So you heard from somewhere that old tool steel is much better than new tool steel, but modern toolmakers will always be more than willing to trash this idea because of modern manufacturing techniques. My first instinct would be to ask who would benefit more from these claims and who made them, however, the proof of the pudding is always in the eating.
There are two camps, the user and the producer but there is also an extra factor when the purpose is introduced to the mix.
Steel-cutting tools will be completely different in makeup for durability in coping with the heat generated and tempered differently to harden the tool’s steel beyond what it is cutting. This area has evolved and the tools created generally are of the moment as things progress.
Modern electrical tools generate heat and for this reason, modern steel has been developed to cope with these conditions in different grades for durability and performance. Quality varies depending on the market it serves for example the DIY market of limited use and the professional market.
Hand Tools are what users tend to refer to when referring to “they don’t make them like they used to” and where we will concentrate on because that’s what we do here.
The theory of maturity of steel is best demonstrated in what happens with handsaw plates where the ‘Crystallisation’ of the steel causes natural hardening whereby the file will become blunt as a result of attempting to sharpen it, the saw tooth will also not set because it has become brittle and will snap. Note: I will always avoid old saws with broken teeth for this reason, although this isn’t a foolproof method of identifying a whole crystalised saw plate or indeed an area. In my experience of sharpening many types of handsaws, I can attest that older saws are genuinely harder on the file than newer handsaws.
The conclusion I can only surmise is that there is indeed a hardening process happening naturally to steel as it ages that is completely different from the tempering process. It is clear also that many users of hand tools, in particular, woodworkers are those who have for many years since the used tool market was established confirmed this by their experience of using them.
Other factors at play: I was once told that back in the day, materials were expensive and labour was cheap, and we now live in an age where this has reversed. This explains why the process and methods used in ‘Crucible’ and ‘Laminated’ steel have died out in favour of reducing costs. Laminated steel is often seen in old chisels and other edge tools to make the process of hand sharpening much easier because of the outer softer steel and also served as another important aspect of limiting the extent of chipping. These qualities that modern edge tools now lack due to the use of single-type steels such as 01 & A2 high carbon tool steel which is often limited in length at the end of the tool.
The reality is this, to replicate these qualities in old tools made by skilled hands would be misconstrued as very expensive nowadays when compared to modern manufactured tools, and as we know large corporations are more interested in profits, repeat purchases and lack the ‘attention to detail’ needed to serve a small minority who hold the skills needed for a better product that will stand the test of time.
