Sharpening D-2?

[JimDandy]

I have a David Winston little EDC knife in D-2 ordered. When it needs touched- up, will ceramic v- sticks do the job? Thanks in advance.

[kyelkhunter3006]

They will do fine as long as you use them frequently.  D2 is a tough, wear resistant steel that's usually taken to a pretty high hardness level.  So not only is it tough, it's also hard.  If you let it get very dull one time, you'll never let it get really dull again.   

You can take wet/dry sandpaper and wrap it around your V-sticks if you need something to cut the steel faster.

[HL]

D2 Sharpens about the same as ATS-34. As long as you hit the sticks with it every so often, you should keep the knife razor sharp.

When they do get a little dull, put the edge back on it with a diamond stone, the back to the sticks. And if you also have a buffing wheel, after the sticks, lightly touch the blade to the buffing wheel, loaded with green rouge and you will see what a surgical edge is like. this removes the microscopic burrs you can't feel.

[inthebeech]

Don't get upset if you can only get the edge to a fair level of sharpness.  D2 is an excellent die steel where the included angle is just under ninety degrees, but it is never going to rival some of the more traditional alloys. The great thing about D2 and its claim to fame for the "average" sportsman today is that IT TAKES A VERY UNIMPRESSIVE BUT USABLE EDGE AND KEEPS IT FOREVER.  That is compared to some other alloys that require much more attention, will oxidize much more noticably, but can attain a level of sharpness that is truly impressive.  Technically speaking it is the inability of the high chromium content to allow the maker, be it a man' s hammer or a machine, to refine the grain structure to the same small size as is obtainable with other steels.
And as far as sharpening goes, D2 does what it does and very high (for knife blades) hardness so I wouldn't mess around with AlO (India).  I'd go right to SiC or diamond for stone material.  With SiO, don't forget a very low viscosity cutting fluid lile air tool oil / three-in-one / or oil cut with kerosene.

[Joel]

I've heard that "average but long lasting edge" stuff for 15 years and as a knifemaker who uses a lot of D-2 I find that to be based on the earlier years when D-2 was improperly heat treated.  Some things just never seem to die.   Bob Dozier came along and showed the knifemaking world how to do it right, and when it's done that way it's as good at keeping a sharp edge as any other stainless steel out there; keeping in mind that it doesn't quite have enough chromium in it to qualify as stainless.  Semi-stainless is the usual term, and it will rust.  I have 6 "personal" knives I made and carry, and 4 of them are D-2 because they hold an excellent edge for a long time, but not much longer than any of the other  modern, stainless steels out there such as 154CM/ATS-34, BG-42 etc all of which take extremely sharp edges and hold them a long time also; an attribute not found in the more corrosive steels.  I have bought factory knives in D-2 that were mediocore at best, so I expect that helps the old "legend" live on.  It's one steel where the heat treat must be ABSOLUTELY perfect in order for it to reach it's optimal edge holding....and that's usually at the custom level.

[inthebeech]

Good point Joel.
If a knife maker doesn't have the capital to invest in commercial furnaces, pyrometers, process controlled quencing equipment, then his view of D2 might be unfair.   I was in fact speaking of us bladesmiths that rely on more traditional techniques and processes to forge, HT, and finish blades; for us there isn't any reason to stray from the "standards" not to mention that about the only alloy more difficult to forge than D2 is H13 and that is just masochistic with a three pound cross pien.
 
Ed