Wayne and I did that experiment years ago comparing 4 5160 blades from the same stock, it is written up in one of my books. It would be close to impossible to achieve the same steel in a 2" ball and flat stock.
I would really like to see someone else try it and see how it works for them.
Wish you would elaborate on this - sounds like yu're saying forging blades from the 2" ball stock would be much better than a blade made from basic flat stock ... Tomorrow i'll be at the blacksmith shop finishing forging down the 3" ball bearing i have. Right now it's been forged down to about 18" long x1" wide and it's still almost One inch thick. I'm going to enjoy making a blade from that and testing it to destruction.
I also have two lengths of 52100 13"x 1-1/2"x 3/16 thick that i will forge a blade from and test to destruction.
Since my friend who made a blade from my 2-1/4" round stock 52100 a couple weeks ago and it shattered like glass i'm going to be very concerned about finding out how these blades i'll be testing hold up to a flex test - I plan on doing 3 tempering to the blades.