1095CV vs. SR101

KalEl said:
SR-101 really doesn't chip at all. I think most people who say that 1095 is more chip resistant have never used both. SR-101, from the times I have dinged it up, always tends to roll. I hit my RMD on a ceramic bird bath once while doing yard work and the edge just rolled a bit and was an easy fix. MY Junglas tends to chip more than roll. I think overall SR-101 is a better steel than modded 1095, especially with the swamps heat treat. How many broken swamp rats have you seen? Ive never seen one break that wasn't overhardend/ had a manufacturing flaw. On the other hand, Ive alot of broken beckers.

But even after taking into account which steel performs better get the one that is most comfortable for you.
Click to expand...

pictures of broken Beckers please?
 
BluesStringer said:
See, for me, this indisputable bottom line negates the need for the detailed analysis. It would be real easy for me to be a steel snob for a couple of reasons; 1) Steel and metals in general have always interested me and have been prominent in how I've made my living for much of my adult life (welder, welding instructor, silversmith), and 2) It's intellectually stimulating and rewarding to gain the knowledge and know how to apply it in meaningful ways.

But then, when it comes to hard-use fixed blade production knives, I start employing that analysis and then slap myself in the forehead like I coulda had a V-8, and recall the axiomatic truism articulated in the quote above. Then I order another Becker, or at least talk myself out of ordering something else that invariably costs more with no real benefit-to-increased-cost ratio to justify the added expenditure.

Yep, buy a Becker. If you think that analyzing the bejeezus out of the respective blade steels is gonna make building a shelter out of just the materials you find in the woods any easier, or in fire-making, or chopping and batoning, I think you're deluding yourself. Blade geometry can certainly make a big difference. But blade steel, assuming similar composition and quality heat treating for both, nah, you'd never be able to tell one from the other in performance out in the field. Just my .02. YMMV, but it shouldn't. LOL

Blues
Click to expand...

tradewater said:
Absolutely dead center.
Click to expand...

I want a comparison between the two steels because SR101 is a known quantity to me and comparing the two is only logical. It actually has nothing to do with cost. By your own logic you guys should be running a $6 Tram and a $12 Mora. Why would you waste your money on a Becker when that's all you need?:rolleyes: Hell you could even drop the Mora. Then you can do all your hardcore blade stuff for 6 bucks.
 
Last edited:
Shotgun said:
I want a comparison between the two steels because SR101 is a known quantity to me and comparing the two is only logical. It actually has nothing to do with cost. By your own logic you guys should be running a $6 Tram and a $12 Mora. Why would you waste your money on a Becker when that's all you need?:rolleyes: Hell you could even drop the Mora. Then you can do all your hardcore blade stuff for 6 bucks.
Click to expand...

I do use a $6 Tram alot. And my mora. And my BKT's. Its a hard time trying to to decide what to take outside with me. Out of all, my BK14 sees more action than all of my knives put together.

I don't buy Busse's or Swamp Rats, I just don't find them appealing on any level. I don't care much for super steel either. I do care for good heat treats, and knives that don't cost much, and gives you alot of value. BKT has always done just that, so has Kabar, Kershaw, ESEE, Buck, Case, Mora, and many others.

The choice is yours, mon ami, I wish I could have answered your question better.

Moose
 
Guyon said:
I've seen Swamp Rats do some crazy things. Here's one that was put up against a toilet.

PICT3918.jpg

PICT3920.jpg
Click to expand...
Well we sure do know where the sweet spot is on that guy lol. Though I don't believe the crash rat is sr 101. Isn't it L6 or their sr77 or whatever they're calling the scrapyard steel?
 
I love Trams and Moras both. They've got a ton of well earned respect from people all over the world. Just like Beckers do. I certainly wouldn't try to talk you into buying one, but if you do try a Becker out, I'll bet you like it. If you don't you won't have a bit of trouble selling it. :thumbup:
 
tradewater said:
I love Trams and Moras both. They've got a ton of well earned respect from people all over the world. Just like Beckers do. I certainly wouldn't try to talk you into buying one, but if you do try a Becker out, I'll bet you like it. If you don't you won't have a bit of trouble selling it. :thumbup:
Click to expand...

that's the thing with KaBar Beckers. try one. like/keep, hate/sell. break it through normal use? fast warranty replacement. abused it? we'll, it's good for a post and a laugh at least and you don't even need a hockey mask.

we're not going to hard sell magical steels or special properties. the knives are what the knives are with lots of models. the price won't break the bank either. you don't have to learn a secret handshake to buy one, or wonder if you've been ripped off. lots of vendors, lots of pricing options. competition is good.

plenty of pictures and videos of people doing harsh things with Beckers. really hard to contest that. oh, we have contests too. and cookies.

pull up a chair, read a bit, watch the videos. learn our chants. drink some koolaid :)
 
moosez45 said:
I do use a $6 Tram alot. And my mora. And my BKT's. Its a hard time trying to to decide what to take outside with me. Out of all, my BK14 sees more action than all of my knives put together.

I don't buy Busse's or Swamp Rats, I just don't find them appealing on any level. I don't care much for super steel either. I do care for good heat treats, and knives that don't cost much, and gives you alot of value. BKT has always done just that, so has Kabar, Kershaw, ESEE, Buck, Case, Mora, and many others.

The choice is yours, mon ami, I wish I could have answered your question better.

Moose
Click to expand...

No my question was answered. Seems the consensus is they're about equal. The "why waste your money argument" just gets under my nerve and is really just fanboy based.The cost to performance ratio doesn't get much better then the two blades I mentioned so any argument about why Beckers are the best for the money is just silly talk IMO.
 
Shotgun said:
you guys should be running a $6 Tram and a $12 Mora. Why would you waste your money on a Becker when that's all you need?:rolleyes:
Click to expand...

Dang dude, you're good. Can you guess my weight within five pounds? :D

P1020844.jpg
 
In early 2007, Guyon owned 4 machetes

Martindale #W702 bolo
Martindale #2 golok
Tramontina 18" wood
Tramontina 18" plastic


STALKER ALERT!!!!!
 
Hmmmm....

Machetes.jpg


Have bought a few more Trams since then. Other stuff too. That big Martindale has seen more use than anything though. :cool:
 
Sadly, SMKW no longer carries them. They dropped the Tramontina line and picked up Marbles.
 
BushOgre said:
I noticed. I looked for some tonight. I really want the #2 golok.
Click to expand...

BushOgre, I know of a dealer that stocks that and other Martindales. Email me if interested in a link.

Machetes sure are nice! I have 12+ ranging in blade length from 12" up to 24". My Most used one is a 14" Bolo by Tramontina. Got extras of a few models for modding purposes. :) One of these days I should get my box of Machete out of storage and take pics. BTW, they pair nicely with Beckers or your other favorite knives. ;)
 
tradewater said:
" On the other hand, Ive alot of broken beckers. "




I'm not an umpire, but I think our left fielder might have just hosed you trying to stretch a single...
Click to expand...

Actually, he's not making that up---there have been a few over the years. I'm just having difficulty sleeping and am lazily perusing the boards until I feel droopy again, so I'm not going to put the effort into finding them right now. I'll dig in and get links later if nobody else has.

Still doesn't take away from the superb value Becker represents.
 
" On the other hand, Ive alot of broken beckers. "

t1mpani said:
Actually, he's not making that up---there have been a few over the years. I'm just having difficulty sleeping and am lazily perusing the boards until I feel droopy again, so I'm not going to put the effort into finding them right now. I'll dig in and get links later if nobody else has.

Still doesn't take away from the superb value Becker represents.
Click to expand...

i'm well aware that Beckers are made of human made materials and can break, and have. many of the breaks i'm aware of lately were severe abuse. not very many over the course of 30 years, when you get down to it. ESEE has a gallery of broken blades too. quite a few of those blades were also abused or broken on purpose for the warranty.

Breaks that come to mind: a tactical team of 600 lbs of muscle using a TacTool to pry open a jail cell broken the tip off, they succeed too iiirc in opening the cell, and a recent hard use ultimate test in cutting car up also broke the first 1/3 off. mmm, some guy using his BK2 as a throwing knife eventually snapped it - as i recall - that's the first break of one of those - EVER. a blackjack era Brute with a welded handle arrangement finally snapped after 20 years when it hit hard steel. a couple BK7s and BK10s that had chips from batoning [incorrectly imho] through heavy knots; and i perhaps one actual break from batoning hard (and poorly). i THINK i remember a Machax from 25 years ago that snapped in half after it was used to pry debris and reset a tank tread - snerk. a patrol machete or two and a Reinhardt that had some chips from chopping frozen Xmas tree knots - you don't do that with an axe if you don't have to. i've never heard of an original DivTul breaking as yet. Someone did some hard use on new gen Magnum Camp, and fixed it readily - it didn't break. to my knowledge, none of the Neckers had broken (anyone?). mmm, nothing else is esp coming to mind. so, 30 years and more than 3 manufactures, and multiple kinds of steel and heat treats there. tons of breaks. yup.

still, if someone says they have a lot of broken beckers, i gotta see that... or if they meant "they have broken a lot of beckers", i'd gotta see that and know how. when a Becker breaks, it's usually notable.

besides, if you have a warranty as good as the one behind the Becker lineup, do you care if get a bad one? stuff happens, you get the 1% of 1% bad one, and it chipped out when you hit a rock or attempted to baton godzilla's toenail. you get a new one. *shrug*. i call that pretty good value.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top