Chronovore
Gold Member
- Joined
- Aug 29, 2019
- Messages
- 9,763
I've had a few fancy knives but for most of my life, I've carried blades that cost less than $50. I take care of them. I've been very happy to find some good ones over the years. Having something that works well but is easily replaceable can be a beautiful thing.
Quality in this range has been trending up for a while now. Even down around $20, it's getting easier to find a nice manual action on caged bearings. We're also seeing some better budget steels creeping into this corner of the market. D2 has been exploding in popularity down here. Say what you will about lesser heat treat (etc.) but in general, who wouldn't take the "Chinese D2" over 8Cr13Mov? We've also seen some better stainless steels like 12C27 and 14C28N being used by Chinese manufacturers. Two that have really caught my interest have been 9Cr18Mov and Acuto 440.
I'd previously tried 9Cr18Mov in a few cheap knives and it didn't really stand out. Then I tried Civivi. I've had a Naja for about six months. I suppose this is a testament to blade geometry and a good heat treatment but it's been at least as good as any 14C28N I've had from Kershaw. I'd love to hear from other people who've used decent budget knives in 9Cr18Mov. What have been your experiences with this steel?
I'd never heard of Acuto 440 until the Tangrams came out last year. I picked up an Amarillo and I was impressed with the overall quality. It slices beautifully but for the size and style, it just doesn't get much carry time. I've seen people compare it to VG-10. Could it be true? Tangram fans, how has this steel performed for you?
Quality in this range has been trending up for a while now. Even down around $20, it's getting easier to find a nice manual action on caged bearings. We're also seeing some better budget steels creeping into this corner of the market. D2 has been exploding in popularity down here. Say what you will about lesser heat treat (etc.) but in general, who wouldn't take the "Chinese D2" over 8Cr13Mov? We've also seen some better stainless steels like 12C27 and 14C28N being used by Chinese manufacturers. Two that have really caught my interest have been 9Cr18Mov and Acuto 440.
I'd previously tried 9Cr18Mov in a few cheap knives and it didn't really stand out. Then I tried Civivi. I've had a Naja for about six months. I suppose this is a testament to blade geometry and a good heat treatment but it's been at least as good as any 14C28N I've had from Kershaw. I'd love to hear from other people who've used decent budget knives in 9Cr18Mov. What have been your experiences with this steel?
I'd never heard of Acuto 440 until the Tangrams came out last year. I picked up an Amarillo and I was impressed with the overall quality. It slices beautifully but for the size and style, it just doesn't get much carry time. I've seen people compare it to VG-10. Could it be true? Tangram fans, how has this steel performed for you?