The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is available! Price is $250 ea (shipped within CONUS).
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Haven't used my Magnacut blades on game (Buck Custom Shop 110, Bradford Guardian 3.0), but I find it very easy to sharpen on diamond hones, easier than VG-10 and S30V. It will be interesting to hear some comments by more hunters who have used Magnacut blades in the field.
I brought a roselli UHC to the beach once, while not O1 tool steel i literally saw rust appear before my eyes it was a crazy learning experience. I will stick with AEB-L every day that ends in Y
This is a family friendly community sir.
I find 12C27 scratches easily. At least on the examples produced by brisa/enzoVery comparable. Don’t know the exact composition differences, but I believe we would be splitting hairs
This is a total guess, but I wouldnt be suprised if were softer than optimally possible being that they are mass produced
It was the hunting picture, I was mostly kidding. Boker is still selling expensive blades made in 440c the vollintegrel (sp?)
Ah, then I shouldn't post pics of my O1 Trail Master dispatching a different pig (visible here: https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/trailmaster-3v-tip.2042290/post-23135394 ).
I believe it's the hunting picture.
Few days ago I tested 2003 Benchmade 440C against more recent Benchmade S30V.
440c is still a good steel, even though a lot of companies have moved on from it and its understandable, partially as you need to have a really good heat treatment of 440c in order for it to be a decent knife
This ^^^I think what makes AEB-L so popular is its balance. Edge holding is not the end all that some think it is. I've related this story many times in these pages but probably yet again won't hurt. I've done enough shows and talked to enough potential customers that I can tell if a guy looking at my knives in my booth is coming at them as a cowboy or as a hunter. First thing a hunter asks is "How well does it hold an edge?" First thing a cowboy, buckaroo, rancher etc asks if "How easy is it to resharpen." Coming from that background myself I can tell ya if you've got a 150 calves to do by lunch time it doesn't matter what your knife is made of its gonna be needing a touch up or resharpening. AEB-L really fits the bill for both. Sure there are steels that hold an edge better but can ya touch them up by stropping on your chaps, or the top of the truck window or the bottom of that old coffeee mug? AEB-L shines here.
Recently worked in a collaboration with two extremely experienced and successful professional elk guides Together we designed a new model for me that I call The Elk Guide. Add a little here, take off a lil there, that kinda deal. Both said the most important thing is being able to "steel" the knife partway through an animal and keep on going. As one put it:" I'm on some sidehill with a big bull we have down, it's getting dark, starting to snow and I'm part way through. I want to be able to steel that blade and be back in business now."
AEB-L just works. I have made many, many many, knives in AEB-L. If it wasn't working I'd of heard about it by now. Everything from kitchen knives to leather crafting roundknives and everything in between! Heck have another hundred plus I'm getting ready to send off to HT, (62-63 RC), It works.
Boars are kinda like bears and moose. Like cutting through mud soaked sandpaper that's been allowed to dry. First blood for the new Elk Guide:
These two are literally on an elk hunt right now.
Others, a couple of Cowboys:
My roundknife is one tool that is never put away. I have two that live on my leather bench one on each side. I literally use these guys for hours at a time.
On leather it's not so much when they start to drag but when they start to slip. Literally a couple seconds on a buffer and back past hair splitting. They see a belt or stone maybe every 6 months or so. Probably not even that often. See that maroon colored cutting board? I have to use that under my roundknives as they are too sharp and will get stuck in the roller mat designed for razorblades.
Cutting out welts:
AEB-L just works:
As others mentioned great in the kitchen too. Recent set of steak knives made for one of the guides to give his parents as a Christmas gift:
