420 J2 stainless steel

[combatblade1]

i have a knife made of 420 J2 stainless steel will it hold a good edge?

 

[Lodian]

whats it hrc, any pics?

 

[G.M. Merrill]

I believe type 420 stainless is the type of steel used for most Buck knives. While they're sometimes a little hard to sharpen with a stone (diamond works well) they seem to have good edge holding properties. The only bad thing about using stainless is that it's impossible to strike a spark using a real (stone) flint.

 

[Shinken]

Its not as simple as that mate, it all depends on how well it is heat treated.

 

[combatblade1]

Its 1 of three throwing knives i have by Gil Hibben, i was thinking of turning them into bushcraft knives by adding some handles they look just like knife blanks.

 

[Shinken]

Looks like the carbon is a bit low to me. why not buy a knife designed for the job?

 

[singteck]

Throwing knives are designed to be soft so they don't break with repeated impact. This also means it wouldn't hold an edge at all.

singteck

 

[combatblade1]

Thanks for the advice folks, i just happened to have them lying around thought i could use them for something might put them on swap shop see if anyone could use them.

 

[Shinken]

Sorry i seemed not too helpfull mate! am at work!

As singtech says they are made of a stainless which is low in carbon so it quite tough, but wouldnt hold an edge well...

 

[kb31]

i've got some hibbin throwing knives and a buck
they seem alot softer to me i have not really used them as knives i just have the odd
throw they hit each other and the gound when i miss
they can take a beating i'll give them that
i would't throw 01

 

[addyb]

Combatblade,

Normally 420J2 isn't such a great steel. But if its made by Buck then the knife you are holding is an exception to that rule. Buck uses a more than adequate heat treatment and as most of their larger size folders have the "Edge 2000" system then the knife should hold quite a good edge.

I hope this helps,

Adam

 

[Shinken]

You can throw 01 no problems mate, just dont throw it if its 58hrc and over (incidentally the hardness most 01 knives will be)