Are people influenced too easily when it comes to knife steel?

I never did answer the OPs questions.

Yes, people are too easily influenced when it comes to knife steels.

I don't know how much social media is too blame. As a 51 year old male, I have never been on Myspace, FB, instagram, twitter, etc. My goal is to be the last person on the planet on social media. So far, so good.

My wife, dog, family, and friends now how to contact me. Good enough for me.
 
This question is like asking why you buy BMW instead of keep using Ford as both will get you to the same point.

Using different steels (I have many) is part of the fun and yes, it is expensive. But buying a second (third and fourth and so on) similar knife whilst the first one would do the job equally well is also the part of the fun and expensive. Yet, almost nobody asks why we buy multiple knives (not surprisingly if one is asking that question, he probably would not be in this form) but this question pops everyone in a while. Yes, the cheaper non-PM steels would work OK considering they have been heat-treated correctly and the knife has the right geometry (these requirements go for PM steels as well), but remember if people were satisfied with stones and bronze knives, we would not have steel knives let alone being able to talk about 1095. So, curious people and those who are ready to finance this curiosity are required for advancements. Who knows perhaps you would like where these advancements would lead and you will get convinced that there are better things than 1095.
 
Different people focus on blade steel for different reasons.

Some are truly interested in the molecular structures and varying performances of different steels (they sometimes refer to themselves as "steel nerds", or "knife nerds"). That's one of the ways that they enjoy knives, and there is certainly nothing wrong that.

Then there are people who desire specific characteristics of their blade steels. Things like corrosion resistance and edge retention, and they buy higher-end steels for those purposes. And there's nothing wrong with that.

There are "posers", people who collect a little bit of information about a particular subject in order to make themselves sound like experts. And an "expert" just isn't being an "expert" unless they're telling other people what they should and shouldn't buy, and what will or won't serve a person well as a knife steel. There are no shortage of such people, and they often seek an audience on the internet, and specifically Youtube.

And then there are "steel snobs", people who believe that only the newest, most expensive steels are worth owning or using, and anything less is garbage.

But "steel snobbery" goes both ways. Just as there are people who look down on older, less expensive steels, and would insult the intelligence of people who buy/use/like them, there are also people who think any new steels aren't worth owning, and that anyone who buys them is just a fool wasting their money. I don't share either of those positions.

I say, to each their own. Buy what you like, use what you like, and ignore anyone who tells you different. That's what I do.
 
murat1983 said:
This question is like asking why you buy BMW instead of keep using Ford as both will get you to the same point.
Click to expand...

I agree that all "functioning" motor vehicles will get you from Point A to Point B but the driving "experience" in each vehicle is distinctly different.

I enjoy owning/driving cars of all makes/models and I don't discriminate.

I've currently got a Ford F250, BMW 335i, Toyota MR2 and a MB ML350 in my stable. I recently sold a Chevy Corvette and a 911 Porsche and have owned/sold close to (if not more than) 100 cars/trucks/motorcycles in my lifetime. I'm 71 and have been "driving" since I was 15 1/2.

None of the vehicles that I have owned in the past or still own provide the same driving "experience." So, saying that driving a BMW is the "same" as driving a "Ford" is kinda missing the point.

------------------------------------

As far as blade steel is concerned, I like to collect knives made w/M390 steel -- just "because" -- but I really don't give a sh*t if one steel is considered "better" than the other or not, because the only knives that I use are plain carbon steel, some cheap a$$ knife made of S/S of unknown origin or just a common box cutter/utility knife.

The knives in my "collection" (as opposed to those I use) are made w/blades with all kinds of steels ranging from the cheapest to the most expensive but that doesn't matter because I don't USE any of my knives in my collection to do anything more than open a letter or cut ting off a piece of string.

LOL! ;)

-------------------------------

OBTW, I once had a MySpace account (remember them) and had a FB account until someone "reported me" because I was using an alias and they wouldn't let me open another account until I used my REAL NAME.

So, I don't have a FB or any other social media account other than Twitter (at least until Musk let's Trump have an acct again -- sorry for the political msg but it's true) because I dont't give a sh*t what anyone else thinks as far as what I buy and how I accord myself in life.

I'm not religious but I live by the "Golden Rule" and that has served me well the 71 years I've been on Earth so far.
 
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sgt1372 said:
I agree that all "functioning" motor vehicles will get you from Point A to Point B but the driving "experience" in each vehicle is distinctly different.

I enjoy owning/driving cars of all makes/models and I don't discriminate.

I've currently got a Ford F250, BMW 335i, Toyota MR2 and a MB ML350 in my stable. I recently sold a Chevy Corvette and a 911 Porsche and have owned/sold close to (if not more than) 100 cars/trucks/motorcycles in my lifetime. I'm 71 and have been "driving" since I was 15 1/2.

None of the vehicles that I have owned in the past or still own provide the same driving "experience." So, saying that driving a BMW is the "same" as driving a "Ford" is kinda missing the point.

------------------------------------

As far as blade steel is concerned, I like to collect knives made w/M390 steel -- just "because" -- but I really don't give a sh*t if one steel is considered "better" than the other or not, because the only knives that I use are plain carbon steel, some cheap a$$ knife made of S/S of unknown origin or just a common box cutter/utility knife.

The knives in my "collection" (as opposed to those I use) are made w/blades with all kinds of steels ranging from the cheapest to the most expensive but that doesn't matter because I don't USE any of my knives in my collection to do anything more than open a letter or cut off a piece of string.

LOL! ;)

-------------------------------

OBTW, I once had a MySpace account (remember them) and had a FB account until someone "reported me" because I was using an alias and they wouldn't let me open another account until I used my REAL NAME.

So, I don't have a FB or any other social media account (other than Twitter -- at least until Musk let's Trump have an acct again (sorry for the political msg but it's true) because I dont't give a sh*t what anyone else thinks as far as what I buy and how I accord myself in life.

I'm not religious but I live by the "Golden Rule" and that has served me well the 71 years I've been on Earth so far.
Click to expand...
Dang! A lot of FOG's in on this one!
Can I like this twice?
 
I guess I will be the rebellious FOG here, in that being a long time photographer, I enjoy my IG account and do not have a problem with people using Facebook, IG or YouTube. Sure there is a lot of BS on social media but there is also good information that can be helpful in researching what one is looking for. Just like these forums one has to be discerning in accepting the info that is posted, there is BS and bias in a lot of things. This has been the same on all the car forums, the jeep forums, the kitchen knife forums, guitar forums and especially in the photo forums. When it comes to the op's question, I would also look at it from the knife makers marketing side, I think in order to sell to one group or another they may choose a knife steel that may not be the best for one use or another in order to sell to that customer who is only looking for "that steel"
 
I’m one of those guys who understands the novelty of crazy steels. I appreciate something that I’ll really never see the full potential of or test with my own senses.

It’s just a novelty for me. I completely agree with you; there’s absolutely nothing wrong with steels like 1095, 15N20, etc, etc.

However, I don’t see it as fixing something that isn’t broke, because people get enjoyment and novelty out of it, so it’s worth it to some.

The trick is understanding what you’re getting and why, and going from there. 😉
 
I like revolvers, lever guns, and single shot shotguns.
I like chisels, bench planes and draw knives.
I also like simple knives in 1095.

All of these things were at one point the latest-and-greatest and since have been outpaced by newer, more sophisticated technology. Doesn’t change the fact they are useful and pretty damn cool.

Keep doing your thing, OP.
 
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