Bad reputation

Any "bad" reputation shouldn't hang along with the steel but rather with the treatment of said steel. Notoriously "tricky" steels like 440C, D2 and 1095 have proved over decades to be great performers once the industry tuned itself in to relatively new processes.
 
Well, I won't buy anything 440 for that reason... I just pass as soon as I see 440/420.
I know it can be a decent steel, but I'm just not having it...
 
Buck did (and still does) a hell of a job with 420HC, for decades. So, you might just slow your horses, there. I will add Case, Victorinox and some others. Just saying...
 
herisson said:
Buck did a hell of a job with 420HC, for decades. So, you might just slow your horses, there. I will add Case, Victorinox and some others. Just saying...
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Not saying all 420 is bad, I'm just saying I won't buy it because of bad personal experience with other 400 series steel knives...

Reputation goes long way, and yeah it's sad that China has ruined reputation of 440 and 420 for many people
 
craytab said:
That time frame grows with every thread like this.

I have actual experience with elmax from several manufacturers, including ZT, with no issues. What are your experiences?
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None, again, really again, my whole point of the thread. The rep elmax had, including here was what always kept me from hitting add to cart. Is that fair? That's my question. I know already it's not fair to elmax, but it's reality. I didn't know if I was the only one, or if there are other materials that have simular bad reps, where it wasn't their fault, but the consequences continued over time.
 
herisson said:
Any "bad" reputation shouldn't hang along with the steel but rather with the treatment of said steel. Notoriously "tricky" steels like 440C, D2 and 1095 have proved over decades to be great performers once the industry tuned itself in to relatively new processes.
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Unfortunately I think what actually happens is people forget. The way zt affected the name of elmax i think will follow it regardless. If I was the creator of elmax I'd be pissed. That said, maybe zt made up for it by continuing to use and expand elmax since they have used it so prolifically.
 
herisson said:
It's not reality. You are fantasizing, sort of.
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However, dealer says he hears this all the time. That's what made me wonder, maybe not folks on here, but general public buying knives which number far greater.
 
You are pissed.
Elmax is a great steel.
Facts get worked over.
Get me another pint.
 
Yo Mama said:
The rep elmax had, including here was what always kept me from hitting add to cart. Is that fair? That's my question. I know already it's not fair to elmax
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Well, you would never know if the steel is suitable if you haven’t tried. It’s like saying some guys on yelp had a bad experience on an italian restaurant and you decided to not try italian restaurants from now on because of that yelp reviews on a particular restaurant? You might be surprised that your taste buds might dig italian food or that Elmax steel ;). Give it a chance before judging it!
 
A perfect example of a reputation keeping people from trying out something they might like is “made in China”.
If you don’t buy Chinese made knives for political reasons, that’s your prerogative, but if it’s based on fear of inferior quality, that’s not necessarily the case anymore.
 
There’s companies that does great HT of m390/20cv/204p and likewise companies that does bad HT of that said steels. I think that the case here. But they learnt from thier mistakes and probably improved upon.
 
Yo Mama said:
Ok man, I tried.
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You tried what ? We have so many fancy steels available today, many amazing, many others not so astounding, but still, there is a bewildering offering of knifesteels. I'm not even speakin of knifemakers, It's way better, if even possible.
The Elmax steel is the first stuff that got me amazed, sort of.
 
I wasn't aware of the bad batch from ZT but I certainly wouldn't write off the steel. However, I owned a ZT in S35VN that seemed to be run very soft. I do hold that against ZT and it might affect my future purchases.
 
herisson said:
You tried what ? We have so many fancy steels available today, many amazing, many others not so astounding, but still, there is a bewildering offering of knifesteels. I'm not even speakin of knifemakers, It's way better, if even possible.
The Elmax steel is the first stuff that got me amazed, sort of.
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I tried to communicate with you.
 
Lee D said:
A perfect example of a reputation keeping people from trying out something they might like is “made in China”.
If you don’t buy Chinese made knives for political reasons, that’s your prerogative, but if it’s based on fear of inferior quality, that’s not necessarily the case anymore.
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I dunno, Lee. There is certainly some good stuff there, but still a very big pile of stuff made in China that is... well... a big pile of stuff.

The discerning, educated buyer of Chinese knives can get some good stuff, but it's not like we can advise the everyday buyer that they can disregard the Made In China stamp because this "used to be the case." In many instances, it still is the case. The fear of an inferior quality product from China is a legitimate concern, one that is good cause to do further research on a product from there.
 
Geez, people are still complaining about ZTs elmax? They had a couple bad runs a few years ago. That doesnt mean all elmax is bad, smh.
 
Velitrius said:
The fear of an inferior quality product from China is a legitimate concern, one that is good cause to do further research on a product from there.
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Oh absolutely, I’m not suggesting it’s all good, but with a bit of research (something I do no matter where a knife is made) I think a fella can find a great knife. WE and Reate are two I’d feel safe buying from, the others aren’t there in my eyes yet.
 
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