Can you really tell a difference?

[johnwaynesandw]

As many of you know I am thinking (planning) on buying a 112 with stag and NS. I have seen them in 420HC , S30V, and BG42. I am also toying with the idea of a custom shop 110 (Thanks Allen ).

I really like S30V, but unfortunately I do not have any knives in BG42. I have heard great things about it. My question is, Can anyone tell any difference in these steels? I am happy with the 420HC that Buck does, and I can not tell much difference in it and some of my other knives in S30V. I don't abuse these knives, just use them to cut things. I do notice the 420HC scratches from cardboard when the S30V does not.


Thanks,
John

 

[wh4f]

I really like S30V, but unfortunately I do not have any knives in BG42. I have heard great things about it. My question is, Can anyone tell any difference in these steels? I am happy with the 420HC that Buck does, and I can not tell much difference in it and some of my other knives in S30V. I do notice the 420HC scratches from cardboard when the S30V does not.


Thanks,
John

You can tell a difference in 420HC and the other steels listed.
420HC is easier to sharpen and holds a good edge but the others hold an edge longer, but are harder to sharpen.

As far as noticing a huge difference between ATS-34, 154CM, BG-42, S30V,
Thats hard to say, they are all pretty close (IMHO)
They have subtle differences in composition, but I think you cant go wrong with any of Bucks steel
They all cut like a knife

 

[Buckaholic]

...Can anyone tell any difference in these steels? ...

Yes.

Goose.

 

[Rocinante]

I have a sneaking suspicion that it has a lot to do with the heat treat and the way that particular steel is processed and the way the blade is crafted.

So......in one brand or knife or whatever, a BG42 might be slightly better than an S30V or ATM or XYZ or D2 or B12 in another brand.....or maybe same brand made a month later. Or one S30V might be better than another S30V of the very same brand if made at a different time.

Idunno.......the ones I've tried haven't really been much different from each other......seems the 420HC is so close in most cases that you really don't need much more.

But.....if you pay a little more......you get a fancy name. Which can be fun. And the knife companies keep thinkin' up new fancy names so's we can buy more knives and test'em and debate which one will skin the most critters (even though most of us skinned our last critter about 25 years ago).

America......what a country.

 

[johnwaynesandw]

Thanks for the input. I touch my blades up with a leather strop at the end of the day no matter if they are 420HC or S30V oe any other steel. I guess if I was the type to only sharpen my blades once a month, then I could see where the higher end steels would be better.

The thing that promted this question was I had (More like I wanted ) to cut up a lot of cardboard boxes today so they would fit in the trash bin. I used my Buck 503, and afterward it would still shave my arm hair :thumbup:.


Thanks,
John

 

[Buckaholic]

Thanks for the input. I touch my blades up with a leather strop at the end of the day no matter if they are 420HC or S30V oe any other steel. I guess if I was the type to only sharpen my blades once a month, then I could see where the higher end steels would be better.

The thing that promted this question was I had (More like I wanted ) to cut up a lot of cardboard boxes today so they would fit in the trash bin. I used my Buck 503, and afterward it would still shave my arm hair :thumbup:.


Thanks,
John

Hey John...

As stated succinctly in my previous post, there is definitely a difference.
While I love BG-42 for, as Jim says "cutting like a knife" , I would have to say that ATS-34/CM154 is easier for me to sharpen.

I have been using a Damascus blade for a few months now and find that it is sharp as hell and a breeze to sharpen. But, there are so many diff compositions of Damascus. One which I had wouldn't retain an edge too long. The one I used from the Custom Shop (an undated 110) retained an edge a long time and the current 2007 raindrop stainless Damascus I have had about a month keeps on going.

Speaking of "keeps on going", steel, and Jim...I too have attacked cardboard with a 110. I use a BuckCote for cutting that stuff up all the time and that thing has not needed to be re-sharpened yet. I can't recall how long I've had it...maybe a year (Jim??). But I use it frequently in my EDC rotation.

Here's a pic of it during a typical cardboard outting:
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?p=4276881#post4276881

Also, a good graph on various steels from Buck is at the bottom of the page of this link:
http://www.buckknives.com/technical_steel.php

.

 

[wh4f]

Speaking of "keeps on going", steel, and Jim...I too have attacked cardboard with a 110. I use a BuckCote for cutting that stuff up all the time and that thing has not needed to be re-sharpened yet. I can't recall how long I've had it...maybe a year (Jim??). But I use it frequently in my EDC rotation.

Yes approximately a year or so I would guess

I tried to find the thread I stared where I cut up the carpeting
(with a Buckcote, 420HC, and ATS-34) in our living room, but I don't think I'm going back far enough...

Mines still sharp too

 

[110 Dave]

i have come to feel each knife steel has applactions for which it excells!
and none execell on every thing...
for over all use and with its primary bennie being its increedble salt water and general corrson resistance i vote s30v..
yes some may hold an edge a tad longer on this use or that use...
and the ion fuson edge is supper cutting but will chip if hitting bone or hard materal..
every asspect of knife steel had it +'s and -'s
now if you take care of it the DARK steel damascus is fantastic!!
damascus that has bright layers has a higher nickel content on one steel for contrast and thus will dull a lot faster!!!

 

[johnwaynesandw]

Well I guess I better start looking for a 112 w/ BG42. That is the one steel I have never had the chance to try. I must admit, a short time ago I was a steel snob. Now I just use a knife and if it works, great if not; well it goes in the junk pile. Funny thing I don't have any Buck knives in the junk pile . , but I do have other knives that use 420HC in it. It is all about the heat treating.

I do find that the 420HC rolls easier on my bigger knives when chopping wood. My 119 seem to have a very small area that rolled, but the edge is thin and makes a better slicer than a chopper. I guess I could have hit a knot in the wood, but it was a very easy fix. Within 3 mins. it was back to shaving sharp.


John

 

[allenC]

It seems that I can get my S30V and BG-42 blades sharper than my 420HC blades.
It's hard to explain, but the edge just seems finer or more keen.

When it come to sharpening, I think S30V is very nice and easy, as is 420HC.
BG-42 seemed to be just a bit harder to sharpen.

I would be hard pressed to choose between BG-42 and S30V.
Both are just outstanding in the sharpness and edge retention depatments.
I'm not sure how much right out abuse they can withstand before chipping or deforming (I don't typically chop wood with my folders).

Now when it comes to ATS-34 and 154CM it's always been a mixed-bag:
I've never had any issues with the toughness of ATS-34 or 154CM, but I usually have some trouble getting them razor sharp.
So I'm taking a risk with my new 110, with ATS-34 steel.
Of course, I've never had Buck's ATS-34 that was heat treated by Mr. Bos, so hopefully, all will be fine.

 

[honesttom]

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=500447 this is the link I compared the BG42 and S30v on Moose


I could tell a difference between the Bg-42 and S30V on skinning a moose
my son got. My favorite is Bg-42 it stayed sharper longer, s30v seemed to
dull fairly quick on the moose hide, my father in law has used both on elk
and deer and they seem to perform fairly equal, but this moose hair is really
hard and wirery and dulled the s30v pretty quick but the Bg-42 held up great.

 

[johnwaynesandw]

Thanks guys for the great responces. After all this talk about the BG42 I am ready to try it out.

Honesttom, That is a good size moose. Nice looking kids to. I have never hunted a moose, but if they dull a S30v blade, they must have very tough hairs.

Thanks,
John

 

[110 Dave]

well i will have to find a user 42 ... i dont want to mess up a queen
that moose story is enught to convence me to try it...

 

[Scott Hartman]

well i will have to find a user 42 ... i dont want to mess up a queen
that moose story is enught to convence me to try it...

I've enjoyed this thread, and it's motivated me to the point that I had to take a 426 out of my display case. It was 1 of the last 426s Buck allowed for a blade swap to BG-42. I got it for EDC, so I think it's time to start using it :thumbup:

 

[Rocinante]

I have never hunted a moose, but if they dull a S30v blade, they must have very tough hairs.

Using two anecdotal knives on one anecdotal moose does not a test make. Realistically, Honesttom's experience has to be considered statistically irrelevant.

Knives vary, the edges originally given to knives vary, moose vary, skinnings vary, and skinners vary.......you'd have to do 100 or so moose with 200 or so knives and 200 or so skinners before you could even begin to claim one steel is superior to another.

Honesttom's test proves the edge on one KNIFE.......MIGHT have been superior to the edge on another KNIFE.

So......grant the info the import that it deserves.

P.S. I don't favor any one steel over another, so this is not about which of the two is better. I don't care.

 

[honesttom]

Using two anecdotal knives on one anecdotal moose does not a test make. Realistically, Honesttom's experience has to be considered statistically irrelevant.

Knives vary, the edges originally given to knives vary, moose vary, skinnings vary, and skinners vary.......you'd have to do 100 or so moose with 200 or so knives and 200 or so skinners before you could even begin to claim one steel is superior to another.

Honesttom's test proves the edge on one KNIFE.......MIGHT have been superior to the edge on another KNIFE.

So......grant the info the import that it deserves.

P.S. I don't favor any one steel over another, so this is not about which of the two is better. I don't care.

so should i go out and shoot 99 more Moose I better get busy

 

[Rocinante]

Get more knives, too!!

Buck has a bunch.

 

[rifon2]

So I'm taking a risk with my new 110, with ATS-34 steel.

I just got one; Buck was out of BG-42 when I ordered a while back.
The ATS-34 is phenomenal.

 

[honesttom]

I have used BG-42 and S30V on various other tasks, like cutting cardboard, cutting rope, cutting up salmon/steelhead and i've always felt in my personal experience that my BG-42 has always stayed sharper longer, interestingly ennough i've never used my ats-34, i'll have to give that one a try. I sharpen my
own knives with the edge pro which uses wet stones and both sharpen in my
opinion fairly easily, i sharpen them to the factory edge. I also do beleive sometime you can have two exact knives with same steel, sharpened on the same sharpener by the same person and one with outperform the other, I have two crosslock and one will last so much longer than the other it's amazing,
i have personally gutted 3 deer and 2 elk with one before it went dull and i have another that will go dull after just 1 deer or if I use it for an elk it'll go dull
before i'm done. So my comparisons are just that, they are just mine, they are not scientific, i'm not certified, i'm not an expert i just know what i like the BEST BG-42 and one amazing Crosslock

 

[honesttom]

Get more knives, too!!

Buck has a bunch.

I'd love more:thumbup: but right now Buck has been keeping me broke