Whatever happened to D2?

[jdw]

Was D2 just a phase of the most popular steel of the moment or is it still a good steel
for a knife blade? Are the other steels now available just an improvement over D2?
I haven't seen many Spydie offerings with D2 in a while but I don't know if that is a
business/marketing decision or D2 is just an inferior steel.

[hoimin]

Powdered metallurgy happened.

Edit: D2 is from powder too, but newer steels have accomplished finer grain structure.

[bearfacedkiller]

Spyderco has used it just a few times but other makers have used it quite a bit and some still do. I have a few production knives in D2. I have a Para1 and a Leek in CPM D2 and I like them both a lot. I especially like CPM D2. PSF27 is essentially a spray formed D2 and it too has impressed me. Ingot D2 is a bit different but not much. I like it too. D2 is still a perfectly good steel for knife blades but we just have so many options available now.

I think one thing that hurt D2 was all the marketing comparing new steels to it. The marketing made it seem like D2 was the base to which improvements were to be made even though that is not exactly how this all works.

[FCM415]

Well, D2's been around since WW2. Steels like CTS-XHP are part of its evolution.

[WireEdge Roger]

I like regular D2 a lot. With the right grind and heat treat it's pretty great stuff. I know Krein and Dozier use it still.

[Mic1]

It's just evolving really. I had Dozier D2 folder for a long time, it was a great knife but that was more due to design than the D2. Steel and steel manufacturing has just really evolved. Psf27 as mentioned above is an offspring of D2 but with better wear resistance better corrosion resistance more uniformed grain structure etc. So much like home phones your going to see less of the older steels and more of the newer versions.

[Johnnie1801]

If you're after some Spyderco D2 then how about a Szabohawk :D

[Holland]

Xhp and psf27 are both upgraded D2

[Fred Sanford]

I really like the older foliage green Military and Para 1 in CPM-D2. Kick butt stuff.

[Donut]

XHP is supposed to be D2 with enough chrome added to make it stainless.

XHP is still around and still kicking and I still like it.

I wouldn't mind seeing a couple of CPM-D2 sprints for a non-stainless variation.

[Capt'n Boatsalot]

Well, D2's been around since WW2.

This is primarily why D2 is one of my favorite steels. And it is very good in my Millie. Definite not the "best" in any category (anymore) but a good all around steel for my uses. Easy enough sharpening, decent corrosion resistance, decent edge retention, in an exceptional model. Coupled with the historical usage, and I love the stuff.

[Mic1]

With steels like M390 or it's equally I just wonder how long the lower wear resistance steels will hang in there. I personally don't see the appeal as far as pocket knives go. I assume the appeal is its easier to sharpen or maybe a tad tougher . Or is it just nostalgia. So many of the new engineered steels offer the same performance or in most cases better with additional benefits.

[JD Spydo]

XHP is supposed to be D2 with enough chrome added to make it stainless.

XHP is still around and still kicking and I still like it.

I wouldn't mind seeing a couple of CPM-D2 sprints for a non-stainless variation.

Glad you brought that up DONUT because to this day my two favorite C-36 Military Sprint runs are my XHP and M390 units. I like the M390 just a bit better as far as edge retention goes but both blade steels are in the major leagues for sure. It seems like to me that XHP or even D2 for that matter may both be a bit more chip resistant than many other blade steels which is why I think you see D2 in a lot of striking tools like the Szabohawk>> and more than likely will see XHP used in those type of tools too.

Also I remember when the CPM D2 Sprint Run Military was in trend about 5 years ago or so>>I very much remember it was highly sought after as was the BG-42 Millie was and I bet a CPM D2 Millie would still fetch a pretty nickel or trade good on the open market. I think D2 is still very respectable as far as being a quality blade material even by today's standards.

[SF Native]

Seems that the psf27 is used for fixed blades and xhp for the folders. I'm good with that. I like them both.

[Tdog]

I have a D2 Para, one of the smoothest Spydies in my collection. Not sure why it's so much smoother than other Para's? A few Christmas' back, my wife got me a Knives of Alaska Boar Hunter in D2. Great knife, grippy handle, very sharp, and comes with a nice sheath. Was considering their fillet knives but decided to hold off. I have a few and still hoping for a Spydie/Phil fillet collab.
http://www.knivesofalaska.com/webitems/ ... oimage.jpg

[SpeedHoles]

Still waiting for them to ship some D2 to Japan so they can grind some blades for an R2-D2 Sprint. :p :D


I'm going to guess just lack of demand, and now covered by other steel offerings with better characteristics and minimal cost difference.

In new steel descriptions I often still see common references to characteristic comparison with D2 as like a relatable benchmark.

[kells45]

Nothing wrong with this steel. I have recently been on a d2 kick. Got an Adamas over a year ago and a neck knife in d2 before Christmas. Doesn't chip like my pm2 and native that have s30V. Haven't had the chance to check out the newer steel's mentioned in this thread, maybe an excuse for a new spyderco. If they made a new sprint military in d2 I would be all over it.

[Donut]

XHP is supposed to be D2 with enough chrome added to make it stainless.

XHP is still around and still kicking and I still like it.

I wouldn't mind seeing a couple of CPM-D2 sprints for a non-stainless variation.

Glad you brought that up DONUT because to this day my two favorite C-36 Military Sprint runs are my XHP and M390 units. I like the M390 just a bit better as far as edge retention goes but both blade steels are in the major leagues for sure. It seems like to me that XHP or even D2 for that matter may both be a bit more chip resistant than many other blade steels which is why I think you see D2 in a lot of striking tools like the Szabohawk>> and more than likely will see XHP used in those type of tools too.

Also I remember when the CPM D2 Sprint Run Military was in trend about 5 years ago or so>>I very much remember it was highly sought after as was the BG-42 Millie was and I bet a CPM D2 Millie would still fetch a pretty nickel or trade good on the open market. I think D2 is still very respectable as far as being a quality blade material even by today's standards.

A few years ago, I really wanted a D2 Military. The Foliage Green D2 Military was produced in a pretty small number and people seem to like them, so they don't pop up often.

I think that lately sprints have been running at higher numbers to eliminate a lot of the problems we get where people only buy them to resell them at a higher price. Since it isn't a highly sought after steel, maybe we could get away with that same smaller sprint idea. Possibly use the smaller sprints just to make a "not so special" sprint a little more special.

I thought M390 was once dubbed "a stainless M4". M4 is a pretty special steel in my book and M390 is pretty special. M390 seems to be kind of rare as far as Spyderco models are concerned. Were there only ever one sprint (CF Military), one exclusive (Blue Para), and a Mule done with this steel? That's pretty wild considering how popular M390 seems to be with the AFI's.

I was looking around for a M390 version of the ZT 0770 because I didn't have any choices available from Spyderco.

[SpyderNut]

D2 is an interesting steel, even after all of these years. Bob Dozier is largely responsible for bringing it to relevance in our day and age.

[JD Spydo]

D2 is an interesting steel, even after all of these years. Bob Dozier is largely responsible for bringing it to relevance in our day and age.

I've heard that Bob Dozier has really mastered the heat treatment of D2 which I've even had top notch machinists tell me that it's not an easy steel to heat treat. That's probably why he's been called names like "Mr. D2" and so forth. I do know that the one fixed blade he made that I got to test drive was a really nice blade blade steel and it really held an edge superbly.

When I was still working in the machine shop back in 09-10 years I was able to make myself two sets of "V-Blocks" from D2 stock that I was lucky enough to get at a fair price. The only complaint I had with it was that each of the 4 blocks all had extremely fine, cracks in them. However I've used those blocks on at least a half dozen occasions and I never had a problem with any of them. A buddy of mine made a set of them too and he also had a extremely fine crack in one of his>> all I can think is that maybe we cooled them off too fast or took them out of the oven too soon :o

But I've never had any problem with XHP as far as edge chipping even using it in this horribly cold weather we've been having recently. I would not hesitate to ever get any Spyderco model (fixed blade or folder) that I would desire if they would make them with XHP. To me it's like VG-10 in many ways>> in other words you just can't go wrong with it IMO.