L-6 is one of the best steels for swords. The material is hard, resistant and has all the properties you could wish for in a sword for cutting tests.
Therefore, the question arises: So why are there so few swords made of L6 steel?
Complex processing
For blades made of other materials, differential hardening according to the Japanese model is "relatively simple" (with clay hardening) and can be imitated reasonably well by Chinese swordsmiths. In order to achieve the desired structure (high hardness on the cutting edge and less hardness on the body) with L6 steel, a complicated heat treatment is necessary. The process requires precision and a great deal of expertise. Only a few forges in the world can successfully master this process.
L6 steel - no knife steel
Outstanding properties of L6 steel include the fact that it hardly bends at all and is extremely stable despite its low weight. This is a great advantage for swords. These properties are less interesting for knives and are therefore probably the main reason why the steel is generally not as widely used as carbon steel or stainless steel, for example. L6 is also much more susceptible to rust than other types of steel and is therefore not necessarily ideal for kitchen knives.
The typical composition of the steel
The steel owes its special properties to its chemical composition:
- Carbon: 0.65% - 0.75 %
- Chromium: 0.6% - 1.2%
- Manganese: 0.25% - 0.8%
- Molybdenum: 0.5% max.
- Nickel: 1.25% - 2.0%
- Vanadium: 0.20% - 0.30%
The relatively high nickel content gives the alloy its high resistance compared to other types of steel. It can therefore also be used as a bright coating for Damascus steel can be used.
Only from the right provider
L-6 is a high-performance steel that can only be produced in acceptable quality in a few highly developed industrialised countries.
Despite the impressive properties of L6 steel, it is difficult to get a high-quality sword made from this material.
Blades made from L6 steel are only offered by a few swordsmiths. Howard Clark is a pioneer in this field, but he has relatively long waiting lists for completion, which can stretch over many years. MAS (Martial Art Swords) produces blades of very good quality, which is why there will soon be an exquisite range of MAS swords in our shop.
We would not recommend L6 swords from other manufacturers, as incorrect heat treatment of this steel can quickly lead to a very poor blade!
