1095 in extreme cold

I

ignium

Joined
Dec 14, 2009
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I've come across some videos stating that 1095 can break in severe cold weather. Can someone clarify what temp that this could happen and in what situation?
 
You would also need to measure the amount of force being put on the blade, since even 1095 can break in warm weather.
 
I would be interested to know as well.

Other factors will be the size/ shape of the knife in question as well as the heat treat.

If you had a particular knife in mind that may help others chime in.

Nutnfancy -on you tube made a couple videos with the benchmade CSK. In one, he was in cold weather (he measured the temperature) and it chipped really bad. Here is a link, but keep in mind it may have been a bad blade and not all 1095 is made the same (heat treat, geometry, quality controls, etc.).

Here is the right video. Go to about 11 minutes in, where he talks about large VS small survival knives and you will see the Benchmade CSK in 1095 chip badly. Just a data point for you. I love my 1095 blades and the other ones he was using worked fine which were also 1095.

http://www.youtube.com/user/nutnfancy#p/search/2/e-FqugTYsQ8
 
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I've been hearing in extreme cold but there is nothing stated as to how cold. Just curious about it. All my knives are 1095 and I haven't had a problem. So I'm wondering if this is a case of 10% fact with 90% tall tale.
 
The Government said:
I would be interested to know as well.

Other factors will be the size/ shape of the knife in question as well as the heat treat.

If you had a particular knife in mind that may help others chime in.

Nutnfancy -on you tube made a couple videos with the benchmade CSK. In one, he was in cold weather (he measured the temperature) and it chipped really bad. Here is a link, but keep in mind it may have been a bad blade and not all 1095 is made the same (heat treat, geometry, quality controls, etc.).

http://www.youtube.com/user/nutnfancy#p/search/6/iTWffDF1_Y4
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I have a RC6 and an Armaggedon from TOPS.
 
What's interesting about that video is that he's also using an RTAKII made out of 1095 and no failure. I'm curious if the Benchmade failed due to a poor heat treat.
 
My Ka-Bar 1217 has seen -20 and kept on trucking. Granted, that's 1095 Cro-Van, but in my opinion just about every steel I've ever run across is pretty impervious to temps like that. YMMV.
 
IIRC, the issues with ductile to brittle transition are more pronounced in low carbon steel than in the high carbon steels used in cutlery.
 
yes it can, all steel is prone to that. especially ones that are more brittle/less shock resistant. 1095 happens to be the opposite thankfully, itll perform better in cold weather that high carbon steels and stainless steels
 
I love my 1095 for outdoor usage. Which includes batonning, chopping and such. I've had no issues with any KABAR, RAT or Camillus 1095 steel.
 
My understanding is that just about anything can "break" in a cold enough environment when force is applied to it. Most likely though, it would have to be antarctic in severity, so I wouldn't worry about it too much.
 
Back when I was in the USMC during mountian training in the Winter my K-Bar did just fine in -30 to -50 Degrees. :)

It was cold enough for the rain to freeze on my jacket as it fell and at over 8000 ft, it was just wonderful...... LOL
 
Is there is an issue with chopping frozen wood? Is that harder on an edge?
 
AF said:
Is there is an issue with chopping frozen wood? Is that harder on an edge?
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It would be like chopping on concrete. :D

I was chopping some frozen wood the other day with one of my Busses and yeah you can really tell it's frozen. :D
 
AF said:
Is there is an issue with chopping frozen wood? Is that harder on an edge?
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Not in my experience, no. You want to make sure you have a big enough blade so that the blade does the work, but that said, I haven't found it to be a big factor.
 
walleyeguy7 said:
yes it can, all steel is prone to that. especially ones that are more brittle/less shock resistant. 1095 happens to be the opposite thankfully, itll perform better in cold weather that high carbon steels and stainless steels
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should I be worried about carrying stainless steel folders in ~10 degrees fahrenheit weather? say ones made out of S30V, 20CV or CPM154?
 
tf8s said:
should I be worried about carrying stainless steel folders in ~10 degrees fahrenheit weather? say ones made out of S30V, 20CV or CPM154?
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Nope. I'd honestly worry more about the handle material.
 
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