So let’s talk about O1 tool steel. This is just a quick run down of why I believe O1 is a great steel. It’s great for beginners and knives that are going to see a lot of use that do not necessarily need to stay clean. It is a hard steel so working it might take some time but this is a hobby of patience. A lot can be said about a knife made from this material, even if made by an enthusiast.
One of the main reasons this steel is so great for beginners is the ease of heat treatment. Heat it till its glowing red and then dunk it in oil. I’ll go over more of this process in another section. If you here what sounds like a “click” when you dunk the steel it’s probably game over. Usually that sound is the sound of the steel cracking. This will happen, especially in the beginning. Just remember what you did and change it up next time.
O1 tool steel is also popular because of how well it holds an edge. It won’t chip or roll as easy when being “abused”. Any knife can get razor sharp but no knife stays that sharp forever. However, the O1 will remain sharper than most other metals which means more time doing what ever it is you are doing and less stopping and sharpening. After the previously mentioned heat treatment this steel’s edge is not going anywhere.
As I mentioned before it is a hard steel so be patient while working. If you were able to grind away and material just melted off then you are probably more likely to make a mistake. Although you might not want to sell or gift to family or friends I would still think you want it to look as nice as possible.