Kitchen knife from 440C stainless

[parsha]

Hello Folks,

 

Wanted to make a stainless steel kitchen knife since a long time but it is really hard to get 440C in sheet or flat bar. Finally managed to get my hands on 10mm round stock. Forging the steel was a completely different experience as I had forged only 5160 and old file steel before. Destroyed my first piece of steel rod as I heated to yellow heat and as soon as the hammer contacted the steel BOOM !!. It just crumbled. Started on the other end of the rod and it again cracked cos of lower heat. 

Was a real bummer. 

Finally managed to flatten the rod by using a 12 hits technique.  Heat to bright orange and count 12 strokes and immediately back in the forge. I guess the high chromium content makes it difficult.