Blade Steels - Who can REALLY tell the difference?

Just to know steels names its abnormal behavior and 99% of this knowledge related to BS forums.
That be said....
I can chopp all the day long hardwood without need to sharpen my hawk made of 1055, I can cut all the day long natural material with my knife made of 1095, believe it or not.
Either way, I still prefer to sharpen my knives 4 time a day if need to be, than just once that will take me half hour.
 
kurodrago said:
Just to know steels names its abnormal behavior and 99% of this knowledge related to BS forums.
That be said....
I can chopp all the day long hardwood without need to sharpen my hawk made of 1055, I can cut all the day long natural material with my knife made of 1095, believe it or not.
Either way, I still prefer to sharpen my knives 4 time a day if need to be, than just once that will take me half hour.
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Sure you can, nobody ever said that you can't chop with a dull hawk and cut with a dull knife. ;)
 
singularity35 said:
Sure you can, nobody ever said that you can't chop with a dull hawk and cut with a dull knife. ;)
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Yeah countless millions of people use dull kitchen knives everyday... :D

And a dull blunt lawnmower blade will still cut the grass, but a sharp one will cut cleaner....

One can chop with a dull axe, but a sharp one will work better.

A dull saw will still cut wood, but a sharp one will cut better and cleaner.

There are degrees of working as we all know... :D
 
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Ankerson said:
Yeah countless millions of people use dull kitchen knives everyday... :D
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Hehehe, yeh I've stopped keeping my kitchen knives sharp because the people in the house will find some way to get it dull immediately, like cut on a plate or on the counter top, chop bones with a slicing knife, etc. They still manage to do all the kitchen chores with dull knives. :D
 
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Ankerson said:
Yeah countless millions of people use dull kitchen knives everyday... :D

And a dull blunt lawnmower blade will still cut the grass, but a sharp one will cut cleaner....

One can chop with a dull axe, but a sharp one will work better.

A dull saw will still cut wood, but a sharp one will cut better and cleaner.

There are degrees of working as we all know... :D
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So what's the point of super steel them? I just asking because it seems ya and your tests have all figured out?
 
kurodrago said:
Just to know steels names its abnormal behavior and 99% of this knowledge related to BS forums.
That be said....
I can chopp all the day long hardwood without need to sharpen my hawk made of 1055, I can cut all the day long natural material with my knife made of 1095, believe it or not.
Either way, I still prefer to sharpen my knives 4 time a day if need to be, than just once that will take me half hour.
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I prefer to sharpen only once, and it takes me less than a minute - a lot faster than "normal" steels. Where do you get the idea that modern steels are hard to sharpen? Mine are EASIER to sharpen because of the lack of burr formation.
 
kurodrago said:
So what's the point of super steel them? I just asking because it seems ya and your tests have all figured out?
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Take a look at the bolded parts

Ankerson said:
Yeah countless millions of people use dull kitchen knives everyday... :D

And a dull blunt lawnmower blade will still cut the grass, but a sharp one will cut cleaner....

One can chop with a dull axe, but a sharp one will work better.

A dull saw will still cut wood, but a sharp one will cut better and cleaner.

There are degrees of working as we all know... :D
Click to expand...
 
jimh0220 said:
Aside from the knifemakers, how many of you would know one steel from another if you weren't told...
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I think it's a little unfair to exclude people who do this for a living :p
Seriously though, my clients almost always have very specific ideas about what steel they want, and it's hardly ever based on fashion or even cost. It's based on what they know works for them and the way they like to use their knives.
 
singularity35 said:
Take a look at the bolded parts
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You got it:thumbup::D


sodak said:
I prefer to sharpen only once, and it takes me less than a minute - a lot faster than "normal" steels. Where do you get the idea that modern steels are hard to sharpen? Mine are EASIER to sharpen because of the lack of burr formation.
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Generalize the point want help you, what steel you have in mind?
 
Either try a CPM steel at high hardness, e.g., S90V at 62, or CPM 10V at 63 - 64. Or, you can get one of your 1095 blades re-hardened to 65. While the CPM steels will beat the 1095, the 65 1095 will be a HUGE step up from mid 50's or so.
 
I find it easy to compare a cheap steel to a midrange or higher end steel and notice the stark difference, however the differences between the higher quality steels are often harder to discern. While I'm a materials guy meaning that I'm into steels, from a practical standpoint I think we as a community put more emphasis than is necessary on steel choice. But it's sort of like buying cars...some people want the highest trim package to get the most performance even though they just commute a few miles to work each day at the speed limit.
 
Slidetechnik said:
I find it easy to compare a cheap steel to a midrange or higher end steel and notice the stark difference, however the differences between the higher quality steels are often harder to discern. While I'm a materials guy meaning that I'm into steels, from a practical standpoint I think we as a community put more emphasis than is necessary on steel choice. But it's sort of like buying cars...some people want the highest trim package to get the most performance even though they just commute a few miles to work each day at the speed limit.
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It comes down to useage and needs for some while with others it's wants.

Now with cars, that's like throwing money down a black hole..
 
What really outrage me is the importance that Edge Retention get, money wise...as premium steel!?
Do you want a sword made of 1055 or made S30V? A dull knife is always better than a broken knife, right?
A knife that excel at one or two criteria is not a big deal "folders". . . . A knife that excels at all categories is a whole different game.
For example, if we take 10 knives blank with the same argos, geometry and polish edges with a mix of few different steels...
And and send it off to the best hot shot in here....I bet He will not understand shit.
Can REALLY tell the difference?......NO!
 
kurodrago said:
What really outrage me is the importance that Edge Retention get, money wise...as premium steel!?
Do you want a sword made of 1055 or made S30V? A dull knife is always better than a broken knife, right?
A knife that excel at one or two criteria is not a big deal "folders". . . . A knife that excels at all categories is a whole different game.
For example, if we take 10 knives blank with the same argos, geometry and polish edges with a mix of few different steels...
And and send it off to the best hot shot in here....I bet He will not understand shit.
Can REALLY tell the difference?......NO!
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Some of us would be able to tell the difference. ;)
 
kurodrago said:
Me too.:rolleyes: can you tell us the names of blank knives steels too.....I don't think soo:rolleyes:
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Based on performace I could using the data that I already have.... ;)

All that would have to be done is have the hardness checked and I could get very close to dead on.
 
Ankerson said:
Yeah I know.....
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Well, it IS the internet.;)

As for steel, I cannot tell the exact type it is by use, but I do notice the difference between a steel with good edge retention, and one that I have to sharpen all the time.
Or the difference between stainless, and one that rusts/patinas (especially if cutting acidic things like meat, or citrus fruits).

I'm not a metalurgical laboratory, but I can tell when steel sucks. Yet another good reason to use your knives.:)
Just sitting on the shelf, all I could tell you is "Oooh, shiny." :D
 
kurodrago said:
What really outrage me is the importance that Edge Retention get, money wise...as premium steel!?
Do you want a sword made of 1055 or made S30V? A dull knife is always better than a broken knife, right?
A knife that excel at one or two criteria is not a big deal "folders". . . . A knife that excels at all categories is a whole different game.
For example, if we take 10 knives blank with the same argos, geometry and polish edges with a mix of few different steels...
And and send it off to the best hot shot in here....I bet He will not understand shit.
Can REALLY tell the difference?......NO!
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I'm having trouble understanding why you are a firm disbeliever in something that isn't esoteric or some kind of mystic secret knowledge.
Of course there are people that can tell the difference, and makes it their business to do just that.
There will always be someone that knows more than I do, does better than I do, and has the means to prove it.
It isn't an unproven thing, just because you have your doubts.
 
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