AUS 8 toughness

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brianv

Gold Member
Joined
Oct 23, 2012
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746
I really like the Ontario RAT l and RAT ll. Recently though I did something that I've never done before and it chipped the blade much more than I expected. I had a ceramic bowl that some BBQ sauce had well and thoroughly been burned on to. I used the knife to remove it. Obviously I probably should have used another tool. I have other knives with 154 CM, would these hold up better? I'm having a hard time grinding out the chips and I'm thinking of getting a new RAT ll.
 
I have a folder in 154CM, and some in AUS8. I've never actually chipped any of them, but I think the 154CM will be tougher.
 
I would guess that 154CM being harder would have chipped more. Ceramic is harder than AUS8 and 154CM.
 
Pics of the chip? Is it a huge crescent or tiny micro chipping?
 
I have bought three RAT knives for Non-knife friends
And recommend them to everyone


This one from being used in a warehouse on cardboard
Possible staple contact, user denies





I took out the damage and sharpened it in minutes around the campfire with the course diamond on the Worksharp Field Sharpnener



Aus8 sharpens great.



Back to razor sharpness

This steel is not forgiving to abuse it would seem

I've sharpened alot of them

Most with big chips

Haven't seen that in Benchmades with 154cm

Perhaps it's the heat treatment, certain temperatures held causing undesirable microstructure in the steel

More then likely though

User error.


Im still impressed by how good it sharpens but for $30 you just can't have everything.

In the end
There are just too many variables to say for sure

We can easily just look at on piece of the puzzle but it's the synergy of these pieces that contribute to the overall performance.
And it's tough to isolate each on and put that picture together.
 
Ceramic is harder that steel, which is why many sharpening stones are ceramic. Whether you use AUS8 or 154cm for that kind of job, the result will be the same. Try this if you don't believe me....take a spyderco sharpmaker fine rod and try to cut it with a knife of your choice. Alternatively, try to use a 2x4 to cut a piece of steel. Let us all know what happens;)

AUS8 is a perfectly adequate steel. It performs well enough for most edc tasks, and unsurprisingly it also fails like every other steel when it is abused beyond the capabilities of steel. Shocker
 
My chips are much like the first photo posted by DeadboxHero. I'm working on the blade with a course DMT "stone". I know well that ceramic is harder than the steel. I was running the edge along the ceramic and the edge only hit the baked on char.

I've been really happy with the Rats and the AUS8 but chipping really surprised me. I'll continue working on the blade with my course DMT "stone".
 
brianv said:
My chips are much like the first photo posted by DeadboxHero. I'm working on the blade with a course DMT "stone". I know well that ceramic is harder than the steel. I was running the edge along the ceramic and the edge only hit the baked on char.

I've been really happy with the Rats and the AUS8 but chipping really surprised me. I'll continue working on the blade with my course DMT "stone".
Click to expand...

Here's a sharpening tip, raise the angle to 45° per side to remove monster chips. Then drop to 2the whatever you like.

Its faster to cut through corners then squares

As far as 154cm being tougher give it a try, see for yourself.

I'd be curious to see

:)
 
One of my most used and abused knives is a SOG Seal Team in AUS8. When I first got the knife it had some very small chips after some light chopping of saplings out in the yard. I was able to sharpen them out easily and now, 4 years later with a ton more use and a full reprofile I don't have any chipping issues unless I hit something I know I shouldn't. Ceramic would be such a thing. Often you need to get past that initial factory edge to reduce chips.

AVKrGXnh.jpg
 
AUS8 is very similar to 440b. A very good steel when properly HT'd. The edge will not last as long as modern high carbon stainless steels, but I often prefer ease of sharpening of steels like this to longer lasting edges. It should also be tougher than other SS. Given a proper HT of course.
 
My SOG SEAL Pup (with their newer version AUS8) and my early gen. Cold Steel American Lawman work just fine with AUS8. I use them with no worries, they sharpen up fine and cheap enough if they need replaced.
 
That must be some BBQ sauce:D. Tasty, too, I'll bet:p. I suspect tho' the blade contacted the ceramic. Nothing wrong with AUS8, any steel will fracture against a harder material with enough pressure.
 
Aren't those Kabar choppers made from AUS8 ? A friend has one, it works very well as a chopper.
 
Thanks for the sharpening advice DeadboxHero! That brought the blade back where it needs to be and didn't take too much off. And yes, Alberta Ed, the sauce was very good! Better yet it was shared with great company! I like the Rat l a lot, especially for the bigger stuff and harder work I sometimes need to get done but that Rat ll is really great. It covers pretty much everything I would ever need to do.
 
Cobalt said:
AUS8 is very similar to 440b. A very good steel when properly HT'd. The edge will not last as long as modern high carbon stainless steels, but I often prefer ease of sharpening of steels like this to longer lasting edges. It should also be tougher than other SS. Given a proper HT of course.
Click to expand...

Thanks for that comment Cobalt. Sometimes I feel like a cheap skate for not buying some of the newer high speed low drag steels. But I am probably coming closer these days to steel, and manufacturers, that suit my needs/desires most adequately. If a FB is around one or two hundred bucks, ding....if it is designed to withstand rugged use, ding.... If it is corrosion resistant enough to meet my fairly lazy maintenance standards, ding....If it is easy to sharpen, ding.
 
upnorth, other than having to clean, dry and perhaps oil the exposed edge of the blade - good old 1095 fixed blades knives could suit you. I obviously prefer Becker but there are others and most manufacturers put some sort of coating on the blade to protect against corrosion for us lazy types. Save for the little bit exposed at the edge, you should be fine. I like Ontarios and KaBars but have settled on Beckers. Give time honored 1095 (or 1095 CroVan in the case of Beckers) a try and see what you think.
 
SALTY said:
upnorth, other than having to clean, dry and perhaps oil the exposed edge of the blade - good old 1095 fixed blades knives could suit you. I obviously prefer Becker but there are others and most manufacturers put some sort of coating on the blade to protect against corrosion for us lazy types. Save for the little bit exposed at the edge, you should be fine. I like Ontarios and KaBars but have settled on Beckers. Give time honored 1095 (or 1095 CroVan in the case of Beckers) a try and see what you think.
Click to expand...

Bud my Becker ownership goes back to buying a Brute. So yes sir, I have had Beckers for a while, still do actually. My 5 has Micarta and sits in a Spec Ops sheath. Interesting that you brought up 1095. I have never seen rust on my Beckers, but my ESEE 4 has some on the tip. I wonder if the CroVan additions were just enough to squeak me past my rust/laziness problem. I don't blame any manufacturer, I just tend to be maintenance lazy. Maybe I am just too lazy for some 1095, which I am not proud to say. Actually, I think that this thread shamed me into going through the heap with a mineral oil rag, lol. About the only time that I stay on top of oiling is after I come in from serious cold weather and the steel 'sweats', so I wait for room temp, them wipe dry and oil. Other than that I normally just wipe dry. I have taken most of my axes and sprayed the heads with clear varnish to bypass rust. I have no manufacturer or individual to blame but myself if I find rust. Maybe I should just dummy up and get back to some basic maintenance, like I used to do. Hmmmmmmmmm.
 
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