GB2167436A

GB2167436A - Nickel-maraging steels for blades of fencing weapons

Info

Publication number: GB2167436A
Application number: GB08429655A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Karl Sartorius
Original assignee: ARBED SAARSTAHL GmbH
Current assignee: ARBED SAARSTAHL GmbH
Priority date: 1984-11-23
Filing date: 1984-11-23
Publication date: 1986-05-29
Also published as: GB8429655D0; GB2167436B

Abstract

The steels are used for the blades of weapons for fencing, such as fencing foils, épées and sabres, and for ceremonial swords, since they have a high resistance to breakage under service conditions. Preferred compositions are, in wt%: 1 2 3 C 0-0.03 0-0.03 0-0.03 Si 0-0.1 0-0.1 0-0.1 Mn 0-0.1 0-0.1 0-0.1 Al 0.05-0.15 0.05-0.15 0.05-0.15 Mo 4-5.5 1-3 - Ni 17-19 17-22 17-22 Co 7-10 0-2 - Ti 0.3-0.9 0.3-1.7 0.3-1.5 B 0-0.005 0-0.005 - Zr 0-0.02 0-0.02 - Fe balance balance balance

Description

SPECIFICAMON Use of nickel-maraging steetsforthe blades of cut and thrust weapons The invention relates to the use of nickel-maraging steelsforthe blades of cut and thrust weapons.

Cut and thrust weapons are to be understood as meaning in particularweaponsforfencing, i.e. fencing foils, 6pubes and sabres. The expression is also meant to cover ceremonial swords and the weapons used in traditional German students' duelling.

As is known,the blades of these cut and thrust weapons are made of hardened and tempered steels, predominantlysilicon-alloyed steels (51 Si 7). Siliconnickel-chromium steels are also used, having a greater ductility than the silicon-alloyed steels.

The blades of cut and thrust weapons are put under high stresses. The continual clashing of blades leads to nicks and so-called friction martensite. The latter is hard and brittle and favours the formation of incipient cracks and the propagation of cracks as a consequence of nicks or notches. As a result, the blade breaks under a subsequent peakstress. Breakages of blades made ofthe known steels are relatively frequent with cut and thrust weapons and can cause dangerous injuriestothe people involved.

It is the object of the invention to provide steelsfor blades of cut and thrust weapons which offer a large degreeofprotection against breakage and hencefor the people involved.

This object is achieved by making the material for the blades ofcutandthrustweapons of nickelmaraging steels.

Nickel-maraging steels are known perse,for example for aircraft and rocketry components and in the reactor industry. They are also used for special tools (German Auslegeschrift 1,242,377).

It is also known (German Auslegeschrift 1,298,291) to use a maraging steel alloy as the material for dies, bearings, machinetools, knives and razor blades and forfastening elements. This alloy is not suitable for achieving the object of the invention.

In the pastthere was no known need, otherthan the usual optimisation wishes of the users, for improvement in the cut and thrust weapon blade made of the known inexpensive hardened and tempered steels.

Only recently occurring fractures of blades and the consequentfatal and life-endangering injuries to the people involved have led to discussions about the material of which the blades are made.

Surprisingly, cut and thrust weapon blades of nickel-maraging steels have properties as requiredfor this specific use: a high resistence to breakage coupled, unlike other materials, with the desired sound whentwoweaponstouch Steelsofthistype,thatistosay nickel-maraging steels, were hitherto gut of the question as the material for blades of cut and thrust weapons, if only because of their relatively high price, but also because, in terms of the type of steel they are, it was anything butobviousto use nickel-maraging steelsfor the purpose in question. Several instancesof lifeendangering injuries to fencers have led to a more urgent search for a suitable material.It was a piece of goodfortunethattheinventorhappenedtousethe steel, known for completely different purposes, for blades of cut and thrust weapons. The significantly higher price, compared with the known blade steels, can be disregarded if the resistance to fracture obtained with the nickel-maraging steel and hence the much reduced injury risk are taken into account.

This higher resistance to breakage, compared with the known blade steels, is due to the ductility of the nickel-martensite in the steels to be used according to the invention. As a result, the impact of a blade on another does not produce hard and brittle zones but softer and ductile zones. And, in contrast to conventional steels, there is no build-up of stress peaks; there is instead plasticstress relaxation. Forthis reason, the risk of blade breakage is significantly reduced.

Practical experiments have shown that a nickelmaraging steel ofthefollowing composition is suitable for blades of cut and thrust weapons according to the invention: carbon, at most 0.03% silicon, at most 0.10% manganese, at most 0.10% aluminium, O.05-0.15% molybdenum, 4.0-5.5% nickel, 17-19% cobalt, 7-1 0% titanium, 0.30-0.90% boron, at most 0.005% zirconium, at most 0.02% the remainder being iron and customary impurities.

This example is typical of a certain experimental series which produced very good results. Yet, it is also possible to use other nickel-maraging steels for cut andthrustweapons in accordancewiththe invention which have low molybdenum and cobalt contents or contain none of these elements, for example steels of the following compositions: forthe low-molybdenum and-cobaltsteel at most 0.03% of carbon at most 0.10% of manganese 0.5-0.15% ofaluminium 1.00-3.00% of molybdenum 17-22% of nickel at most 2.00% of cobalt 0.30-1.70% oftitanium at most 0.005% of boron at most0.02% of zirconium the remainder being iron and customary impurities; and the molybdenum- and cobalt-free steel at most 0.03% of carbon at most 0.10% of silicon at most 0.10% of manganese 0.05-0.15% of aluminium 17-22% of nickel 0.30-1.50% oftitanium The invention is inclusive of a steel as specified hereinbefore, a cut and/orthrust weapon made of steel and amethod of making a cut andlorthrust weapon utilising such steel.

1. Use of nickel-maraging steelsforthe blades of weaponsforfencing, such asfencingfoils, tepees and

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **.

SPECIFICAMON Use of nickel-maraging steetsforthe blades of cut and thrust weapons The invention relates to the use of nickel-maraging steelsforthe blades of cut and thrust weapons.

Cut and thrust weapons are to be understood as meaning in particularweaponsforfencing, i.e. fencing foils, 6pubes and sabres. The expression is also meant to cover ceremonial swords and the weapons used in traditional German students' duelling.

As is known,the blades of these cut and thrust weapons are made of hardened and tempered steels, predominantlysilicon-alloyed steels (51 Si 7). Siliconnickel-chromium steels are also used, having a greater ductility than the silicon-alloyed steels.

The blades of cut and thrust weapons are put under high stresses. The continual clashing of blades leads to nicks and so-called friction martensite. The latter is hard and brittle and favours the formation of incipient cracks and the propagation of cracks as a consequence of nicks or notches. As a result, the blade breaks under a subsequent peakstress. Breakages of blades made ofthe known steels are relatively frequent with cut and thrust weapons and can cause dangerous injuriestothe people involved.

It is the object of the invention to provide steelsfor blades of cut and thrust weapons which offer a large degreeofprotection against breakage and hencefor the people involved.

This object is achieved by making the material for the blades ofcutandthrustweapons of nickelmaraging steels.

Nickel-maraging steels are known perse,for example for aircraft and rocketry components and in the reactor industry. They are also used for special tools (German Auslegeschrift 1,242,377).

It is also known (German Auslegeschrift 1,298,291) to use a maraging steel alloy as the material for dies, bearings, machinetools, knives and razor blades and forfastening elements. This alloy is not suitable for achieving the object of the invention.

In the pastthere was no known need, otherthan the usual optimisation wishes of the users, for improvement in the cut and thrust weapon blade made of the known inexpensive hardened and tempered steels.

Only recently occurring fractures of blades and the consequentfatal and life-endangering injuries to the people involved have led to discussions about the material of which the blades are made.

Surprisingly, cut and thrust weapon blades of nickel-maraging steels have properties as requiredfor this specific use: a high resistence to breakage coupled, unlike other materials, with the desired sound whentwoweaponstouch Steelsofthistype,thatistosay nickel-maraging steels, were hitherto gut of the question as the material for blades of cut and thrust weapons, if only because of their relatively high price, but also because, in terms of the type of steel they are, it was anything butobviousto use nickel-maraging steelsfor the purpose in question. Several instancesof lifeendangering injuries to fencers have led to a more urgent search for a suitable material.It was a piece of goodfortunethattheinventorhappenedtousethe steel, known for completely different purposes, for blades of cut and thrust weapons. The significantly higher price, compared with the known blade steels, can be disregarded if the resistance to fracture obtained with the nickel-maraging steel and hence the much reduced injury risk are taken into account.

This higher resistance to breakage, compared with the known blade steels, is due to the ductility of the nickel-martensite in the steels to be used according to the invention. As a result, the impact of a blade on another does not produce hard and brittle zones but softer and ductile zones. And, in contrast to conventional steels, there is no build-up of stress peaks; there is instead plasticstress relaxation. Forthis reason, the risk of blade breakage is significantly reduced.

Practical experiments have shown that a nickelmaraging steel ofthefollowing composition is suitable for blades of cut and thrust weapons according to the invention: carbon, at most 0.03% silicon, at most 0.10% manganese, at most 0.10% aluminium, O.05-0.15% molybdenum, 4.0-5.5% nickel, 17-19% cobalt, 7-1 0% titanium, 0.30-0.90% boron, at most 0.005% zirconium, at most 0.02% the remainder being iron and customary impurities.

This example is typical of a certain experimental series which produced very good results. Yet, it is also possible to use other nickel-maraging steels for cut andthrustweapons in accordancewiththe invention which have low molybdenum and cobalt contents or contain none of these elements, for example steels of the following compositions: forthe low-molybdenum and-cobaltsteel at most 0.03% of carbon at most 0.10% of manganese 0.5-0.15% ofaluminium 1.00-3.00% of molybdenum 17-22% of nickel at most 2.00% of cobalt 0.30-1.70% oftitanium at most 0.005% of boron at most0.02% of zirconium the remainder being iron and customary impurities; and the molybdenum- and cobalt-free steel at most 0.03% of carbon at most 0.10% of silicon at most 0.10% of manganese 0.05-0.15% of aluminium 17-22% of nickel 0.30-1.50% oftitanium The invention is inclusive of a steel as specified hereinbefore, a cut and/orthrust weapon made of steel and amethod of making a cut andlorthrust weapon utilising such steel.

1. Use of nickel-maraging steelsforthe blades of weaponsforfencing, such asfencingfoils, tepees and sabres.

2. Use of a nickel-maraging steel comprising atmost O.03% of carbon at most 0.10% of silicon at most 0.10% of manganese 0.05-0.15% of aluminium

4.0-5.5% of molybdenum 17-19% of nickel 7-10% of cobalt 0.30-0.90% oftitanium at most 0.005% of boron at most 0.02% of zirconium the remainder being iron and customary impurities as the material for producing blades of weapons for fencing, such as fencing foils, zones and sabres.

3. Use of a nickel-maraging steel comprising at most 0.03% of carbon at most 0.10% of silicon atmost 0.10% manganese 0.05-0.15% ofaluminium

1.00-3.00% of molybdenum 17-22% of nickel at most 2.00% of cobalt 0.30-1.70% oftitanium at most 0.005% of boron atmost O.02% of zirconium the remainder being iron and customary impurities as the material for producing bladesofweaponsfor fencing, such as fencing foils, épées and sabres.

4. Use of a nickel-maraging steel comprising at most 0.03% of carbon atmost O.10% of silicon at most 0.10% manganese 0.05-0.15% of aluminium 17-22% of nickel 0.30-1.50% of titanium at most 0.005% of boron at most 0.02% ofzirconium the remainder being iron and customary impurities as the material for producing blades of weapons for fencing, such as fencing foils, tepees and sabres.