A-2 or O-1 How do you tell?

[Froggy]

Hi All,

How can you tell if a set of Lie-Neilsen chisels are A-2 or O-1 steel please? Is it marked anywhere?

Thanks Froggy.

 

[woodbloke]

To the best of my knowledge, I think (only think mind) that they're marked. Someone wot owns a set will no doubt give the definitive answer...block plane blades aren't marked so it may well be the case with chisels - Rob

 

[Froggy]

Thanks Rob, Could someone who has a set please comfirm that (or not)?

Cheers Froggy.

 

[Harbo]

My set 5 years old have no markings - newer ones might?


Rod

 

[ondablade]

I'm not quite sure how well this might apply to the sort of grades used by LN, and you would need both types to make a close comparison - but carbon steel tends to produce a higher friction slightly more (fine) gritty feel on the stone when honing. They cut better.

Steels containing significant amounts of chrome feel a bit 'soapy' - more like they skid a bit. Chrome steels can also be more inclined to produce a turned/wire edge.

While probably not a great option for a good set of chisels another method is spark testing which in the case of an experienced person can be pretty precise: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spark_testing

 

[Racers]

Hi,

If it takes days to sharpen its A-2

I know my LN 60 1.2 is A-2 bloody hard work on a waterstone :shock:


Pete

 

[woodbloke]

Hi,

I know my LN 60 1.2 is A-2 bloody hard work on a waterstone :shock:


Pete

Change it then, Pete like I've done. Get hold of one of Matthew's QS V1 block plane blades...it'll drop straight in - Rob

 

[Alf]

The O1 ones are stamped as such. Dunno whether the newer A2 are also stamped now, but certainly the O1 are. Unless you have a pre-prod one, but that's probably fairly unlikely.

 

[Aled Dafis]

...
If it takes days to sharpen its A-2 ..
Pete

Haha, so true. A2 is the work of the devil AFAIC =D> =D>

Aled

 

[Alf]

Good grief, what are you using to sharpen it? I don't like it myself, but it's not that bad.

 

[Paul Chapman]

I have only four A2 blades (for the LN#9, the Veritas block plane, the Veritas skew rebate and the thick blade for the Veritas scraper plane) and while they take a little longer to hone than my 01 blades, the extra time isn't much. Perhaps it depends what you hone them on - I use diamond stones and strop on a piece of wood with Solvol Autosol.

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[mbartlett99]

Hey

Can confirm that new A2 chisels aren't marked as such - can definitely feel the difference on the stone though, thats for sure.

 

[Racers]

Hi,

O/k I was exaggerating a bit about weeks, but it does take appreciably longer to sharpen, I will look into getting a O1 blade I think LN do one as well.


Pete