Blade steel on my Kershaw Avalanch - any thoughts?

A

aivonline

Joined
May 10, 2007
Messages
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Hi all, need your help here.

I picked up recently on Ebay an old (judging by the pocket clip) model of Avalanche.
The blade however has no marking of the steel used, contrary to usual Kershaw markings.

Correct me if I'm wrong, Avalanches were manufactured only in CPM 440V (older models) and S30V (newer ones).

Can anyone of you guys confirm whether or not it is CPM 440V blade?
And why the steel marking is omitted on the blade?
The previous owner did not care to know the answer, the box/papers are lost.

Thanks in advance for your suggestions/answers.

Here are the Avalanche pics below:


 
Thats a hard one! Either way you have a good steel!

I don't know if you will ever actually be able to find out unless there is something we are missing here.
Only other way I would think is to test the RHC and find out what the two different steels were hardened to.
 
hmm... I certainly could be wrong.
s60v is a pretty rare steel to have.
 
I have an S60V Avalanche with a black blade. This one is S30V.

Jason
 
I could've sworn the S30V model was labeled as such. I have one, and I'll have to check later, but...
 
ohmyheckinslc said:
I could've sworn the S30V model was labeled as such. I have one, and I'll have to check later, but...
Click to expand...

I think the ones with uncoated blades were marked S30V. I've a few with black blades that were not. I don't recall ever seeing an Avalanche with a black blade marked S30V but that doesn't mean they don't exist.

Below are two Avalanches with stone washed blades and one with a coated blade marked S60V. I was incorrect before when I said they were marked CPM 440V.



 
I have one of the older uncoated ones (drilled for tip-down only) that is a blem, and it doesn't have any marking as to what steel it is. I always thought that it was CPM440V/S60V; I would be interested to know for sure.
 
scottabrandeberry said:
I have one of the older uncoated ones (drilled for tip-down only) that is a blem, and it doesn't have any marking as to what steel it is. I always thought that it was CPM440V/S60V; I would be interested to know for sure.
Click to expand...

Geez...I'm not sure you'll ever be able to know for sure. The good news is it's either S30V or S60V. :)
 
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think the pocket clips on Morrow's pics are those of newer avalanche models, whereas pocket clip on my avalanche is that of an older model. And I always thought that production of avalanches started with 440V/S60V and only later did Kershaw introduce S30V.
I thought all S30V avalanches were marked for S30V steel. Whereas with the other steel I have seen both "CPM 440V" and "S60V" markings.
 
aivonline said:
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think the pocket clips on Morrow's pics are those of newer avalanche models, whereas pocket clip on my avalanche is that of an older model. And I always thought that production of avalanches started with 440V/S60V and only later did Kershaw introduce S30V.
I thought all S30V avalanches were marked for S30V steel. Whereas with the other steel I have seen both "CPM 440V" and "S60V" markings.
Click to expand...

After thinking about it for a bit, I think you're right. I think it was S60V first then S30V. I had it backwards. I'm pretty sure I have an Avalanche marked CPM 440V but I can't seem to find it. I have too many boxes too look through.
 
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