ATS-34 AFCK vs. AFCKII

[Charlie Mike]

I will be recieving a BM 800SBT NIB in a trade, and was wondering if the older AFCK's are any better than the new model. With an exception to blade steel, is the older AFCK any stronger? I have read posts where forumites have carried theirs for 5+ years and it is still good. Share your AFCK experience with me.

 

[32055]

I don't know if the old ones were any stronger, but they have the Spydie hole and that is what first drew me to them. The AFCKs are my favorite BMs, and the 812 is one of my favorite production knives by any maker.

 

[pst pjc]

I don't care too much for the new oval hole. My thumb gets caught in it rather than turning or "swiveling" in the hole. That's the only difference I know of.

 

[Walt2]

Originally posted by solid_soldier
I will be recieving a BM 800SBT NIB in a trade, and was wondering if the older AFCK's are any better than the new model. With an exception to blade steel, is the older AFCK any stronger? I have read posts where forumites have carried theirs for 5+ years and it is still good. Share your AFCK experience with me.

I prefer the oval hole, to the old style, my thumb will catch the oval better than the round one. Also you can get the MiniAFCK's in M2 steel rather than the ATS34, which seems to hold an edge better than my old ATS34 does.

 

[Charlie Mike]

I've heard that M2 rusts a lot. This knife is going to be a user which means it may be in wet environs. On another thread, someone said that the un-BT'd edge will rust faster than ATS-34.

 

[Walt2]

Originally posted by solid_soldier
I've heard that M2 rusts a lot. This knife is going to be a user which means it may be in wet environs. On another thread, someone said that the un-BT'd edge will rust faster than ATS-34.

I have seen claims to that effect and then I have seen others that claim they have had no problems. M2 has less chromium which would make sense that it "could" rust faster than ATS34. The BM-ATS34 is the worse one of that alloy that I have for holding an edge. Maybe that is some of the QC I have seen some of the guys griping about in some past threads.

 

[Quarterstaff]

I have the AFCK in M2 with round hole. As for wet enviroments: well I've cut up mullet for bait and a few times i've forgot to wipe it off clean before putting it back in the glove compartment. The salt water and fish juice had rusted the edge a little along with the parts of the blade that the coating has worn off. A green brillo pad took it all off. The rust did not penetrate the surface. I would go with the ats-34 for wet conditions. However, now i have a Titanium Buck (model 560) that has dominated my other knives as my main fishing knife.