Boye Dendritic 440C and Cobalt and Stellite 6K

C

Cliff Stamp

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For those who have used either of Boye's Dendritic 440C, Dendritic Cobalt or blades in Stellite 6K, could you comment on its performance and the optimal method of sharpening you found.

-Cliff
 
Hello Cliff,

When I talked with David Boye about his cast cobalt blades he mentioned that a good soft arkansas stone is what he recommends. Something that gives the edge a micro-serrated "bite" - not a polished edge.

Good Luck,

Larry

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I'd like to piggy-back on this. If anyone has used any other dendritic alloys (I think there is a dendritic D2) I'd like them to be included in the question.

When you are done do they work significantly better with a slicing stroke or do they also shave and push cut well?
 
I own a Basic 1, and a Boye cobalt dive knife, and one of his small lockback 440C cast folders for about 6 months.

My experience is:

1) On materials like boxes, a slicing stroke works much better. I tested the dive knife against a BG42 Sebenza on some boxes, and the sebenza worked very well with a push cut, the dive knife better on slicing, but it's thick profile tended to bind on the box.

I used the dive knife to shred some old blue jeans and it tended to drag a bit and the cut edges where more frayed then cut with the more polished edges of the sebenza.

Previous posters have commented that they may not be ultimately as sharp as some other steels, and in my experience I would concur.
In my use this did not especially matter.

2) The thinner blade profile of the lockback tended to allow a better push cut. I believe blade profile has a significant effect on push or slicing cut ability. I did notice appearent edge holding ability remained high while I had it.

3) They definitely do seem to exhibit a "bite" when slicing.

4) I haven't used them enough to resharpen them yet.

DaveH
 
My wife has a complete kitchen set by David Boye ( 7 Knives ) . I use a 400 grit brown Spyderco Bench stone. They work better than ANY kitchen knife we have used over the last 40 years. They slice, or push cut very well. Sharpening usually takes about 4 strokes per side to renew the edge. After making this purchase, my wife has never commented on any of my knife purchases. Maybe if you satisfy the cook ? The need to sharpen is about every 60 days, with out any steel work or strop necessary in between.

Have a good Saint Patricks Day !

Floyd O`Leary

[This message has been edited by FWO (edited 03-17-2000).]

[This message has been edited by FWO (edited 03-17-2000).]

[This message has been edited by FWO (edited 03-20-2000).]
 
Floyd, my wife has used Henckels for several years, but based on what you stated, I'm going to order up a set of the Boye kitchen knives. It hadn't occurred to me, but it sounds great.
I've used a Prophet folder for quite a while and like it. I tend to view it as most knives - has its pros and cons. I also own and use one of his customs on big game and love it - holds an edge, handles meat and hide well, and takes an edge easily. And to top it off, the blade is impervious to whatever it's exposed to.
 
Cliff, I have made several hunting knives out of 440 Dendritic steel and I get a great response from the hunters that own them. They can process a deer or an elk without ever having to stop and sharpen them, and they will still be sharp afterwards. The edge will seem like it is starting to dull but it still will keep cutting for quite a while. I have one of Boyes lock backs and I like to cut leather with it to make sheath. It will keep cutting better and longer than a knife made of ATS-34 that I have used. I don't think large blades should be made for the purpose of hacking, this tends to chip the edge of the knife. If you want a knife that cuts and cuts and keeps cutting this steel makes one heck of a knife, As far as sharpening it is easier to sharpen then alot of the steels with the real high rockwell hardness that are so common in knives today. I like the Dendritic 440 steel real well and in the right application recommend it highly.
Chris, Top of Texas Knives www.toptexknives.com


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Larry, that is interesting, I assumed that the dendritic nature would allow the blades to retain a strong bite even at a high polish.

Floyd, can you give a rough estimate of how long, for example, a Henckels blade would last in comparison?

Chris, thanks for the information, that is exactly the kind of performance I was hoping for.

-Cliff
 
Cliff;
I have used Sabatier( France ), and F.Dick From Germany. Both need a tune up on a steel, or a ceramic steel pretty much after each use to keep a crisp edge. Sabatier is a professional set, and my daughter now uses those,they are about 20 years old. I had a set of F.Dick and they were pretty much the same quality, and gave about the same service.We have a 10" chef, 8" chef,6" chef,
8" carver, 5" Utility, 8" bread knife, 3" paring blade.I like the rough bolster style, with the etched lower half.I use the 8" chef to cut chickens in half, and that knife appears to stay as sharp as the rest of the blades.These are expensive knives, and should perform on the level they do. I first look for style of knife, blade steel and blade geometry as a must when I purchase any knife. I also want to know how the blade is heat treated. Then and only then I will tell a maker/smith to make me an entry level knife to show me his work. If the work is good and meets expectations then I will put him on my buy list.DAvid Boye just makes the best kitchen knives if you are willing to pay the price.

Floyd
 
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