Are you ok with ''basic'' knives\steel ?

[Quintalito]

I don't plan on buying anything else than saks and opinels in the foreseeable future. They are more than enough for my needs (utility and fun wise, opinel modding is the most fun ever, and you dkn't feel bad if you mess up) and they get sh-sh-sh-sharp

 

[WuGod]

Tonight kershaw chill clipped on my left pocket, bk14 on my belt and opi 8 in a leather slip in my right. I love simple, value type blades. Hardedge squall on the way.
I understand the want for ZTs and Ti and busse and whatever. I just love the value of stuff like becker and ontario more- and how many beckers can I try and break to buy ONE busse?
A lot.

 

[WuGod]

Double

 

[upnorth]

Softer steel for the woods, harder steel for the urban environment. To myself, finding the perfect blend of edge retention versus durability and ease of sharpening is the best part of buying/owning knives. I like trying out "premium" steels, but I truly enjoy good old 10- series carbon, L6, AUS8, 154CM, VG-10, 440C etc.

I think of it like this: There is a reason that Jeff and Mike use 1095 and AUS8 in the ESEE designs, and it isnt cost. That is because they go out into the real world, into the real woods, and realize that you would have a hard time sharpening a premium steel on a Wicked Edge or Edge Pro out in the boonies. They choose working steels that are *just* malleable enough to not be a chore to sharpen, and so do I, based on my own experience.

Thanks for the insight. This appeals directly to my practical side.

 

[upnorth]

And good luck with the classes, school almost killed me (60-90 hr weeks were the norm for my masters), so lets hope it treats you better than it did me . I do need to update my blurb though, as I recently graduated.

I meant to congratulate you on all your hard work, and I forgot to. So now I salute your sacrifices and achievement. :thumbup:

 

[upnorth]

I'm fine with basic knife steels. I'm not fine with crap steels. I have a built in line I won't cross.... 440A is on one side of it, 440C is on the other.

I hear you. :thumbup:

 

[upnorth]

Sitting here at the computer with a Douk-Douk in my pocket. Sitting on my desk is an Opinel in carbon steel and an old Shrade Sharpfinger.

Yea I'm ok with basic knives/steel.

Yes, I'd surely like to stumble across one of the old Sharpfingers one day.

 

[WuGod]

Been looking for one of the old carbon sharpfingers too.

 

[dingy]

plain carbon steels are cool.
i reall like 1055 from cold steel , very tough .

 

[upnorth]

I am.....while I try super steels, I find carbon steels used in Opinal and Case, stainless like AUS-8 and other carbon steels like 10XX series to be great EDC steels. I do like ZDP-189...but I do not need it.

When I read that someone talks about micro chipping in a certain steel and that they need another type because they only cut cardboard, I throw up a little in my mouth.

I find it interesting how I went to higher priced knives initially, then stepped back later and realized the delights of Opinels, Mora's etc. later. Yes I agree. I'm no Luddite when it comes to steel. I have a VG10 Endura that sharpens and slices like a scalpel and I had an original Manix in S30v I believe (which I traded off for my ESEE 4). But there are a lot of really useful plain Jane steel knives out there that work perfectly well. I feel like I lost sight of that, or didn't understand it initially.

 

[RemyKaze]

I find it interesting how I went to higher priced knives initially, then stepped back later and realized the delights of Opinels, Mora's etc. later. Yes I agree. I'm no Luddite when it comes to steel. I have a VG10 Endura that sharpens and slices like a scalpel and I had an original Manix in S30v I believe (which I traded off for my ESEE 4). But there are a lot of really useful plain Jane steel knives out there that work perfectly well. I feel like I lost sight of that, or didn't understand it initially.

For that reason, I'm wanting to get rid of my Gayle Bradley. Never use it. Carried it once, the other day, and it just didn't click. Didn't slice things the way I wanted.

 

[ocnLogan]

I meant to congratulate you on all your hard work, and I forgot to. So now I salute your sacrifices and achievement. :thumbup:

Thank you sir, that's very kind of you. I am far from the first to "survive" college, or even my degree. I probably made it harder on myself than I needed by keeping my job, but that allowed me to make it out without loans .

But I meant what I said though, best of luck with your classes/schooling. Mine helped me get my first real job (one I have now) .

But back on topic. Even though I have a"real" job now, I still can't bring myself to purchase anything truly expensive. I just love the value blades.

I'm thinking I might give the RAT 2 a try. While I love my svord peasants and opinel, I just found that I hate pocket carrying them (I just like clips too much). Anyone ever try mounting a clip on an opinel or a svord?

 

[RemyKaze]

Thank you sir, that's very kind of you. I am far from the first to "survive" college, or even my degree. I probably made it harder on myself than I needed by keeping my job, but that allowed me to make it out without loans .

But I meant what I said though, best of luck with your classes/schooling. Mine helped me get my first real job (one I have now) .

But back on topic. Even though I have a"real" job now, I still can't bring myself to purchase anything truly expensive. I just love the value blades.

I'm thinking I might give the RAT 2 a try. While I love my svord peasants and opinel, I just found that I hate pocket carrying them (I just like clips too much). Anyone ever try mounting a clip on an opinel or a svord?

A clip on either, salvaged from some other knife, would be pretty easy. The Opinel really belongs in a belt or pocket sheath though.

The Rat 2 is super awesome as a slicer, and very lightweight. The Avispa is also a very strong slicer. At this point I've sold a lot of my other folders, and carry an Opi, SAK, the Rat 2 or Avispa, or a Delica 4.

 

[lambertiana]

Although I love my high end steels (really fond of CPM-M4), I have to admit that the knives that I carry and use the most have much simpler steels. Traditionals with 1095, and an opinel with 12C27. Those steels can handle much thinner grinds without problems, and blade geometry is just as important as alloy.

 

[dogstar]

This is what I have with me daily; outside of the kitchen, they take care of 99% of my knife needs:

 

[RemyKaze]

This is what I have with me daily; outside of the kitchen, they take care of 99% of my knife needs:

I seriously need to buy another Svord. I gave mine away in a PIF thread after sanding the coating off and putting a patina on it.

 

[kleonikos]

Hey Guys, This is an interesting thread, so here is my take on this. I have grown up working with my dad on boats and going camping and all. I lost him early so I had to make my way as I was growing up. Now at 32 I am at a point that allows me to pursue the things I like, and what I like is freedom. Being out there, in nature, being free without a care in the world. I even turn my cell phone off. So I bought gear that I always wanted, and a few knifes that just by holding them I feel adventurous, mainly hollow handle knifes one thing led to another and after many dollars, or in my case euros, what i go out with is a 30 dollar 440C stainless trailmaster knockoff, a stainless mora or an opinel 8/10/12 folding knife, a 5 dollar bowsaw with extra blade, and a hatchet or a 2 3/4 pounds axe, or any combination. Some times i trade the mora and trailmaster for Condor Hudson Bay knife and the mora for Condor Bushcraft But that's about it.

I have many knifes but I always come back to these, over and over again. Cheap to get, care free to use, and cheap to replace. The original trailmaster sits in the drawer along with RD9, BK9, RD7, BK7, Ontarios SP 50, and so on. I really don't use them now. Hell My wife comes out with me with a mora bushcraft orange and a bacho folding saw. The next update on my axe and hatchet for double bit versions from condor, but that's about it.

Most used knife in the outdoors processing woods : trailmaster Knockoff for de-limping, mora for carving
Most used knife in general use outdoors : 3 dollar 7 inches kitchen utility knife. Dave Really nailed it with the old jickory

 

[Krissig12]

Softer steel for the woods, harder steel for the urban environment. To myself, finding the perfect blend of edge retention versus durability and ease of sharpening is the best part of buying/owning knives. I like trying out "premium" steels, but I truly enjoy good old 10- series carbon, L6, AUS8, 154CM, VG-10, 440C etc.

I think of it like this: There is a reason that Jeff and Mike use 1095 and AUS8 in the ESEE designs, and it isnt cost. That is because they go out into the real world, into the real woods, and realize that you would have a hard time sharpening a premium steel on a Wicked Edge or Edge Pro out in the boonies. They choose working steels that are *just* malleable enough to not be a chore to sharpen, and so do I, based on my own experience.

Sure, they probably have a reason for using those steels.... But then again, a large part of it is likely due to them being stuck in their ways a little. Based on a couple interviews I read, Jeff almost strikes me as the kind who would use the term "whippersnapper"

Think about it though....wouldn't a 3v ESEE 4 be awesome? The cost would go up, yes, and so would the difficulty sharpening. But in this day and age, not many are going to be effectively sharpening their knives on rocks in survival situations anyway (or have have the ability to do so), and you can get a lansky pocket sharpener with a diamond rod that'll sharpen anything for less than ten bucks..... Just being realistic here.

If I had the foresight to buy a knife as good as the ESEE 4(I did the research and spent 100 bucks on it), I would most likely also have had the intelligence to realize I would need a way to sharpen it in the field, and picked up a lansky before heading out. The type of people who buy ESEE's aren't usually the casual camper or hiker. Around here, those people take Vic tinkers, or sometimes nothing at all. People who buy ESEE's are usually pretty knowledgeable (and semi serious), so it logically follows that they would understand that they needed to have a way to sharpen them.....in which case, they would buy a sharpener...... So I can't really see the logic behind making knives with the whole "sharpen on a rock" thing in mind...

But wait, you say! Not EVERYONE who buys an ESEE actually knows something about knives! Mkay..... So how do you expect them to know how to sharpen their knife on a rock in the woods? You see what I mean?

 

[G. Scott H.]

I have a CRKT NIRK Novo in my pocket right now (SomethingCrSomethingMoV ), and I'm looking at picking up a few more Douk Douks pretty soon, so, yeah, I'm okay with basic knives and steels. :thumbup:

 

[RemyKaze]

Sure, they probably have a reason for using those steels.... But then again, a large part of it is likely due to them being stuck in their ways a little. Based on a couple interviews I read, Jeff almost strikes me as the kind who would use the term "whippersnapper"

Think about it though....wouldn't a 3v ESEE 4 be awesome? The cost would go up, yes, and so would the difficulty sharpening. But in this day and age, not many are going to be effectively sharpening their knives on rocks in survival situations anyway (or have have the ability to do so), and you can get a lansky pocket sharpener with a diamond rod that'll sharpen anything for less than ten bucks..... Just being realistic here.

If I had the foresight to buy a knife as good as the ESEE 4(I did the research and spent 100 bucks on it), I would most likely also have had the intelligence to realize I would need a way to sharpen it in the field, and picked up a lansky before heading out. The type of people who buy ESEE's aren't usually the casual camper or hiker. Around here, those people take Vic tinkers, or sometimes nothing at all. People who buy ESEE's are usually pretty knowledgeable (and semi serious), so it logically follows that they would understand that they needed to have a way to sharpen them.....in which case, they would buy a sharpener...... So I can't really see the logic behind making knives with the whole "sharpen on a rock" thing in mind...

But wait, you say! Not EVERYONE who buys an ESEE actually knows something about knives! Mkay..... So how do you expect them to know how to sharpen their knife on a rock in the woods? You see what I mean?

It isn't that people are going to need to sharpen their knife on a rock, though one never knows when something like that might come up. It is simply ease of sharpening. With steels like 1095 and L6, it is so easy to sharpen it right back up and go. While it is very soothing to work at putting a fine edge on a knife, I don't want to spend half the day working at it. Personally, I'm most comfortable with these middle ground steels because they don't take long to put an edge on, but they perform extremely well. Other people enjoy putting mirror, molecule splitting edges on their knives. To each their own. I get what you're saying, but some people prefer to "sharpen and go". Two different camps, though both make sense in their own way. Guess it just falls under traditionalism.

Again, I'll say that they get out there and use these knives all the time. They seem to believe in putting one's blood, sweat, and tears into a tool to make it one's own. I'd try a Bark River in 3V, but the ESEE knives are perfect for what they are.