jonbutcheraxis: O-1 is a different steel. Supposed to be a higher carbon content (around .95-1.05%?) tool steel that is oil quenched. SK-5 is a Japanese steel that is about the same as plain American 1080, so it's somewhere around .75-.85 carbon with a little manganese thrown in. So from the chemical composition, it would appear that the O-1 should hold an edge better but that the SK-5 could be slightly tougher. But I've heard all different ideas about the toughness. Some say SK-5 is tougher, some say O-1 is tougher. It may be that you would not be able to tell any difference in toughness unless you tested to destruction. I've looked all over the internet and could not find any Charpy impact testing data directly comparing O-1 to 1080 steel. I've heard that there is no such data for SK-5, as it's a proprietary steel made by a single Japanese company. Most people seem to think that the O-1 steel is an improvement over SK-5 because of better cutting performance. I think it's close enough that it's not a significant difference, especially in the laredo or natchez bowies. If you're using them for their intended purpose as fighting knives, or dedicated fighters, you're not going to be doing much cutting anyway. (Who gets into knife fights every day?) For a dedicated fighter, I'd think toughness is more important than edge holding because, if there's extremely hard contact, you don't want your knife blade snapping off at the tang in the middle of a knifefight. But if you are using for it for camp duties, then you might have the opposite view, as mentioned most people think O-1 cuts better. For my purposes, there doesn't seem to be any significant difference in these steels.
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Video review of the Cold Steel SK5 Natchez Bowie
- Thread starter Idiot1jerk2face3
- Start date
- Joined
- Dec 15, 2008
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- 2,012
I picked up an 0-1 Natchez from a big box outlet store I frequent last year for 100$ canadian!!!!!!!
It was an ebay return with a smashed up box, they were asking 180$ but when the owner stepped out for lunch I brought it up to the counter and the overly friendly milf running the till looked over both shoulders and ran it for 100$!!!!!
Best deal I have had for awhile (tossed her number away on the bill!!!) Not worth a divorce for cheap steel.........maybe if it was a bargain box of Busses.....LOL
What was that guy thinking smashing a wooden handle butt with a log!?!???
If shtf it would definitely be an effective combat tool but other than handling it probably won't see much use let alone batonning!
It was an ebay return with a smashed up box, they were asking 180$ but when the owner stepped out for lunch I brought it up to the counter and the overly friendly milf running the till looked over both shoulders and ran it for 100$!!!!!
Best deal I have had for awhile (tossed her number away on the bill!!!) Not worth a divorce for cheap steel.........maybe if it was a bargain box of Busses.....LOL
What was that guy thinking smashing a wooden handle butt with a log!?!???
If shtf it would definitely be an effective combat tool but other than handling it probably won't see much use let alone batonning!