The steel XC 75 is a classic carbon steel having been used for generations by knife cuttlers. This steel is oxidizing and is being preferred by amateurs and collectors because of its tradition and its excellent quality. Sometimes we use this steel for some of our collectible knives.
Inox steel ( not oxidizing ) A440 is also called surgeon steel because of its sharpness. The FORGE DE LAGUIOLE developed it approx. 15 years ago together with its partner the French steel works Bonpertius. It has a Rockwell hardness of 56 and more. ( info: depending where measure is taken ).
The process of forging is very complex and thus very expensive. Every single step of the forging process must be strictly observed in order to get the optimum quality. It is important to keep the temperature at exactly 1060 C while tempering ( incandescent treatment ). The required furnaces are a considerable factor in the cost of production. The durability of the furnaces is prolonged ten times when reducing the temperature by 30 C. However, even a minimum variation of the temperature has an enormous negative effect on the quality.. The steel carbonises on the outer parts of the blade as well as at the top and on the edge. Consequently the steel will be so hard on these parts that grinding and resharpening is very difficult.
The raw material used by different LAGUIOLE manufacturers may be the same, the quality of the blades, however, often differs, as the steel is forged at temperatures far too low in order to keep costs low.
The FORGE DE LAGUIOLE has always guaranteed to observe each singular step regarding the optimal forging quality. Thus it has also established the excellent reputation of the blade steel.
However, this legendary steel is not being forged any longer. In the year 2002 it was replaced by a new blade steel the T12. T12 is even harder than T440 and has also been developed in cooperation with the steel works Bonpertius. It has a Rockwell temper of 57-58 but it does not loose any of its flexibility or suppleness. Furthermore it is easier to grind and it is more true to dimensions than its predecessor. It is also stainless.
T12 will be used exclusively by FORGE DE LAGUIOLE within the next 2-3 years. Obviously the ingredients remain a secret. In future the licenses might be sold in order to enable other forges to produce this steel.
Damascus steel ( damast steel ) is produced by welding two steels differing in their alloy and temper and then forging them. The forged blade shows a material completely structured by Damascus steel. At first glance one does not recognize the blade being made of different “layers”. Only a special corroding procedure makes the different layers visible. It is possible to produce blades by manual labour being folded into more than hundred layers ( even up to 1000 layers ). No blade resembles any other, each has an individual character. The FORGE DE LAGUIOLE buys the raw billets from the Swiss Damascus steel specialist Daillens. The billets of carbon damast have 288 layers.
The INOX-DAMAST not having been developed for a long time is being produced in the same way. However, its alloy is not oxidizing which makes a difference. It has about 160 layers and another pattern than carbon Damascus steel
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