Blade steel on the CS Pocket Bushman?

Z

ziptrickhead

Joined
Sep 1, 2004
Messages
490
I was just curious on what steel is being used in the pocket bushman. Knifecenter states krupps but the CS website says its 420. I'm assuming that the CS site would have the correct stats. Looking back at some old reviews some also said krupps but its possible that they just got the blade steel from an incorrect source. Or did CS decide to change the blade steel since its initial release?

EDIT:
Nevermind...... I just realized that when it says 420 it meant handle material.....

On another note, how does the steel sharpen up? Using something like AUS 8 as a benchmark, it is easier to sharpen or harder?
 
According to the Jan 2009 issue of Tactical Knives magazine (out now), the handle is 420 stainless while the blade is Krupp 4116 stainless. And the author writes that after chopping some lilies and accidentally banging up the blade on gravel in the pond, he needed to use a coarse DMT diamond hone then a fine grit benchstone.

Hope this helps.:)
 
Last edited:
Krupp 4116 is the steel used in Victorinox Swiss Army knives, and CS has it at about the same hardness. Expect the same edgeholding, roughly.
 
ummmm.. just found this on victorinox's website in their FAQs:

Q. What is the make up of the steel?

A. All Victorinox knives are high carbon, stainless, first grade, A-quality stainless steel, x 50 CrMo. They are tempered to a 55-56 HRC hardness for optimum edge retention.
 
Interesting.

A couple of sites specifically state the Krupp 4116 Stainless of the Pocket Bushman is at 58-60 HRc, while a couple others indicate 56-58 HRc.

Haven't really put mine to use, so I can't compare to "known" steels.
 
I remember reading somewhere that the krupps is x50CrMo but I'll have to look back on that. I also remember seeing it at the 58 RC end.
 
Hawkings said:
That's sounds interesting, where do you have that information from ?
Click to expand...

It comes from Victorinox, actually. While they're not bound to use it (simply saying "Stainless" means they can use whatever they want), when they were asked last year, that was what was said.
 
Sword and Shield said:
It comes from Victorinox, actually. While they're not bound to use it (simply saying "Stainless" means they can use whatever they want), when they were asked last year, that was what was said.
Click to expand...

By chance to you have a link to that?
Asked by who? In what form?
Thanks.

As you can see from the table, Krups 4116 is fairly similar in composition to 420HC. 420HC can be taken a bit harder for better edge retention. 4116 has a bit more Chromium for possibly better corrosion resistance. (Data is from AG Russel's Table, though I have confirmed the compositions elsewhere in the past.)

Steel_______1.4116__________420HC
(C)________0.45-.050_______0.40-0.50
(Mn)_________0.4_____________0.8
(Cr)_______14.50-14.80_____12.00-14.00
(V)___________0.1_____________0.18
(Mo)__________0.6____________0.6
Hardness____55-57__________57-59
 
From my own experience with my Pocket Bushman, the Krupps 4116 steel is pretty close to 440A and 13C26. In my opinion, it doesn't take quite as keen an edge and it doesn't hold it as long, but it is very very close. The knife itself is a very good bargain being well made, incredibly solid, big, and quite cheap.
 
a fine ceramic stone puts a nice razor edge onto the CS Bushman

speaking of the CS Bushman, where the heck is mine?....i cant find it in my messy apt......hope i did'nt lose it/.
 
Well, if you did, I guess you'll have to change your name.
We can't have false advertising around here.
 
I just spent the weekend up north (Michigan) working on the hunting property. We cook out doors this time of year just for the sake of being outside with the colors starting to change. There were 6 of us and there was much preperation needed for the meals and I specifically brought the Pocket Bushman for that purpose. It had never really been used by me till now. I cut chopped diced boned as well opened several boxes and containers with. I even took it back from a buddy who was batoning some small 2.5" to 3.0" logs for firewood. I gave him my Scrapper 6 instead. I cleaned the blade of and chopped up about 5lbs of meat for tenderloins. The PB sliced through them like butter. I have not touchd the blade up at all. Just cleaned it and put back in my backpack and it's as good as the day I got it. I will be doing it again for 10 days in November. I like the knife and the steel...
DSC02037.jpg
 
I just got mine today, haven't cut anything with it yet. Good grief, this is one heavy-duty folder. It needs some loosening up ... the pivot is so stiff it practically takes two hands to open it, and the lock almost takes three hands to close.

I was surprised how much it weighs. I was thrown off by the references to the Douk-Douk, for the similar handle design. The Pocket Bushman is much larger than than the Douk, and the clip and locking mechanism add more weight.

It is very well-made. I can see how he would baton with it. You could take this for a folding bushcrafter, no problem.
 
I handled one at a knife shop and had no problem opening it one handed. Of course, it probably had been opened and closed twelve thousand times by the time I go to it. I'll be ordering one soon,
 
These are a sure thing. At the price, for a big solid folder, like Opinels, one around the house, one in the car, one in the toolbox.

The lock is already loosening up.
 
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