I must admit when I first saw this thread I thought the subject was like the elusive left handed monkey wrench or the blue handled board stretcher!! You know blowing smoke up someones ...........! I have never thought of grain in steel!!
It was only when Kevin Cashen, mentioned that there is such a thing, that my mind entertained the idea! After reading his post again I am really not sure how big a roll grain in steel really plays but, it opens the mind to new ideas and concepts!
When the steel ingot was cast the voids, segregations and inclusions were isotropic in nature, i.e. no direction differed much from any other. The rolling process mashed it all down and drew it out in the direction if rolling and made it anisotropic in nature. Properties that will measure differently across the width versus with the length are:
Impact toughness- the blade will have a lower impact toughness if it is cut out from across the width of the piece rather than along the length.
Minor edge stability- on very fine polished edges the anisotropic properties could lead to a toothier edge when cut from the width rather than the length. This may be fine for skinning or meat slicing, but will be miserable for very smooth fine cuts like razors, and the edge will tend to wear less evenly microscopically.
Tensile strength behavior- a sample cut across the width will enter shear based deformation mode differently and neck abruptly before ultimate strength limit is reached. One that is cut with the length will stretch with more subtle necking and probably elongate further from more movement into shear deformation before ultimate strength limit is reached.
If alloy banding is present that pattern will travel across the blade rather than along its length.
Off the top of my head, these are the properties that will show the most, it is up to you whether they are a deal breaker in the final knife and its use. Most require the destruction of the material to really be noticeable but to some that may be enough.
However I must say this. When I first got started, a seasoned knife maker reached out to me. I like to call him
my adopted mentor! He was trying to relate to me some truths and myths that some people have out there, in the knife making game.
He then told me if I saw anything from, two knife makers, to pay attention to that info! Kevin Cashen was one of those names!!
So when Kevin speaks he has my attention. That doesn't mean I may not have to go back and re-read what he said a couple of times to be sure I understand it!! :les:
I once posted a couple of questions I had about steel and quenching and why it worked that way. Kevin joined in on the the thread and posted a couple of comments and began to educate me on what I had asked and why it worked that way!
Kevin said, he usually tried to stay out of discussions and just moderate. He went on to further clarify the answers to my questions! He said, I asked some of the best questions! That to me was something that made me feel not like such a dummy!! I am one of those people who not only wants an answer but, I feel I have to know why it is that way! Once again he is educating me and others!!
This is an interesting subject!!