Steel "Cross Reference" list

[RJ Martin]

There are now a fair # of steels out there. It's not just Crucible anymore....

Here is a "cross reference" list of steels from various manufacturers:

CRUCIBLE*****CARPENTER*****LATROBE*****BOHLER

S30V***********BD30P
440C***********XHP
S90V***********20CP
***************204P**********20CV*******M390
***************B75P**********BG42

I have this list on my white board as a way of keeping track of the new alloys from Carpenter, so it focuses on alloys from other manufacturers that are similar to theirs.
Carpenter alloys have a smaller grain size than Crucible alloys, because their powder is finer. They have also included small amounts of elements they will not disclose-"Special sauce", their term....

Also, BG42 was produced using VIM/VAR (top flite in its day), B75P is particle metallurgy(top flite today!)

[stefano]

It 'amazing how many new things I discover every day on this earth! I've always loved BG-42, after I bought my first large sebbie during a trip to San Francisco (way too many years ago...) and today I learn about VIM/VAR!

BTW, it was easy to find out, but if you wanna go there directly, here's all the story:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vacuum_arc_remelting

Thanks for the info RJ, whatever "non existent" project you gonna start with B75P, I'm in!

Stay sharp.
Stefano.

[LorenzoL]

Although IMHO 440C is closer to CTS-40CP from Carpenter than to CTS-XHP, which is on another level entirely.

RJ, did you have the opportunity to compare hands-on Elmax to M390 and those two to S90V? I would be very interested to hear your impressions about the Bohler steels...

[RJ Martin]

Although IMHO 440C is closer to CTS-40CP from Carpenter than to CTS-XHP, which is on another level entirely.

RJ, did you have the opportunity to compare hands-on Elmax to M390 and those two to S90V? I would be very interested to hear your impressions about the Bohler steels...

I have not used M390 yet, but I like 204P very much. S90V is harder to work-It may also hold an edge better, based on that observation, but the difference might not be as great as it seems because of the larger grain size in S90V.

I am confident in rating steels from a specific manufacturer based on my observations of how they grind in the hardened state, and how they sharpen, but it is getting harder now because of the finer grain sizes of the new PM alloys from Carpenter and Bohler. I prefer to use American steels, unless there is a grade I want that they don't make.

The comparison of CTS-XHP to 440C was given to me by the folks at Carpenter. It is definitely "kicked up" 440C. No argument there.