Registered: 08/20/04
Posts: 4453
Loc: Perth, Australia
Re: A2 Sharpening Question
07/22/12 11:10 AM
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In your opinion, is the extra time required to hone A2 returned on more than a 1 to 1 basis in time between honings compared to 01?
I tend to think of all of this as a zero sum game with regard to time. These 'chewier' steels take longer to hone so you give back the time gained between honings (compared to 01 or something similar).
Hi Charles
A2 offers a longer life than O1, somewhere in the region of 50% longer on plane blades. Chisels are another issue - in the paring tests I conducted, the O1 and A2 scored equally. http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ToolReviews/ChiselParing.html
So, for plane blades, as long as you use an efficient sharpening method, the A2 blades are worth the expense when replacing worn out blades. Obviously, this also depends on the wood you work, since it makes more sense on if using more abrasive types.
There is a tendency to knock A2 on the forums. As I mentioned in an earlier post, it is not about the steel but about the way one approaches sharpening steel. A2 is good steel. There are better - look for the PM-V11 coming from LV. I have used a blade for 12 months, and it is indeed worth getting. Then also realize that it hones the same way at A2.
Regards from Perth
Derek
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