Originally Posted by
Howard Klepper
My experience has been that the older carbon steel sharpens better and takes a finer edge than the modern alloys. I think that most of the engineering of steel in the past 60-70 years has gone into making it more resistant to heat and corrosion, and increasing toughness, but not into producing a grain structure that sharpens any better.
I guess it depends upon what criteria you use to judge which is best. While carbon steel may take a better edge, the modern steels hold an edge longer. And, as I understand it, the claim to fame for powdered steel is that it produces a very fine grain structure, better than can be produced in regular (melted) steel.
I've used vintage chisels of various makers and modern chisels. The modern chisels definitely hold an edge longer and are more consistent. With vintage chisels, sometimes you get a decent chisel and sometimes you get a dog, even in the same maker and the same time frame of manufacturer.
When I'm chopping out dovetails, for example, a long lasting edge is one of the most important aspects of the chisel to me.
Mike
Last edited by Mike Henderson; 02-21-2013 at 7:51 PM.
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