I'm a little late here but I wanted to add a couple thoughts.
Originally Posted by
Derek Cohen
Mike, powdered metal blades theoretically should provide the finest edge.
Derek, what evidence is there that PM V11 provides the finest edge? I'm not agreeing or disagreeing; I'd just like to know if there is data, even if it's subjective observation. Veritas seems to have done excellent and thorough testing, but it was limited to ease of sharpening, impact resistance, and wear resistance. I have to say, if it does provide the finest edge, I'm pretty sure folks would be announcing that from the hilltops…
Originally Posted by
Patrick Chase
I realize this is a nearly-defunct thread, but...
The *entire* point of powdered metal steels is that they achieve finer grain structure (and in particular smaller carbide sizes) than would otherwise be possible for a conventionally processed steel of similar composition. Fineness of structure is the principle driver of "sharpness" as commonly defined by woodworkers, so Derek is spot-on in his reply: There should be no significant tradeoff in achievable sharpness from using a steel like PM-V11. In my experience it's comparable to low-alloy tool steels like O1, which achieves very fine structure even with conventional processing, and better than non-PM higher-alloy steels like A2 (though cryo treatment also refines grain structure and seems to close the gap in my experience). It may take different technique, sharpening media, and/or level of effort (as was the case here) to actually achieve that level of sharpness, though.
Patrick, I'm not sure what to make of the above quote. By "steel of similar composition," you presumably mean something like A2 or HSS, although it's hard to know, since I (we?) don't actually know the composition. Or do you mean O1 or 1095? Similarly, when you say "it's comparable [in achievable sharpness] to low-alloy steels like O1," do you mean it gets as sharp, or a little sharper, or not quite as sharp?
It might seem like I'm nitpicking, but I don't think so. To me, the most important question is what steel(s) get sharpest? Ease of sharpening is second, and edge retention is third. In the past, all the research into "wonder steels" was focused on the third category, I suppose in the rather futile hope that beginners could avoid sharpening forever. With PM V11, Veritas at least seems to be acknowledging the problem with these steels (like A2 or CPM whatever), that they fall short in the first two categories; from all accounts PM V11 gets sharper, and is easier to sharpen, than something like A2. But I don't really care. I want to know if something gets sharper than O1, 1095, or Japanese blue or white paper steels. If someone can show me that Pm V11, or anything else, actually takes the finest edge, I will run out and buy it tomorrow. But until then, I'll stick to the steels that are simplest and purest. My personal feeling, as Mike Cherry said above, is that there's no free lunch.
"For me, chairs and chairmaking are a means to an end. My real goal is to spend my days in a quiet, dustless shop doing hand work on an object that is beautiful, useful and fun to make." --Peter Galbert