Steel Metallurgy for the Non-Metallurgist

Great book, very technical and could be simplified more, ill definitely be reading it again to pick up things I missed the first time, definitely worth a read for any knife maker

This is a very good read it explains steel metallurgy in a way I can grasp even tho at times I find I have to go back and reread some paragraphs. I make knives as a hobby and this book is very helpful and enjoyable. I have seen PDF copy's floating around but I like a real hardback book so its worth the money I think.

Consider this the Cliff Notes of steel metalurgy. It is an invaluable resource for those of us who make knives and other cutting tools. Forging and grinding a great looking knife with good geometry isn't even half of the story; manipulating the crystalin structure of the steel with heat is at least 75% of it. Steel sellection counts somewhat less. This book gives a good "in depth overview" of what steel and other ferrous alloys are, what their properties are, and how those properties can be used and manipulated. It gives an understanding of what is happening to the steel, not just a cookbook intruction of starting at point A and proceeding to the finished product. It gives knowledge of what to do when the cookbook fails and how to modify the instructions to make things come out better. It allows technique to evolve into art.

I did not realize how complicated making modern steel is. This book is an excellent read.

Dr. Verhoeven has written a book a novice can easily understand. I've taken courses in college which covered materials and processes, yet I was not able to understand what Dr. V easily explains in Chapter 2 that anyone will understand and never forget. There are 17 chapters and 2 appendices which I believe should be mandatory for anyone wanting to understand steel.