# Special Steel ???



## maxim

So i have a question for you knife makers.
When i went to Japan i got something very special in gift from my vendor.

It is very rare piece of steel only 1 blacksmith in japan that can forge it or working with it. 
It is completely depleted now and i got the last piece of it, it is more rare then Tamahagene and more pricy. 

It called "Togo-Reigou Steel"
here are bit info about it http://www.japan-tool.com/tech_knlg/Togo_Reigou_and_Yokoyama_Kunio.html

So are anyone familiar with it ?


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## ecchef

That is WAY cool. Keeping it original, or planning to forge something?


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## maxim

I will keep original


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## tk59

:bigeek:Very cool, Maxim.


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## Mike Davis

That is pretty awesome! Maybe get a small glass case and display it with a description? Congrats.


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## Delbert Ealy

I have not heard of it before. That is cool, and great for you, but I would like to know whats in it.
Del


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## maxim

I am not steel expert at all ! But i will like to know more too 

Here what i found 



> Very rare steel, "Tohgoh Reigo"
> This product uses Tohgoh Reigo bought from The Andrews Company, UK in the 1930's. "Tohgoh Reigo" is one of the highest class steels of The Andrews Company, it is a fusion of Japanese Tamahagane and the western steel and it has a high endurance.
> Since the production for this steel is declining and it has not been imported recently, its scarcity value is very high.


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## maxim

So no one here ever try it ??


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## jklip13

I am currently testing out a 240 Kiritsuke in Togo Reigo, so far it takes an incredible edge but I cant comment on the retention yet


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## Nmko

Wow! that's pretty rad Maxim!!
I've seen 70mm planes made of Togo-Reigou listed for $1.3k... Can't imagine what a 240 would run at:scared4:


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## ecchef

jklip13 said:


> I am currently testing out a 240 Kiritsuke in Togo Reigo, so far it takes an incredible edge but I cant comment on the retention yet



Pics please!


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## EdipisReks

ecchef said:


> Pics please!



no kidding.


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## jklip13

sure thing, coming up in a couple minutes while i take them


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## jklip13

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## EdipisReks

the attachments don't seem to work. i would upload them at a place like imgur.com and then post the links.


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## jklip13

Darn, i should really learn to post pics here...HAPPY NEW YEAR! http://imgur.com/a/Uv7vy


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## EdipisReks

that looks like a very nice knife!


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## ecchef

Looks terrific! Where did you find the mythical beast?


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## jimbob

Who made that bad boy? Looks pretty darn slick. If you look closely in the handle, dragon eyes...


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## icanhaschzbrgr

Emm I belive kanji belongs to Konosuke and letter S indicates that steel is stainless


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## echerub

If I'm correct, this is one of 2 specially ordered and spec'd by Tosho. I think I saw the other one the last time I visited the store


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## CanadianMan

Im assuming this is the other blade http://https://toshoknifearts.com/shop/knives/konosuke-240mm-fujiyama-kiritsuke-vintage-swedish-carbon-steel


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## echerub

That looks like the one  It was tempting when I saw it and handled it, but the edge profile isn't quite as I would like. Definitely a personal preference thing. Taller from heel to spine than standard Konosuke kiritsuke though, which I think is a good thing.


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## CanadianMan

It looks very interesting, I might have to go check it out In person tomorrow


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## jklip13

Yes, it is made by Konosuke Sakai, the S stands for SUPER, normally they put only put it on their Aogami Blue Super knives allong with the Kanji for "blue". Here it is just Super however, i guess they didnt have a stamp for Togo Reigo. And Len is Correct, this was custom made a little bit taller and with a higher bevel than their usual Kiritsuke


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## Timthebeaver

So Tosho says it's made from vintage Swedish steel?. Togo Reigo is certainly British, albeit possibly made from Swedish ore (as was much Sheffield steel of the age). Hmm.


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## jklip13

Togo Reigo is a Swedish Sand steel (that's the style) made by the Andrews Steel company in England.


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## icanhaschzbrgr

jklip13 said:


> Togo Reigo is a Swedish Sand steel (that's the style) made by the Andrews Steel company in England.


Swedish steel made in England, forged in Japan and sold in Canada. This thing have travelled a lot :biggrin:

and it looks cool!


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## Timthebeaver

jklip13 said:


> Togo Reigo is a Swedish Sand steel (that's the style) made by the Andrews Steel company in England.



Thanks, that's very interesting.

Sheffield virgin carbon kicks arse for sure, so I have no doubt that this stuff is top drawer.


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## ChuckTheButcher

If what it says on japantool is true, which I'm sure it is, then I really really want a knife made from it. Some one should reproduce it.


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## panda

if it's so special why is nobody recreating it?


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## gic

Yea I find it hard to believe that modern metallurgy can't produce this steel if it really was that good. I think this is one of those examples of something uber rare becoming overhyped but I am willing to be convinced otherwise. Maybe somebody who knows more about metallurgy than I can explain to me why this steel is so odd that a good metallurgist couldn't duplicate it exactly if he or she wanted to..


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## Mucho Bocho

Were's our resident Metallurgist when we need him--Larin Thomas. What say you?


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## DevinT

Larrin is traveling today with his family, should be home tomorrow.

My guess is that this steel a very high carbon steel with a small amount of alloy in it, 1.35-1.40% carbon and maybe .15-.20% percent chrome, tungsten or vanadium used as a grain refiner and low amounts of manganese. Using virgin steel limits the amount of tramp alloy in the steel. The steel probably has very low amounts of impurities in it also. 

Hoss


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## pkjames

I think modern powder steel is just as good if not better than the Togo steel and alike, and easier to work with. Not to mention, cheaper to produce/forge.

IMO, this type of steel is more associated with its rarity and history, but lack of commercial sense to reproduce.


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## Timthebeaver

Borrowed from another thread:

Carbon:1.4-1.5% Chromium:0.5-0.6% Tungsten:2.3-3.06% Molybdenum:0.05-0.08% Vanadium:0.16-0.2%.


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## DevinT

Good stuff Ttb. Given the chemical make up, this is what they call a finishing steel. Similar to F-2 and F-3 but with more carbon. This type of steel has been replaced by high speed steels over the years. There are some similar grades made in Germany today.

Hoss


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## Timthebeaver

Thank you for the information Hoss, that is very interesting.


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## willic

Thanks to everyone for this information... This is the perfect example why I love this forum!!!!!!!


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