Cranky:
The reason I want to know is mainly because of curiosity. Usually, even when you will not put the information to use, I feel it is better to know than to not know.
That being said, the knowledge would, or could apply to surgical instruments, especially eye surgery, brain surgery, or open heat surgery, where a fine, clean cut, with no tearing, and very little pressure is required. Not that I am going to be doing any surgery.
It could also have applications in the field and also in slaughter houses where less effort would be necessary for a clean cut, without having to use too much pressure that the blade might slip and cut into a gut, or into your hand.
Another question is if there is a steel that, because of the chemical makeup, would be tough enough to hold the very sharp edge. I suppose there are steels, because of their micro and grannular structure, that can be made sharper than others.
I read where 440C was one steel that would qualify, because of the refinements made to the steel when used as surgical instruments, but I have no information to back it up.
If you could combine extreme sharpness with a steel with good toughness and abrasive resistance, I think you could make a superior blade. There might be steels available that would qualify. I just don't know what they would be.
With a surgical knife, edge holding would not be a large concern, because the blade could be replaced as soon as it got dull.
This is a serious question, at least serious to me. Not that I will ever use the information, but I would like to know, and I see no reason that technical information about how knives are made, and the materials, would be out of place on this forum.
Have you ever heard of a book titled 'Tool Steels', by three authors named Roberts, Hamaker, and Johnson?
To Larry:
Thanks for taking the time to research this. I hope you will find the time to make the measurements. I have tried with a 10X glass, but could not see it well enough to tell anything about it.
