A'nuther S30V Question (or Two)

Jerry Hossom said:
Do you know why companies make blades in AUS8?

Because they are not being made in the United States or Europe... ;)
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This statement is quite true. Sometimes you gotta go with what you can get.

Given the choice, I am unsure if any manufacturer would use any grade of AUS as a primary blade steel. Great odds they wouldn't.
 
Ramm9 said:
If money was no object what other brands would you pick and for what use would you pick them?
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I like Benchmade a great deal and would list it as my favorite, and the axis locks are my favorite locking system. I also like Buck and Kershaw. Having heard so much about the Sebenzas, I'd pick up a large. As far as steels go, I've heard enough to go with S30V. For use, I mostly cut cardboard, hard plastics, nautical rope and strip wires. I also like knives I can use for defense in a last resort. Oh, and I like serrated blades for lopping off small tree branches (large twigs) and thorny vines.

One reason I do like Cold Steel for is its largish blades. The Vaquero and the Voyager 6-inchers I carry frequently.

I also very much like Damascus blades, mostly for beauty, but it would be nice if they were quality productions.
 
Confederate, some reasonable choices for the use but I think money is still being an object.

Aside from Reeve what about Randall, Dozier, Busse, or Bark River, Fallkniven, and any number of exclusive custom makers? If I could purchase a Strider product or a Cold Steel product for $29.95 I know what my choice would be.

I agree Damascus has outstanding beauty but if it is not top quality, what is the point?
 
I agree Damascus has outstanding beauty but if it is not top quality, what is the point?
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There are definitely high performance damascus steels available. Those produced by Larrin and his Father Devin are well known as an example. You get what you pay for in most cases. Joe
 
Jerry Hossom said, "Bruce, I was responding to your implication that S30V doesn't deliver better performance than BG-42, based on your personal experience of having owned both. I gather owning and using aren't the same in this case, and the suggestion that S30V may not have delivered is somewhat speculative. My frustration was/is directed at that type of post as being what has misled people here on the serviceability of S30V....

...S30V has substantially better wear resistance than BG-42, and is somewhat tougher. The former is based on my own personal experience, plus feedback from customers who have uniformly been amazed with how well it holds an edge. The latter is based on tests by this knifemaker who has used both steels in similar knives with virtually identical edges, and beaten the hell out of both."

I'm sorry about your frustration, I didn't mean to add to it. Perhaps you are somewhat overly sensitive when it comes to S30V and look too hard for implications. All my posts were written to seek information and you came very close to giving me some in your second paragraph above. Since imparting this information causes you concern, I will, and have sought it elsewhere and have satisfied my need. Kind regards.
 
Serrations that break off an AUS8 blade is maybe not the strongest endorsement for toughness of the steel.

On the other hand, you got one knifemaker who disagrees with your assessment of AUS8 toughness and another who doesn't like AUS series steels at all.

Meanwhile, you have yet again twisted my words implying I have said something that I have not. That's twice in this thread and with what you did with Jerry Hossom that makes 3. You're outa there. This old materials engineer is no longer interested in responding to your twisting responses. I think you have a great future writing for the National Enquirer. I need not say more as Cougar already said it better in post 39 of this thread.

I have added you to my ignore list. Add me to yours and we're done here.
 
knarfeng said:
Serrations that break off an AUS8 blade is maybe not the strongest endorsement for toughness of the steel.
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Actually, it's not the greatest endorsements for the serrations. People also cut things they shouldn't be cutting with those types of patterns.

On the other hand, you got one knifemaker who disagrees with your assessment of AUS8 toughness and another who doesn't like AUS series steels at all.
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And you've got dozens of knives made for tough duty made out of the stuff, and the makers choose it because it combines toughness with other qualities. A.G. Russell's website notes: "AUS-8 is a tough steel with excellent corrosion resistance." And a review of the CRKT Lightfoot M1 states: "AUS8 is a well tried, tough stainless steel. Very popular with knife manufacturing companies (although it is not the latest in steel research...). It is Japanese made, very similar to the 440C stainless steel, but it surpasses that a touch in quality. Takes and holds an edge well and has good rust and stain resistance." And finally, a review of Cold Steel's San Mai III states: "An expensive, traditional style Japanese laminate. ... This laminate is 25% stronger than the incredibly tough AUS 8A stainless."

Cold Steel for years made its large blades out of AUS8, and recently they began making their Recon Tanto out of AUS8. Are we now to assume on the word of just one knife guy that there is no basis for calling the steel "tough"?

Meanwhile, you have yet again twisted my words implying I have said something that I have not. That's twice in this thread and with what you did with Jerry Hossom that makes 3. You're outa there. This old materials engineer is no longer interested in responding to your twisting responses.
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Ah, not this time, my friend. I admit in my haste I twisted the words of Jerry Hossom, and for that I duly apologized and even publicly admitted idiocy, for which no man can be held responsible, but not now. You're free, of course, to stick your engineering materials experience under my nose, if you wish. As for writing for the National Enquirer, what can I say? I never read it. But anyone can make accusations, then cover their eyes and ears to ensure they get in the last word.

I have added you to my ignore list. Add me to yours and we're done here.
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You may add me to your "Ignore" list as you choose. I wouldn't dream of adding you to mine. Even crotchety old materials engineers may say something useful every now and then. It's one thing to make swords; it's another thing to fall on them, especially over things that really don't ultimately make a difference.

———————————
"He who is offended when no offense was intended is a fool.
And he who is offended when offense was intended also is generally
a fool." --Brigham Young
 
neeman said:
A broad statement...
Why not to use any AUS?
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Sometimes it's all about perception neeman. If a manufacturer is looking at performance and price is not an issue, obviously AUS steels are not even a consideration. If given a choice, PM steels or true exotics from Japan will take the lead every time. Custom makers...well they (AUS steels) are not even on their radar.

In volume, AUS steels are under valued, but the reputation is such that there are other steels that would be a more obvious choice. This is not to say the performance would be better, but again a steels status plays a huge part in the big picture. AUS steels fair or not, kinda falls in the "what's that?" class when talking volume (at least here in the US).

This is just my opinion though, I may be wrong.
 
I don't know about you guys, but I don't even know where I could buy AUS steels.
 
Thomas W said:
This is just my opinion though, I may be wrong.
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Not wrong. There is no right or wrong, really, only opinion.

In the early 1900s, even AUS8 would be a super steel. Despite the aversions of custom knife makers, thousands of cops use AUS8 knives every day. I know one who carries a camo Smith & Wesson and doesn't complain. It all depends on where the consumer draws the line. Some cops only want their knives to look intimidating and they don't care that they have to resharpen them often. I gave a soldier a CRKT Desert Cruiser and he used it all through his deployment and was thrilled with it. I have a CRKT M16-14SF and I love it. Does everything I need. I have a Benchmade that's clearly better; I just don't like it as much.

If I were a hunter, or if I just didn't like sharpening my blade, I'd spend the $$$ and get a finely honed S30V. But the only large blade folder I know of is made by Kershaw. If I want a 5-inch folder with an S30V blade and an axis lock, where can I get one? I don't know of any production knife.

Also, it makes custom knife makers mad, but I've never had a knife that was so dull it wouldn't cut what I needed cutting. Sure, I give it a swack or two on a ceramic sharpener every few days, and in a pinch I could find a large smooth stone and give my blade a pass or two. And I have about a dozen pocket sharpeners of various types which I've never needed.

Being into firearms, I'm a lot more persnickety about them. They've got to work precisely and they have to be well in specs. Not so much with a knife. Even a cheap, crappy, full tang fixed blade knife isn't useless by any means. It may be junk, but in the right circumstances it can be worth its weight in gold. If this is idiocy, then so be it. But before I'd throw it away, I'd put it in my car trunk and who knows? I may use it to chip ice off the car or around the tire to get traction. Or even a means of defense.
 
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