5160......Tell me about it

C

clockman

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Jan 14, 2009
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I just bought a cool small fb that I plan to use for edc sometimes. The steel is 5160. I know a little about 5160 but not much.

Can someone who knows about 5160 tell what I can expect from it as far as edge retention , sharpening, toughness, and all the other things

we look for in a steel. What other carbon steel/steels does it compare to.
 
Not all knives made from 5160 are made the same. My two Ontario, the RD's, are bad examples of 5160. On the other hand, my Bruce Culberson Bolok is top notch, very strong, tough, and holds it's edge. I've spent several hours chopping hardwoods, my yard, and backpacking. It came shaving sharp, I've used it hard, not one chip, no rolling, and all I've done is strop it. It still shaves, cuts through very thin catalog paper, newspaper, etc.

What knife did you get? Like I said, great steel, when the HT is done well. It's great for choppers, swords, and hard use.
 
that's funny because I used my Ontario RD7 to completely dismantle (hack into small pieces for trash pickup) my old wooden bathroom vanity and I had no edge rolling, chipping or any clear signs of damage. It just wouldn't shave any more. My experience so far with 516o has been positive.
 
crom said:
that's funny because I used my Ontario RD7 to completely dismantle (hack into small pieces for trash pickup) my old wooden bathroom vanity and I had no edge rolling, chipping or any clear signs of damage. It just wouldn't shave any more. My experience so far with 516o has been positive.
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My RD 4 and my Afghan are pretty good, no rollin or chipping either. They just don't come near the edge retention I get from my custom made, forged Bolok. I'm not a knife maker, never heat treated anything, but there are clear differences in the quality of the HT process. Maybe Ontario made theirs softer on purpose, I don't know, I'm just suggesting to the OP, that the HT is just as important as the steel itself.
I love 5160, don't get me wrong, but Ontario is just one example of it's potential.
 
5160 excells at moderate levels, not to be confused with mediocrity. It makes a great chopper blade with adequite edge retention. For severe use there are better steels, for edge retention there are better steels. It forges nicely and HT easily. I would be asking who made the knife (or who heat treated it) before I cared about the steel choice.


-Xander
 
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