Are all 440c's, AUS's the same?

A

astrodocsteve

Joined
Oct 28, 2005
Messages
3
Hey all,

First time posting, have been reading these forums for awhile. I got a new Spydie Native in CPM S30V for Christmas :D. Now, I know the steel is made by Crucible here in the good ol' USA. I was wondering who makes the 440c, AUS, etc. used by domestic makers in their USA made knives versus their overseas knives. I want to say that not all steels are the same, but that's based on me buying some cheapo sockets/wrenches/screwdrivers made overseas which broke easily. Never had a Snap-On break or ever come close. I was looking at a BM Mini-Pika for a beater/tackle box/loaner knife, but I'm not sure if the 440c would be as good as something in the same price, but possibly cast/forged in the USA, such as a Buck 110. The last thing I want is for the steel to snap and me wishing I had bought a knife forged in the US of A.
 
AstroDoc -

Nope, not all the same. My old 440-C stockman blade is more stain resistant than your new s30v, by the way.

Here is good link that talks about most of the current knife steels with some good technical info.

http://www.ajh-knives.com/metals.html

Even knives with identical steel are different. It depends on shape, grind, heat treatment, lock, etc. Steelheads love to argue the merits of various steel though.

Here is some great advice and info from our resident wizard Mr. Joe Talmadge.

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=368828
 
just clarification, no quality production folders are cast or forged (maybe with sole exception of David Boye casting of dendritic steel who doesnt apper to be making knives any more ), they are laser cut to shape or near shape, then ground and sharpened. Many custom makers forge but I don't blieve any production houses forge blades for their folders.
Also S30V is excellent balanced stainless but contrary to popular belief that doesn't mean it is superior to those other steels xxxC and aus-x in all respects, in fact for your stated concern of "snapping" all or mostly all of those steels are tougher and less likely to "snap " then s30v ( assuming good heat treat by good co. liek say Spyderco). They are also more "stainless ". S30V will give much better edge holding and edge strengthe in low and medium intensive cutting over all of them and give equal or better toughness then its widely used predecessor ATS 34, so yes it is excellent steel- but it is not "magically superior " in all respectes .
also others will point this out better but "quality" Vs. "crap" difference is not so simple today (if ever it was ) to say "USA " Vs. "any other country"- many quality knives always produced overseas ( think SAK, scandi knives and many Japanese houses just among production co's), also USA not immune to producing "crap"
 
i think they steelcompanies buys steel from lots of places for example ive heard L6 is bought from who is currently making it, it could be the same for lots of steel or alloys in general. if they can save a buck here or there, they will. personally i dont think i would notice if the knife was made from aus8, ats34, 440c or s30v unless i was abusing.. but thats just me. the bladeshape and how thin the blade is is far far more important than the steel (not to mention the heat treat). my next knife will be something inexpensive in aus8 a real user, i will even abuse it a little:D just for fun
 
Thanks for the info. I need a new 'beater' knife for fishing to open cans of corn, as I always seem to forget the can opener. I would never use my Spydie for this task unless the corn started attacking me or something. I used to use one of those steak knives you get from the grocery store for $1.99, but I lost that one overboard last time and I had to open a can with a pair of needle nose pliers. So, I figured I'd get something a little more practical that folds. I tried a SAK once, but then I sliced open my finger on the new "can lid" that looked like a saw blade. BTW, I'm not trying to knock foreign steels, as my fav knife till now was an old Swedish EKA with wood handles. Nothing can come close to the grip on that one! But I am a little leary about some of the $2 knives at the discount store that might break trying to punch a hole in Mr. Green Giant....
 
Marbles and Kopromed are the only companies I know of who forge their blades. They're drop-forged into a mold, which takes a lot of the grind finishing out, but is still a very fine way to shape blades.
 
warden41272 said:
Marbles and Kopromed are the only companies I know of who forge their blades. They're drop-forged into a mold, which takes a lot of the grind finishing out, but is still a very fine way to shape blades.
Click to expand...

I was unaware that Marbles blades are forged???
 
astrodocsteve said:
Thanks for the info. I need a new 'beater' knife for fishing to open cans of corn, as I always seem to forget the can opener.
Click to expand...

Attach a P38 can opener to your key ring. In fact keep one everywhere - they're cheap and effective.

Carl Schlieper / Eye Brand claims hammer forged... I don't know. It seems more likely that it would be a trademark.
 
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