I completely understand what that is saying and the statement you point out is "false" if taken literally and in a literal context. ALL steel is made softer/harder, tougher and stronger in the early creation processes. Annealing makes them softer, HT makes them harder, etc. etc. I am by no means a metallurgist or a bladesmith or a materials engineer or expert. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> But speaking in generalities regarding these relationships, toughness and hardness typically don't both increase together as you have to forgo some hardness/strength to make a blade/steel tougher. So, without getting into deep discussions about Cementites, ferrites, austenites, pearlite and Martensite - I will just leave it at that. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> Although, one should know that martensite is steel in its hardest form but it is unusable because it is also VERY brittle - Not tough - so further heating is required to toughen/soften it up.
Thanks for the response! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />
