RE: Re-rigging the P-19 - Marketing paranoia rampant!

Eric Johnson (ej@tx3.com)
Thu, 25 Feb 1999 07:34:49 -0800


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West Wight Potter Website at URL
http://www.lesbois.com/wwpotter/
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ok, I'm comparing stainless to mild weld steel (where I'm positive stainless
is harder. Take a hacksaw to a stainless bolt, then to a grade 2, see which
is easier to cut) and you're comparing it to high carbon carbide steel,
which I'm sure is harder yet.

I kinda forget why we brought this up in the first place though :)

> Positive. For example, have you ever seen a stainless steel file
> or hacksaw
> blade? A real high quality, carbon steel knife will have a
> Rockwell "C" rating
> of about 60 - 62. The corresponding quality stainless blade will
> be somewhat
> softer, in the 55 - 58 range, except for some newer (read
> expensive) stainless
> that use exotic treatments. One knife make that I know grinds
> his blades, then
> sends them all out to be heat treated, because the treatment
> requires so much
> specialised material and equipment that he can't afford to do it himself.

>
> Eric Johnson wrote:
>
> > > As a general rule of thumb, the only advantage that stainless
> > > steel has over carbon
> > > steel is in the area of corrosion resistance. It generally
> > > weaker and softer than
> > > carbon steel, and is much more difficult to harden, and treatment
> > > may require such
> > > exotic things as quenching in liquid nitrogen for success.
> >
> > Are you sure about that? Stainless is, to my understanding and limited
> > experience, much harder than carbon steel. Some gunsmiths, for example,
> > charge extra for work on stainless guns because of this. I find cutting
> > stainless a real chore too. I was also under the impression that its
> > stronger than most mild steel.
> >
> > But I do agree the corrosion resistance is the major plus, if there is
> > oxygen present. Below the waterline silicon bronze (if you can
> find it!) is
> > really the best of all as I understand it.
>