWcom]

Thanks for watching and sharing your knife tale! LT has some awesome A2 and TC has a particular love for the Gen 6

[@WhstlblwrBlastingEpsteinsILK]

Thank you. I'm just starting my knife collection and need to understand the steel & how to care for them.

[@SMKWcom]

Thanks for watching!

[@mikecurtis2585]

Nice to learn about all the steels!!

[@SMKWcom]

Thank you Mike!

[@mmiller73]

Thank you for doing these steel tutorials. I would love to learn more about Sleipener and Niolox. I’ve got my eye on these steels due to LionSteel.

[@SMKWcom]

Thanks for watching and the suggestions!

[@DominicZelenak]

My lionsteel t5 in niolox is awesome. Very similar to 154cm, steels that punch above their weight class. I've chopped down small trees and applied lateral torque to dead wood stumps without chipping. Great yard work and bushcraft steel.

[@willbrink]

Good info in this series.

[@oneilwp89]

Hey I wanted to suggest 80CRV2. I find a lot of info on other steel but it's been a little harder for me to find good info on it. It doesn't seem to be super common but it's on my Winkler knife.

[@SMKWcom]

TC loves doing this series and thanks for the suggestion👍

[@peterpipe9015]

I made a kukri with 80crv2 . Its a great steel . Super tough and holds a great edge and its easy to work with

[@joehebert901]

TC I love the info on A2. I would like to here about 52100.

[@SMKWcom]

Good suggestion Joe, thanks for watching

[@-echoroads-5596]

My first and only experience with A2 is with my LT Wright Switchback. I absolutely love that knife. I can beat the absolute crap out of it on a weekender, and usually just a ceramic rod and strop puts a razor edge back on it. I've sat down and properly re-sharpened it 2-3 times in as many years, with a few field sharpenings in between; So really good edge retention in comparison. I've had hit and miss luck with "old school" steels, but A2 on that particular knife with LT Wright's heat treat is a home run.

[@SMKWcom]

We love LT knives and A2 has quickly become one of our go to steels as well. Thanks for sharing your knife tale!

[@braddavis4377]

I'm interested in O1 tool steel. What do you think about that? Good video and series 👌

[@SMKWcom]

TC: "I loves it!"

[@propblast82nd]

A2 takes a scary edge ! 😃

[@SMKWcom]

💯 Prop!

[@concernedcitizen2898]

It is frightening.🔪

[@kniceslice780]

That was an A #1 review on A2!

[@SMKWcom]

Thanks for watching Knice!

[@joeisabella6811]

Great video man!

[@SMKWcom]

Thank you Joe!

[@Goose_Gear]

Love the steel videos. How about your RR steels, 440A and T10?

[@SMKWcom]

Thanks for watching and great suggestions!

[@lukehendrickson3669]

Great video dude! I have 6+ knives from the late Phill Hartsfield. All of them in A2 and all of them hold a *wicked* edge that need only be maintained with the occasional use of a leather strop. Plus, Phill crushed it with the hardness (the cutting edge is around 61-62 and the spine is around 57-59 to allow some flex). Based on my experience with his stuff, I just dig A2 and you really did it justice with this vid. Thanks!

[@SMKWcom]

Thanks for watching! We love A2👍

[@Robbie7441]

thanks tc for this very interesting and helpful series, maybe a video on sandvic Swedish steel? thanks tc👍🏻👍🏻

[@SMKWcom]

Great suggestion and thanks for watching!

[@beaudiddly-ib8rw]

I don't know if you have covered this in the past, so I apologize if my question is redundant. I was given an inch and a quarter steel ball bearing, would the typical steel they are most often be made from be good for a knife blade?

[@SMKWcom]

A lot of people make steel ball-bearing Damascus knives so it would be a good one to forge from. They are often high-speed tool steel so they make good blades

[@nativewildman9335]

Fascinating! I'm going to add A2 to my list of steels to try. How does A2 feel on a whetstone?

[@Simon-talks]

It's incredible. So easy to get absolutely scary sharp because it has such fine carbides

[@SMKWcom]

Thanks for watching N.W.!

[@highplains7777]

A2 is my favorite steel to work as a hobby knife maker, but it's not my favorite steel to use. However, it's plenty good for small and medium blades and I like it a lot. I wouldn't use it in a large chopper, though.

[@greekveteran2715]

Your Genesis looks so COOL!!! I wish I had that knife!!!

[@mahmoudabdulraheem9298]

Awesome 👏🏾 video

[@SMKWcom]

Thank for watching 👍

[@ElkArrow]

I've got a Genesis. I dented the spine using a heavier knife to baton a rutabaga

[@SMKWcom]

Thanks for watching

[@MrZeems]

Lets hear about A8max some time!

[@SMKWcom]

Thanks for watching and for the suggestion

[@dionpage7948]

Always wanna hear more about steel..all steel.

[@SMKWcom]

Thanks for watching Dion!

[@mikehalf4027]

Smokey mountain samurai afternoon fellas.

[@SMKWcom]

Thanks for watching Mike!

[@arezohoseini5330]

Hi TC , please tell about ELMAX , thanks

[@SMKWcom]

Thanks for watching and good suggestion 👍

[@larryeddings3185]

Good information. How about 52100?

[@SMKWcom]

Thanks for watching Larry and good suggestion

[@johnblackmon4005]

I would like to know all about s30v steel

[@SMKWcom]

That is a great suggestion

[@jeffhicks8428]

I gotta admit, I was very skeptical of this series when y'all started doing it but you're just doing a great job with these videos even I've come around to it. Nice work.

[@SMKWcom]

Thank you for watching and for the kind words! TC has a background in metallurgy and loves the history as well 👍

[@rossogden9920]

🤣 "Even I've come around to it." 🤣 What a joke. Now that you've come around, he'll finally be able to sleep at night. Get over yourself Gomer. 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@jacobhurt3821]

Can a2 used for sword blades

[@jimmiekaelin4804]

Why are so few knife makers not using A2 tool steel.

[@OvertimeX86]

Just purchased a counterfeit Cold Steel Recon Tanto iadvised as A2 Steel or 5Crl5Mov, is actually not too bad for less than half the price of a SK5 version lol 😂

[@mythguard6865]

If you’re going down the mold steel rabbit hole you folks should take a look at s7

[@SMKWcom]

Thanks for watching and good suggestion

[@zdenekbart]

Magna-Cut please

[@SMKWcom]

here ya go kzbin.info/www/bejne/hYPap2V5mLNgg6s

[@concernedcitizen2898]

Video starts at 1:09

[@SMKWcom]

thanks for watching

[@edwinrivera5377]

Is a2 better then 3v?

[@highplains7777]

No, 3V is the superior steel overall with better impact toughness and edge retention. The advantages of A2 over 3V are price, ease of sharpening and the beautiful patina you can get.

[@edwinrivera5377]

@@highplains7777 thank you so much God bless you

[@CAVEDATA]

Short answer is yea its good but prepare to have a lot of broken tips. At least more then a lot of other blade steels.

[@SMKWcom]

thanks for watching

[@nonjabiznas]

The Hogue is an amazing knife

[@SMKWcom]

💯

[@ChupaChoddy]

What about A8mod