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01 vs D2 Enzo?

michaelm466

michaelm466

Joined
Mar 5, 2009
Messages
2,206
I'm interested in the Enzo, I know some about D2, but hardly anything about O1, what are they pros and cons of each? Which is tougher, which holds and edge better etc, also what are your thoughts on the enzo and whats a good place to get one?
 
I think 01 is easier to sharpen and easier to get to a razor edge. I think D2 is really great for wet environments and holds an edge for a long time.
 
O1 is alot more prone to rust, even compared with other high carbon steels, but if you maintain it or patina it it makes for a dynamite rough use knife. And yes you can get them super sharp.
 
D2 is a fine steel and if you carry a ceramic or diamond whetstone in the field, you should be good to go. O1 is also fantastic and I personally feel it is easier to maintain the edge in the field. O1 does rust more easily, but a little oil or wax protects it just fine. Or you could patina the knife (or let it develop a patina on its own) - whatever you prefer. Hope it helps!

I just wanted to add this: Do you have more specific questions? Are you wondering about edge holding, toughness, etc? Also, what kind of environment will you be using the knife most of the time?
 
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I have the O1 trapper, great knife laser sharp and keeps an edge a while, don't really let it get to dull I have a strop and sand paper in my kit so it has never been dull enough not to "pop" hair
 
Great knife,feels good in hand,both great steels.Don't use it as a pry bar.I broke mine in half:(
 
rwiggins said:
I just wanted to add this: Do you have more specific questions? Are you wondering about edge holding, toughness, etc? Also, what kind of environment will you be using the knife most of the time?
Click to expand...

Yeah, I just wanted to know which steel held an edge longer, which was tougher, it sounds like D2 is quite a bit more rust resistant, I'm living in Utah right now so its, pretty dry, but I'll be moving to Oregon with the next year where the woods are much more wet.

Thank you everybody so far for the replies.
 
I would go with O1. It hones to a very fine edge and holds that edge very well. D2 will rust, also. D2 is definitely tough, but I've read many concerns with brittle edges. As is often said, D2 eats abrasives. Personally, I wouldn't mind a knife in either steel. The choice is ultimately whether you want a knife that is easier to sharpen or a knife which is harder to sharpen. Hope it helps!
 
I have an Enzo in 01, its my favorite small knife!
I have not had any problems with rust as long as you keep it clean it should be fine.
Like was mentioned above you can always patina it, thats what i recently did with mine.

I don't own any D2 as i've heard too many complaints of it chipping and being hard to sharpen.But a lot depends on the heat treat i guess.
Anybody here actually own a D2 Enzo?
 
I have one in O1. A great knife that sees a lot of use, sharpens easily, and holds an edge a long time. Check out Bensbackwoods.
 
I have a Bark River Aurora in O1 and a Blind Horse Knives Large workhorse in D2.

A plus for the Aurora is that you can get it shaving sharp with sandpaper and a leather strop in no time. It's not a very tough steel so the edge retention is good but not extraordinary, I batoned it through some hardwood and it wasn't that sharp anymore. Also noticed a small chip in the cutting edge. I also used it for food prep and game dressing. Once you hit a bone a few times there goes the edge. It develops a patina really fast. If you don't like that, you have to keep it well oiled. (I use Ballistol). It's a good knife but you have to take good care of it.

Now the Workhorse. D2 steel hardened at 58-60, very tough knife. It find it a little difficult to sharpen, diamonds do the job. Batons through just about anything and has great edge retention. D2 is almost stainless (12% chromium) so it's pretty resistant to corrosion, stains and such.IMO D2 gets brittle when the heat treatment is done wrong. One of my favorite knives.
 
Just the thread I was looking for this morning! Eyeing a Brian Andrews Necker but has three choices in steel. I hate decisions!
I find O1 soft in my other knives but easy to sharpen and will spark a steel.
Don't know alot about A2.
Have some benchmades with D2 and they hold an edge forever but are a real chore to sharpen.
How about A2 compared to 01 and D2?
 
Been using a Dozier Pro Guide in D2 for two years or so. Mostly light to mid-duty use. Seems to hold an edge like a champ. So far nothing but good to say about it.
 
So are we all. No sweat.

I agree with everything said above. I've got carbon steel blades and they get super sharp without much effort. My D2 blades take forever to get sharp, but are great knives. If I'm going where there's lots of water, I take the D2.
 
I plan on eventually getting an Enzo Trapper and will get it from Ben's Backwoods when I do. From the research I did, some people thought that the D2 version is actually slightly hollow ground whereas the O1 is definitely a true zero ground Scandi edge. Don't know if that matters to you or not, but I'll be getting the O1.

I've never used Enzo's D2 so I don't know how good their heat treat is, but I do have a D2 Kershaw Outcast and the heat treat is amazing. I haven't used it extensively, but so far it takes a beating, regardless of what the "truth" is about D2. The Outcast is a 10" chopper so it get used for chopping, batonning, as a draw knife, etc. It's been used in green soft woods and old dried out hardwoods without any chipping so far. I personally haven't tried to sharpen it yet, but I did have it sent off to be thinned and sharpened by Siguy and he said it was a beast to work with.
 
Nothing wrong with D2 if used properly in the field. A2 and O1 are going to be tougher. Any knife will be hard to sharpen if the geometry isn't right. D2 is easy to sharpen with diamond sharpeners.
Scott
 
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