spicy white steel

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DevinT

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I've ordered a small amount of steel that I would describe as spicy white steel.

It has the same chemical make up as white steel but with a very small amount of a grain refining alloy added. It is cleaner than white steel specs.

This steel has very high attainable hardness at 68 hrc. It has good carbide volume with small carbides. With the addition of the grain refining alloy, and carefull forging practice, I think it is possible to make a blade with high hardness and good toughness.

It is possible that Shigefusa knives are made with an alloy similar to this one, but there is no way to know for sure.

I plan on laminating this steel with some 403 on the out side (sanmai). I'll be making one to try and will let you all know what I think.

Many Japanese smiths say that white steel is the best steel for cutlery, we shall see.

Hoss
 
Yowza! I think a lot of folks will be curious to hear how this turns out :)
 
If that knife is going to be for sale.... Better start saving up.
 
This could be dangerous :p I have not been able to check out Devin's other carbon knives as I know it will get me shot by the wife :p
 
What do you forging types mean by "spicy"? I never could figure that out.
 
Yep, it means to me that there is some added alloy to a steel. Shigefusa describes the steel they use as spicy. This steel has the same chemical make up as white steel except it has a small amount of grain refining alloy added, making it spicy.

Hoss
 
DrNaka quoted Iizukasan as stating that he uses spicy Swedish carbon steel.

I use the term spicy white steel to differentiate between the two.

I'm pretty sure that Hitachi copied the steels produced in Sweden. Steels with 1.25% plain carbon that are water quenched made in Sweden were made specifically for cutlery.

Hoss
 
hmmmm interesting. Can't wait to see how these turn out! My least favorite thing about my shige is the reactivity, but it is worth it, because one of my favorite things is the crazy patinas!
 
hmmmm interesting. Can't wait to see how these turn out! My least favorite thing about my shige is the reactivity, but it is worth it, because one of my favorite things is the crazy patinas!
But the reactivity comes from the cladding not the core steel....
 
+1. On another note, I find the orange patina on Shigs off-putting.
 
So you're liking the polished version, in general over the original finish?

yeah. i went back to a satin brushed for a while (not quite the original finish, but pretty close), but i didn't like how it felt going through food compared to the bright polish. with the brushed finish it also tended to react strongly (it's funny to get perfect outlines of onion slices that were on the blade for a second or two) and it doesn't react much at all with the bright polish.
 
A stainless clad shigi.......sounds like a winner to me.
 
+1. On another note, I find the orange patina on Shigs off-putting.

Cantaloupes. Cut up cantaloupes with it, gone, but the patina remains. Makes for some nasty cantaloupes though.
 
What exactly is Swedish Steel, spicy or not? All that means to me is steel produced in Sweden and could be anything. I believe there are about a dozen steel producers in Sweden.

-AJ
 
What exactly is Swedish Steel, spicy or not? All that means to me is steel produced in Sweden and could be anything. I believe there are about a dozen steel producers in Sweden.

-AJ

Nobody knows for sure, it's Shigefusa's secret. It was chosen because it most resembled quality tamahagane steel. Or so the story goes.
 
Nobody knows for sure, it's Shigefusa's secret. It was chosen because it most resembled quality tamahagane steel. Or so the story goes.
From what Dr Naka told me, the choice was primarily because the quality was much more consistent than the corresponding Japanese made steels.
 
It really is interesting to see how Mr. Thomas' "spicy" steel turns out.
 
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