Boye Dendritic Cobalt vs. Dendritic Steel

Big Dave

Big Dave

Gold Member
Joined
Dec 18, 1998
Messages
545
Howdy:

I kind of like the looks of his folder.

Wondering if anyone has an opinion on the knife and blade choice (Dendritic Cobalt or Dendritic Steel.)

The no rust factor of the Cobalt is very attractive. I hear both cut really well.


Thanks,

Dave

PS. I also saw an ad in Blade for his Cobalt barstock. Maybe I've missed it but with the occasional steel debates, I don't recall hearing much about it.
 
Hello Again:

I was surprised to find a David Boye website. It goes into detail on the casting method and the steels.

http://gate.cruzio.com/~larstein/Boye%20Website/index.html#anchor137421

However, it did not say if the Cobalt will hold a better edge than the Steel. Anybody know?

Thanks,

Dave
 
In <A HREF="http://gate.cruzio.com/~larstein/Boye%20Website/diveknives.html">Cobalt Dive Knives</A> it does say that cobalt holds an edge longer than steel.

------------------
http://www.canit.se/%7Egriffon/
 
There was an article in Blade magazine, I think , comparing the Dendritic Cobalt versus the dendritic steel. If I remember correctly, the dendritic cobalt held it's edge 3 times longer. As for toughness, that was not part of the test.
 
Hi Dave,
I can't vouch for the Cobalt Dendritic, but I do have a regular dendritic lockback and I really like it. It does hold a very sharp edge for a long time and the whole package is very light, one of the thinest I've seen. Both Steve Harvey and myself have made many positive comments re: Boye knives in lots of threads. I have been thinking of getting one of the Dendritic Cobalt versions to complement the Talonite knife I've got on order with Rob Simonich. There have been quite a few threads addressing these materials recently, check back for Talonite and Cobalt and you should have plenty of reading to do !
 
Hi Guys,

Thanks for the imput. I called the Boye factory in AZ this morning. Nice folks. Guess they moved their a few years ago and still have a showroom in California.

I asked if there were any disadvantages to the Cobalt in comparison to the Steel. There are none, and it does hold an edge much longer. Interesting point though, she said that if you feel the blade on the Cobalt-it may not "feel" as sharp as the steel- but it is. Rob S. said that talonite was the same way.

They can do etching on the blade of the steel knives but not the cobalt.

KnifeArt has some nice examples of the customs. BTW, they are also giving one away.

Boye does not make a folder with a blade larger than 3".

I also asked if there was a peformance reason for the wide and slimmer blades. The wider ones just need more space for the larger thumb grip designs.

That's the scoop.

Dave



[This message has been edited by Big Dave (edited 12 May 1999).]
 
I have the cobalt and the steel version and both are great knives. From my own experience the cobalt version seems to hold an edge longer. I was able to get both of them shaving sharp with no problems. The only disadvantage with the cobalt version is that the edge is more likely to roll if you happen to cut or chop onto some very hard wood or other material. According to Mr Boye, the cobalt is only around 42hrc whereas the steel is around 58 hrc. I accidentally dropped my cobalt knife into my steel kitchen sink and the edge rolled pretty badly. Nevertheless, it is one of my most often carried knives because it is light, maintenance free, and holds an edge really well.
 
Big Dave:
I have had the steel folder for quite awhile now; it has black micarta handles. It is my daily carry knife out of my many, many knives I own. It holds an edge wonderfully. I will soon purchase one of the cobalt folders with cocobolo handles. You can't go wrong with either. Enjoy!

DDS
 
I would like to second Ban's comments. These knives are very maintence free. When I talked with David about them he told me that he set out to make a low maintence knife that can easily be sharpened in a matter of minutes on an Arkansas Stone. He felt too many of the knives on the market are extremely difficult to sharpen. These knives are extemely lightweight and strong. A basic tool for everyday use.

The comments about "feeling" sharp are correct. The edge sharpness on these folders is deceiving.

Larry

p.s. enter to win a boye dendritic cobalt "prophet companion" at KnifeArt.com

------------------
KnifeArt.com
BladeForums.com Sponsor
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top