Am I the only Carbon fancier left?

R

Recurve 7

Joined
Mar 19, 2014
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Greetings everyone,
Although I am new to this forum I have carried and used knives since I was a young lad. I use to carry a knife every day to high school back in the 70's, now that's experience you can't find now! Lol
Seriously though, having been an avid hunter most of my life the knife is a piece of equipment that is indispensable. Now I have a few pretty good knives, two custom made by a very reputable maker most of you know, utilizing s30v steel. And a box full of premium production knives made with 154, ats34 and 440c. They are all very good knives.
However, when it comes to using them in the field I don't think they are in the same league with an old vintage carbon steel. My 3 favorites are: Marbles ideal ( gladstone ), Kinfolks and a Schrade 152 sharpfinger. They will take an edge with my crock stick that is lethal, hold it about as good as any the steels mentioned above, and, it takes only a few strokes to get it back!
RUST some say... Never been an issue for me as all these knives have a well deserved natural patina that's been a good protectant with only reasonable care.
Now maybe I'm way off track, don't know how to sharpen these " super steel " or I'm so traditional I don't like any thing new or different. Whatever the case may be I will continue to carry my carbon!
Thanks for reading,
Mike
 
Many people prefer carbon steel, whether it be a tool steel like A2 or M4, or classic 1095. I can't imagine CPM-M4 with a good heat treat being outperformed in the field by "vintage carbon steel" as you call it.

Ease of sharpening is important, but you'll be sharpening less with steels like M390, so it's really personal preference I guess.
 
D2 and M4 are by far my two favorites. If every knife purchased came in CPM-M4 from now on I wouldn't miss variety or stainless one bit.
 
I love carbon blades. I love Opinels for one and buy all of mine in their carbon configurations (although they offer SS too).
 
Absolutely not. Beckers use 1095cv, and there is a thriving subforum here. That's just one example. Look to fixed blades and traditional knives.
 
dynamicmoves said:
Absolutely not. Beckers use 1095cv, and there is a thriving subforum here. That's just one example. Look to fixed blades and traditional knives.
Click to expand...

OP, you are by no means alone. You'll have fun in the traditional section.
 
You will find your fellow carbon steel appreciators hanging around in the Traditional sub forum. You are certainly not alone.
 
I love carbon steel. Any carbon steel, especially tool steels. A2 is one of my absolute favorites. I very much prefer it to any stainless.
 
I too have found that 1095 is my absolute favorite! I keep a GEC slipjoint with me at all times.
 
I love 1095, D2, CPM-M4. The only stainless I've really taken to is CTS-XHP and ZDP-189. S30v can suction my quivering member.
 
I love carbon as well. I'm a newbie here, but in my work, it's all about double hollow ground carbon steel (I'm a professional woodwind player, make all my own reeds, very fine and exact work). I also live in a very dry climate, so rust is a minimal concern, which is nice.
 
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