Some of the recent posts have given me some food for thought, a dangerous thing when I've had one Evan Williams toddy too many.
Have the modern steels and the progression of the "wonder steel of the month" factor made us jaded as far as expecting too much of our knives?
I've wondered about the modern performance vs the knives our grandads used, and are we better off? I did some cutting today with a variety of knives, some over 40-50 years old, and some of more recent vintage with both carbon and stainless steel.
I had some 1/2 inch hemp rope from Lowes left over from some other cutting tests and I took grandads old Hen and Rooster, Uncle Pat's old Imperial cigar jack, an original Russells barlow from the the turn of the century, (the 1900 one, not the most recent) a pre WW2 Bruckman, a modern 1967 Buck stockman, an Opinel, a Victorinox tinker, a bone stag true sharp peanut, and my small Case yellow CV. All the knives had pretty much the same blade blade length, but to make it totally even, I measured 2 inches back from the tip and duct taped the rest of the blade off.
I wrapped the hemp in one turn of masking tape to prevent shredding and sliced away. The results were surprising.
I did 10 cuts with each knife, making one neat slice through the hemp on a wood cutting board. After each 10 cuts I would examine each edge under an illuminated 10X Bauch & Lomb magnifier for those tell tale shiney spots, and then try to slice newspaper. All the knives were hair poping sharp to start.
Like my other tests, no differences could be seen at 50 cuts. A couple of the blades had a few shiney flat spots developing, but all would still cut newsprint cleanly. I kept slicing. I had strong moral support from my grandchildren, Ryan and Christy. My wife and daughter were of the opinion that the old man had finally lost his mind.
At 75 cuts some differences were starting to become apparant. Some were a surprise. Two of the knives would not cleanly slice newspaper unless great care was used. The Imperial cigar jack from the 1930's was starting to pull as was the bone stag true sharp Case.
Between 75 and 100 cuts the differences were clear. The old Imperial and case stainless peanut was suffering more than the others. At 100 cuts the Victorinox, and the true sharp peanut, and the old Imperial cigar would not cut newsprint at all. They lost that kind of edge by about 80 cuts and went downhill from there. The Russells would slice, but it pulled alot and would tear if not VERY carefull. Under the magnifier these knives had alot of shiney flat spots on the edge. Also by 100 cuts the Case CV soddie and the Hen and Rooster would not slice the newspaper anymore, but would still go through the hemp on one pull but was starting to leave a few threads attached. At 100 cuts the Russells and the Imperial, and the Case true sharp and the Vic tinker would not go through the hemp on one cut. They had gotten too dull.
But at 100 cuts, the old Bruckman, the Opinel, and the 1967 Buck stockman were still able to cut through the rope on one cut, and slice newspaper with a little bit of tearing. Of the three, the Opinel was still the sharpest.
I have absolutly no idea what his means exept that for 7.95 we can buy a knife today that will outcut most of the high dollar knives of yesteryear. I don't know what steel they used on those old Bruckmans, but they held an edge like the devils scalple. It was the only knife that stayed with the cheap little opy all the way to the end. The modern stainless Buck stockman also made it to the 100 cut mark in decent shape.
How much better would some of the wonder steels do? I don't know. But if those old knives were good enough for our grandads who probably used a knife more than us modern gents, then is it going to make a difference in every day life? Is ATS-34, or BG-42, or sandvik whatever, going to give us better service than regular old 1095 or CV, or even whatever stainless Buck is using on their knives.
Its past my bedtime and I've held to the old saying they had in the British army in India-never touch liquor before sundown, but never go to bed quite sober.
I'll ponder the results of this tomarow with a more sober mind.
Good night gentlemen.
Have the modern steels and the progression of the "wonder steel of the month" factor made us jaded as far as expecting too much of our knives?
I've wondered about the modern performance vs the knives our grandads used, and are we better off? I did some cutting today with a variety of knives, some over 40-50 years old, and some of more recent vintage with both carbon and stainless steel.
I had some 1/2 inch hemp rope from Lowes left over from some other cutting tests and I took grandads old Hen and Rooster, Uncle Pat's old Imperial cigar jack, an original Russells barlow from the the turn of the century, (the 1900 one, not the most recent) a pre WW2 Bruckman, a modern 1967 Buck stockman, an Opinel, a Victorinox tinker, a bone stag true sharp peanut, and my small Case yellow CV. All the knives had pretty much the same blade blade length, but to make it totally even, I measured 2 inches back from the tip and duct taped the rest of the blade off.
I wrapped the hemp in one turn of masking tape to prevent shredding and sliced away. The results were surprising.
I did 10 cuts with each knife, making one neat slice through the hemp on a wood cutting board. After each 10 cuts I would examine each edge under an illuminated 10X Bauch & Lomb magnifier for those tell tale shiney spots, and then try to slice newspaper. All the knives were hair poping sharp to start.
Like my other tests, no differences could be seen at 50 cuts. A couple of the blades had a few shiney flat spots developing, but all would still cut newsprint cleanly. I kept slicing. I had strong moral support from my grandchildren, Ryan and Christy. My wife and daughter were of the opinion that the old man had finally lost his mind.
At 75 cuts some differences were starting to become apparant. Some were a surprise. Two of the knives would not cleanly slice newspaper unless great care was used. The Imperial cigar jack from the 1930's was starting to pull as was the bone stag true sharp Case.
Between 75 and 100 cuts the differences were clear. The old Imperial and case stainless peanut was suffering more than the others. At 100 cuts the Victorinox, and the true sharp peanut, and the old Imperial cigar would not cut newsprint at all. They lost that kind of edge by about 80 cuts and went downhill from there. The Russells would slice, but it pulled alot and would tear if not VERY carefull. Under the magnifier these knives had alot of shiney flat spots on the edge. Also by 100 cuts the Case CV soddie and the Hen and Rooster would not slice the newspaper anymore, but would still go through the hemp on one pull but was starting to leave a few threads attached. At 100 cuts the Russells and the Imperial, and the Case true sharp and the Vic tinker would not go through the hemp on one cut. They had gotten too dull.
But at 100 cuts, the old Bruckman, the Opinel, and the 1967 Buck stockman were still able to cut through the rope on one cut, and slice newspaper with a little bit of tearing. Of the three, the Opinel was still the sharpest.
I have absolutly no idea what his means exept that for 7.95 we can buy a knife today that will outcut most of the high dollar knives of yesteryear. I don't know what steel they used on those old Bruckmans, but they held an edge like the devils scalple. It was the only knife that stayed with the cheap little opy all the way to the end. The modern stainless Buck stockman also made it to the 100 cut mark in decent shape.
How much better would some of the wonder steels do? I don't know. But if those old knives were good enough for our grandads who probably used a knife more than us modern gents, then is it going to make a difference in every day life? Is ATS-34, or BG-42, or sandvik whatever, going to give us better service than regular old 1095 or CV, or even whatever stainless Buck is using on their knives.
Its past my bedtime and I've held to the old saying they had in the British army in India-never touch liquor before sundown, but never go to bed quite sober.
I'll ponder the results of this tomarow with a more sober mind.
Good night gentlemen.
It's the wee hours here.
