1.611 Steel Knives For Camping?

[ShinyLoveMachine]

So I've got an Esee 6 for camping which isn't a bad 1095 steel blade for minor chopping and general work, but what about a knife for minor cutting like food etc. around camp? From what I've experienced from 1.611 steel blades though (for example Victorinox) they get extremely razor sharp with minimal effort (I can sharpen them with my accusharp just fine) and they are extremely corrosion resistant in terms of staining and mold. Those are two huge pluses with a huge downside that they lose their edge with extreme ease. Correct me if I'm wrong, but that's the way 1.611 steel is usually meant to be?

This is no big deal in the kitchen as every month or so I just sharpen it again. I was thinking what about some sort of fixed blade for camping? They would make a perfect knife for simple cutting techniques around camp for food, and fine cutting. Basically anything except chopping and things that would literally dull the edge instantly.

Is my thinking correct and can anyone recommend any good 1.611 steel fixed camping type knives? Do you think 1.611 steel is any good?

I've looked at this ka-bar knife, and it seems close to what I'm looking for.
https://www.knifecenter.com/item/KA...d-Blade-Knife-3-58-inch-Blade-Leather-Handles

Does anyone have any experience with that knife or similar knives?

 

[pinnah]

I like fine grained stainless for camping so long as it is hardened decently.

I like Buck's 420H2 and Opinel and Mora's 12c27.

I don't care for Case's TruSharp (420HC), Victorinox's Inox or Buck's 420J2.

With a good heat treatment, I can't tell a huge difference between these steels and comparably hard 1095. At lower RC levels, I strongly prefer 1095.

I think the basic Mora Companion is a hard knife to beat for general camping use.

Edited to add: I would pass on that Kabar. I like hollow grinds for hunting and cleaning fish, but I strongly prefer a saber or convex grind for making shavings or splitting kindling. Also, the advertised RC is quite low. If you want a hollow grind, I would recommend a Buck over a Case or Kabar.

 

[ShinyLoveMachine]

I like fine grained stainless for camping so long as it is hardened decently.

I like Buck's 420H2 and Opinel and Mora's 12c27.

I don't care for Case's TruSharp (420HC), Victorinox's Inox or Buck's 420J2.

With a good heat treatment, I can't tell a huge difference between these steels and comparably hard 1095. At lower RC levels, I strongly prefer 1095.

I think the basic Mora Companion is a hard knife to beat for general camping use.

Edited to add: I would pass on that Kabar. I like hollow grinds for hunting and cleaning fish, but I strongly prefer a saber or convex grind for making shavings or splitting kindling. Also, the advertised RC is quite low. If you want a hollow grind, I would recommend a Buck over a Case or Kabar.

What's wrong with 1.4116 steel though?

 

[pinnah]

Knife makers get their steel from steel manufacturers prior to being heat treated to allow them to shape the blades.

Different knife makers hear treat their blades differently. Bucks 420HC is different from Case's. That is, with this classs of steel it's more about the heat treat and less about the steel.

Victorinox leaves their steel on the soft side. They used to say 54Rc but believe that they now target 56Rc. Buck's 420HC is around 58Rc, as is Opinel's 12c27.

At softer Rc like 56 or lower, I find I need to use a much wider edge angle to prevent the edge from rolling. Something like 20 or 25 degrees per side. At 58Rc, the blade can be sharpened closer to 15 degrees per side without rolling.

I also find the softer steel harder to hone, as they are prone to form stubborn wire edges or burrs.

I think the softer steels work just fine on small pocket knives, as the thin blade cut most common things well enough even when dull.

For an average sized fixed blade for camp chores, I definitely prefer something harder.

If you like hollow grind blades, you might like the Buck 105 or BuckliteMax.

If you haven't tried a scandi grind, the Mora Companion in stainless is excellent