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Originally Posted by Peregrino
OK - I tried the "search" button and did a little deductive reasoning. Are we thinking in terms of exotic carbides e.g. the vanadium carbides in the S30V and the CPM154? As in the supporting iron matrix having a lower hardness number to give it greater toughness/shock resistance and the sharpness/edge holding characteristics being derived primarilly from the exotic carbides? As best I can grasp it - the only way to accomplish this is with the Crucible steels or some similar sintered metal process.  Peregrino |
Peregrino, Pretty good thinking for a gunslin... Uh- I mean Good job.
Yes it is the hard carbides suspended in the matrix that give this steel and others like it the "high performance" edge holding.
A Rockwell hardness test involves the entire steel, matrix included and this test cannot show the hardness of the individual carbides.
Vanadium carbides are harder than the aluminum oxide that makes up sharpening stones. This is one of the carbides responsible for the high performance of the CPM S-30V steel.
Note, CPM S-30V is NOT a sintered metal even though a step in the manufacturing process might suggest that. It is a 100% solid steel.