420HC - Thoughts?

I have used and own all sorts of stuff. 420hc is proven and reliable. Its not s30v but it has its place in the knife world and maybe used long after some of our newest coolest steels are forgotten and replaced by newer cooler steels.
 
I like to filet Texas Ruby Grapefruits. I buy them by the 15# sack. The 420HC blade is good for 2 grapefruits. My super steels, Stellites, Cera titans, and ceramics will do 10 sacks.
 
420HC by Queen

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Just put this S&M in my pocket
A couple of passes on the Extra Fine DMT and it is hair shaving sharp
What ever Queen is doing in the heat treat and hardness is exactly right
No flip flop of a burr
A fine edge that holds
Very easy to sharpen
Nice and shiny with minimal maintenance

(Buck does well with it too)

Apart from modern endemic consumerisim
What is there not to like?
 
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lobo9er said:
I have used and own all sorts of stuff. 420hc is proven and reliable. Its not s30v but it has its place in the knife world and maybe used long after some of our newest coolest steels are forgotten and replaced by newer cooler steels.
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Probably my favorite analysis. :)
 
Halfneck said:
Also depends on the cost of the knife too. At the typical Buck price range it's good. When I see a knife close to, or higher, than $100 in 420HC I am put off by it.
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This is it in a nutshell. I won't spend over $50 for a knife that uses 420HC for its blade steel.

- Christian
 
Well - I have some experience with 420HC and, as many other almost mentioned, it´s a good steel (when the HT is properly and adequate done). I like it as an easy-sharpen to-go steel when it comes to a working knife I need to field sharpen and I don´t want to worry about real bad rust (the Buck Ecolite I have almost forgotten for two days in the rain and mist and it´s still great).

For sure, there are better ones out there with a better edge retention etc. ... but I´m really happy with my knives in 420HC as any of the HT seems to be well done.
 
I have a very expensive( I won't mention any names) knife with what would qualify as a super steel. I cut a plastic lid off a tube of caulk and the super steel chipped. I usually 99.9% (yes I'm probably biased) carry a Buck knife. I cut the same tube with the Buck and it wouldn't chip. So there's give and take with everything. I can easily use a Buck around the farm and house and for hunting and fishing with zero rust and minimal sharpening and when I do sharpen, get it razor sharp on a cheapo Wal-Mart sharpener that is designed for people that don't know how to sharpen a knife. I think that is Buck's intention for that steel.
 
88s farm talk made me share this, I have twin brother-in-laws, cow ranchers, I use to try to keep them in decent Buck knives, broken, bent and sprung was always the case within a week. I gave up on keeping the stockmen in stockmen. (I got hamburger in the trade). And just started going to hardware store and buying two colors of the $2:00 serrated blade specials. A handfull or two...If I just bought black they always were saying the other one stole his knife. Fit the knife and steel to the use and user....300
 
kamagong said:
This is it in a nutshell. I won't spend over $50 for a knife that uses 420HC for its blade steel.

- Christian
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If there is a high quality good heat treat and resonable hardness
What is the difference between 1095 and 420HC?

They are both dirt cheap to produce
 
I'm fine with 420 or any other stainless provided it holds an edge sufficiently well and is easy to hone. I'd trade supersteel hardness for ease of maintenance any day. But that's just me.
 
neeman said:
If there is a high quality good heat treat and resonable hardness
What is the difference between 1095 and 420HC?

They are both dirt cheap to produce
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I have knives in both 420HC (Buck), and 1095 (RC now ESEE). Both are said to have excellent heat treat. For me,the 1095 holds and edge better, and is easy to maintain in the field. The 420HC is serviceable, but requires more field sharpening with use. YMMV. I like properly heat treated 1095 a lot more, but still use 420HC, and get good service from it.
 
I like knives that I can sharpen on the bottom of a coffee cup or a stone in the woods..... If I need special tools to get it sharp, it's not the knife for me. I see nothing wrong with a Buck knife so nothing wrong with 420HC. I think heat treat is more important for my uses. As far as on a high end knife? I think fit, finish, handles, grinds, and overall execution are what makes a knife go up in price more so that the steel used.
 
Woodrow F Call said:
I like knives that I can sharpen on the bottom of a coffee cup or a stone in the woods..... If I need special tools to get it sharp, it's not the knife for me. I see nothing wrong with a Buck knife so nothing wrong with 420HC. I think heat treat is more important for my uses. As far as on a high end knife? I think fit, finish, handles, grinds, and overall execution are what makes a knife go up in price more so that the steel used.
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I agree.
 
I'm a bit puzzled why quite a few people disdain 420c. Exactly why may I ask?? As Neeman pointed out 1095 is inexpensive steel but that doesn't get looked down on. Yet people are prepared to pay quite a lot for carbon knives. Relatively small pocket knives are very unlikely to be carrying out constant grueling cutting tasks, axes and kitchen knives might well require something more exacting, but pocket knives?

Assuming proper heat treatment, my main interest is wether the knife is stainless or not. The former I like for food the latter for other tasks.
 
One of my least favourite steels, to be honest. Have it in my Leatherman Surge and hate it. Bad edge retention, and not easier to sharpen than better steels. Haven't tried Bucks 420HC, but I cannot imagine that it is THAT much better.

I certainly don't need super steels to like a knife, but I'll take AUS8,1095 or any of the Sandviks over 420HC any day of the week. Still easy to sharpen, better edge retention and not expensive either.
 
It is so strange to me to read posts from some of the guys their opinions on the "deficiencies" of 420HC.

Some think it is used because it can be made "pretty". I have never heard that of any knife steel, sounds like good internet smut to me! In reality, just about any metal from aluminum, brass, wrought iron to titanium can take a mirror shine with the right grits, apparatus and patience. Really? Because it is pretty? Please tell me that didn't start on BF.

Then there are the guys that want a better performing steel than 420HC if they are going to "spend some money" on a knife. Yet, this is GEC country here, and their knives range from $80 to $150, and they can't keep them in stock... in 1095! A steel that is so inexpensive that the blades cost mere pennies to stamp, a steel that hasn't changed much or taken advantage of technology for over 100 years.

To read the nation of SAK guys that are perfectly happy with their SAK blades comment poorly on 420HC, seems strange to me as well. The first real butter knife blade I owned back in the 60s, I owned one, and never another.

My first experience with 420HC was many years ago when hunting. Anyone that hunts knows that vinegar, potatoes, mangos, limes, etc., do nearly nothing to a carbon blade compared to fresh blood. It stains and corrodes edges quickly when in use if left on the blade, or if the blade is in use for some time.

One of the guys I was hunting with pulled out his new Buck 110, and decided to clean up the newly shot deer. Not only did the blade hold and edge well, but it didn't show any signs of wear to the knife after two deer. Over the years down here in South Texas, the Buck 110 became a staple for all manner of hunters and outdoorsmen, workmen in different trades, and actually continues to serve well.

I have an S&M whittler and a Kershaw Blur in 420HC and both are great for what they do. They both take a keen edge (especially the Kershaw) and hold it very well (especially the Kershaw). Easy to sharpen, easy to maintain, and the edges last just fine on a work knife. I am no champion of 420HC by any means with only three knives in that steel. But to me, 420HC has its place and does what it does well.

Robert
 
C_Becker said:
Haven't tried Bucks 420HC, but I cannot imagine that it is THAT much better.

I'll take AUS8,1095 or any of the Sandviks over 420HC any day of the week
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Don't knock it if you have not tried it.
Steel hardness makes a tremendous difference in edge retention, especially for all of the alloys you mention in your post, none of which contain carbides. Many makers harden 420HC to the mid 50's. Buck hardens their blades to better than 58, which is a hardness commonly found in Sandvik alloys and AUS8.

I've had several conversations with noted maker Phil Wilson. I've also done a fair amount of testing myself. Phil's states that most "edge dulling" is actually due to the edge deforming, rather than the edge wearing away. A few additional hardness points make a big difference.

Try it. Then come back and say whether it's good or not.
 
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I do not doubt your and Mr.Wilsons experience, and I don't mean to "knock" 420HC but it still doesn't change the composition of the steel.
Bucks special HT or not-why would a superior (by composition) steel not perform better ?

Lets stay with AUS8 -more carbon (0,7/0,8 vs 0,4/0,5) and Mo and V for added toughness.
Takes a very fine edge, is cheap and easy to sharpen. Why would I choose 420HC over it ?

I'd dare say, Buck uses it because its cheap, easily machinable and their (mostly non-knife-nut) customers are happy with what they get. Nothing wrong with that, but
the way I see it, there are better alternatives nowadways, so 420HC doesn't have much going for it. Especially when knives made out of superior steels aren't more expensive.

Just my 0,02€
 
Like I said, "try it before you say it isn't any good."
 
Our ancestors survived the wildness without so called super steel, thats good enough for me. To have a competition we need 10 knives all ground to the same edge, all the steel heat treated to the specs and my bet is there wouldn't be much difference for general nowaday cutting chores. Just my 2 cents.

Regards

Robin
 
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