D2 steel.
I just spent the morning doing gardening work, mainly replacing drip hoses, a lot of cutting and fitting, trimming actually more like shaving the odd unwanted growth of a tree, worked until it was too hot and then went in for breakfast.
The knife I used was a 710 with D2 steel razor sharpened with my lansky, the knife cut like some kind of light saber but the surprise came when I cut up some salad for breakfast, the blade went through a medium soft tomato like it had a life of it's own, the skin was cut with almost no preasure on the knife, I put on my reading glasses on and checked if it still shaved hairs off my arm and it did.
With all the new super steels always coming out, D2 in my book is about as super as it gets.
The knife I used was a 710 with D2 steel razor sharpened with my lansky, the knife cut like some kind of light saber but the surprise came when I cut up some salad for breakfast, the blade went through a medium soft tomato like it had a life of it's own, the skin was cut with almost no preasure on the knife, I put on my reading glasses on and checked if it still shaved hairs off my arm and it did.
With all the new super steels always coming out, D2 in my book is about as super as it gets.
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Just make sure that you keep it clean and wash it off when you cut citrus fruits, that is one thing that you have to be careful of that with D2. The acid in the citrus will attack the blade, just keep a little oil on it when you are close to the sea it's doesn't like slat water air either... 
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When reworking a D2 blade vs 154CM, I find that it has a different sound/feel to it-- like the difference between shaving hard ice, and shaving punky rotten ice. Good stuff. 0 -
quote:Originally posted by ryxlyx:
When reworking a D2 blade vs 154CM, I find that it has a different sound/feel to it-- like the difference between shaving hard ice, and shaving punky rotten ice. Good stuff.
Your story confirms everything I have heard about D2. Keeps an edge like crazy, harder to sharpen compared to other steels, but not too bad. I will have to try it. Been thinking about an Adamas 275 as my first D2 knife.0 -
Agreed, Geo. Only thing about D2 is when it goes fully dull, it is a bear to navigate even with the Edge Pro. But If I strop my D2 blade(s) after every couple of uses, it does help stay the wear on the edge. And yes, when running the stone over the blade it does have a 'higher pitch'. Never thought about it that way. 0 -
D2 is a great knife steel if properly tempered and beveled for the intended use of the knife.
http://zknives.com/knives/arti.../knifesteelfaq.shtml0 -
At last! I've got several in D2 -- a 710, couple of 912 Strykers, etc -- and I'm convinced it's the best all-around knife steel I've found. As the guys say, it keeps an edge, is relatively easy to sharpen, and maybe I'm a bit obsessive, but I clean/oil my knives and I've never had a spot on them. I believe the engineers when they say M390 and M4 and others have advantages, but give me D2. It just plain works, and works and works and.... 0 -
quote:Originally posted by Tucker:
At last! I've got several in D2 -- a 710, couple of 912 Strykers, etc -- and I'm convinced it's the best all-around knife steel I've found. As the guys say, it keeps an edge, is relatively easy to sharpen, and maybe I'm a bit obsessive, but I clean/oil my knives and I've never had a spot on them. I believe the engineers when they say M390 and M4 and others have advantages, but give me D2. It just plain works, and works and works and....
Interesting. I don't have a D2 blade, yet.... 275 pending.
I have heard many say D2 is harder to sharpen but not too many say that M4/M390 is "far" superior (maybe just a little better) for edge holding.
By "sharpen" do you mean fully sharpen a very dull edge, just touch it up on stones, or strop only?
Most of my blades I re-profile the factory edge then normally never sharpen again. I strop after each use most of the time. I have a lot of heavy cutting day after day without stropping I may use a fine stone for touch up then strop again to get the edge back.0 -
I like it, but it does rust on river trips.
Eats Diamond hones for lunch too.
The super steels came to soon--or it would of been bigger.0 -
Glad I found this thread. Seems like D2 takes a back seat often these days, especially compared with the newer stuff like M390, M4, etc.
Just recently got into Benchmades - picked up a Mini Grip D2 (556SBK) and also a S30V Mini Grip (556SBK-1201 from REI)... At first I thought I liked the S30V better... seemed like it cut through the ole' carboard test smoother... but after messing around a bunch, it could swear I seemed to notice the D2 holding an edge doing the came 'carboard test' (which had me entertained for a while - I won't lie- whereas the S30V seemed to already start losing a bit of an edge. Is this possible?
Seems like the majority of the knife community would favor S30V over D2... but honestly, for a utility, everyday tool, D2 would be actually more useful.
The sharpening thing (which I have next to no experience with) - has me wondering, but not opposed to the investment in good sharpening tools.
Thoughts on BM's application of S30V vs D2 ???0 -
LCW, your results match what I've seen. Yes, S30V might sharpen a little easier and is more stainless, but D2 really holds an edge. Most of us here have found that if you don't let the D2 get too dull, it isn't hard to keep it sharp. You could probably find an inexpensive tool like a Sharpmaker or a Lansky to keep it up. Good luck, and let us know how those two knives do for you. 
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I use my lansky all the time on d-2 19 degree angle works great 0 -
quote:Originally posted by Geocyclist:
By "sharpen" do you mean fully sharpen a very dull edge, just touch it up on stones, or strop only?
The consensus seems to be that reprofiling is a @#*$^ to do with D2; however once you get the angles where you want them, maintaining those angles on a regular basis with stropping or light honing is easy.0 -
Sharpening like anything else is an aquired skill and once you are proficient at it the D2 steel is not like you have to burn extra calories when you compare it to sharpening other steels, if the steel is tougher or harder I just use a coarser stone then polish it off, it speeds up the process regardless of how tough the steel is.
I started this thread praising this highly (IMO) overlooked super steel, I still think it's a great steel.0 -
Yes, on a dull D2 I'll bring it back to very sharp with a coarse 120 stone on the EdgePro. Then I'll use maybe one more stone to smooth it down and refine the edge...followed by a strop loaded with polishing compound.quote:Originally posted by archer:
Sharpening like anything else is an aquired skill and once you are proficient at it the D2 steel is not like you have to burn extra calories when you compare it to sharpening other steels, if the steel is tougher or harder I just use a coarser stone then polish it off, it speeds up the process regardless of how tough the steel is.
I started this thread praising this highly (IMO) overlooked super steel, I still think it's a great steel.
If you had nothing but a Sharpmaker to work on dull D2, I'd either get the diamond stones for it or else plan on a long process. Since the diamond stones cost about as much as an entire Sharpmaker, I'd probably go to another affordable, but more aggressive system like a Lansky.0 -
The more I use my mini grip w/ D2, the less impressed I am. Maybe I'm expecting too much. Regular day to day utility - opening boxes (cutting tape), plastic wrapping, foam wrap, etc. Seems like it got "dull" real quick. Still quite sharp, just not "arm hair shaving" sharp anymore. Obviously I need a sharpener of some sort
I decided to also order a 943 w/ S30V blade - will be able to compare both steels side by side. Still kicking myself for returning the REI mini grip (S30V). Now they are sold out so can't even order another. doh!!0 -
Heres my main question about D2.
1. If you know what your doing and have a good tool to sharpen the knife, on average how long time wise does it take to sharpen a Benchmade D2 steel knife? This is going with regular sharpening intervals and not letting it go dull.0 -
quote:Originally posted by AFO II Fan:
Heres my main question about D2.
1. If you know what your doing and have a good tool to sharpen the knife, on average how long time wise does it take to sharpen a Benchmade D2 steel knife? This is going with regular sharpening intervals and not letting it go dull.
15 minutes0 -
+1, with a "good tool" it takes 15 minutes...just like 154CM.quote:Originally posted by dj:quote:Originally posted by AFO II Fan:
Heres my main question about D2.
1. If you know what your doing and have a good tool to sharpen the knife, on average how long time wise does it take to sharpen a Benchmade D2 steel knife? This is going with regular sharpening intervals and not letting it go dull.
15 minutes0 -
I have some Smith diamond stones incoming (coarse and fine). Will I need some sort of honing solution or dry with diamond stones? 0 -
I use DMT dry but I keep the stones clean with soap and water. 0 -
Cool - thanks. Any tips on honing with diamond stones? 0 -
quote:Originally posted by AFO II Fan:
Heres my main question about D2.
1. If you know what your doing and have a good tool to sharpen the knife, on average how long time wise does it take to sharpen a Benchmade D2 steel knife? This is going with regular sharpening intervals and not letting it go dull.
On a Triangle Sharpmaker I can do it in less than five minutes. I use a 30 degree back bevel and a 40 degree primary bevel. The important thing is to make the back bevel first, and make it sharp. Once you have it you can sharpen the primary bevel, the 40 degree working bevel, dozens of times before having to resharpen/regrind the back bevel.
The ceramic rods on the Sharpmaker are multiple times harder than any steel and it is very easy to hold the angles with it. I have never found a use for diamond rods.
Here is a link that may be of interest to those looking for a good, easy, portable sharpening tool, or wishing to know more about what it takes to get a good working edge on a knife. Razor edges are good for razors, not necessarily EDC working knives.
This is a 4-part sharpening lesson that I really liked when I saw it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GB0r6GvESGg
Here is some info about knife steels that may also be of interest. I have had good luck with all cutlery steels from 440a and up. I like D2 but I like most other steels as well. I don't really have a favorite knife steel. If you use your knife properly and sharpen it when necessary (don't over due the sharpening), the knife performs its intended function.
http://zknives.com/knives/arti.../knifesteelfaq.shtml0 -
a 746-1201 will take less time to sharpen, even when dull, compared to a 710-D2 when dull, because of blade thickness. But as many have suggested. 15 minutes is a good frame of time for maintenance sharpening. even when it has been a little while between touch-ups. as long as it is just slightly dull. If it's butter knife dull.... depending on stones and sharpening system.. whew. 30 -45 minutes.
The coveat to this is, if the knife in questions has been re profiled, by you, to your preference of angle for cutting tasks performed. Using the same system... and your proficiency of using said system can shorten down time.0
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