I ran a few tests on some D2 swords I had. I wanted to see how they held up. These are very amateur tests – and done quickly. I just wanted to test them out one day while we were moving and had only about 15 mins to do so. I was holing my iphone and filming while trying to hit things with the sword – so if you think I am hitting things an an off angle you are probably right. Do NOT try this at home. Blades can break and injure you.First, this is the video the forge made when doing the D2. It is quite old now, but the vice test is pretty cool.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGbIFUHmBf8[/youtube]
Here is me hitting rock. (Yes, rock). I decided to take a D2 swords and hack a rock with it to see if the sword held up. It did really well. Removed a chunk of rock and barely dented the blade at all. Actually other swords we tested were demolished.
Please remember D2 is a semi-stainless, not a full carbon steel, so it is not the hardest steel on earth or anything close. It is just a very hard steel that is much more corrosive-resistant than full carbon blades. It is mainly used for cutting other steels and will destroy swords make of softer steels. But against rock, gun barrels, other D2/Carbon blades, and weight lifting bars? I think the D2 held up very well. Rock did dent the blade some, and you will see those nicks in later tests I did, so don’t confuse them. Rock was about the only thing that dented the blade any.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wz4DCOlW8ZQ[/youtube]
This is me hitting a weight lifting bar. There was no damage to the D2. Or the bar for that matter. This was really me wondering how it would hold up if used against a gun barrel.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fq6iZuOZsVk[/youtube]
This is me hitting a “Carbon Steel” chrome plated spear tip. There was no damage to the D2.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACA2nsoac20[/youtube]
Digging the tip into asphalt. There was no damage to the blade at all:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fo03kqV4__4[/youtube]
There are more tests, and I will put them online later. Overall D2 is a really good steel.