Carbon or stainless...

Which steel do you prefer on your traditional folders?

  • Carbon

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Stainless

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • No preference

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Total voters
    0
on_the_edge

on_the_edge

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On traditional folders only, do you prefer carbon or stainless steel? For the poll, let's not consider damascus. If you'd like to elaborate, please feel free.
 
On "customs" I generally prefer stainless (but still have several with carbon steel blades). On production knives I ordinarily prefer carbon steel.

So, I guess "no preference" would be the closest correct answer in my own particular case.
 
The character that carbon steel can develop is mainly what drives the appeal for me. I'm all for carbon in my traditional pocketknives. It's easy out here in Southern California since there's really no humidity to cause a rusting hazard, and I've some dedicated stainless and titanium blades for oceanside/scuba use.
 
Blues said:
On "customs" I generally prefer stainless (but still have several with carbon steel blades). On production knives I ordinarily prefer carbon steel.
Click to expand...

Welcome back Elliot!:)

I prefer stainless.........on both custom and production.
 
I voted for carbon, but my preference is so slight these days, I wonder if I should have voted no preference. I have used some stainless knives for many years, and got great service from them. My old Buck 301 is but one example. I don't know what stainless Camillus used in those 1967 301's, but it was good stuff.

I have used Opinel's in both carbon and stainless, and both worked equally well. But three of my four peanuts are carbon, with one being damscus, and I love them.

I love carbon, but it's a slim margin.

Carl.
 
Generally, I like carbon better. On a spendy customs though, I do like the reassurance that stainless gives that corrosion won't mare its appearance.
 
I voted carbon, because right now that is what all my traditional folders are. That said, I also ordered a file and wire with ATS34 to give it a try.

If I like it, I might order a few more in that steel.

I also just ordered some D2 Queen collabs to try the D2 out. If I like it, that might also be another route. It is considered an alloy tool steel??? Correct? Not a traditional carbon steel.
 
Keep getting bad surprises with carbon despite keeping light coat of mineral oil on my traditionals. I'm tired of worrying whether my hands will leave sweat and corrode and mar my treasure. Ocean air doesnt help, either. Switching to stainless here.
 
I usually prefer stainless because I don't have to worry about them too much. I can leave an assortment out to pick from each day and not worry about rust. I have been experimenting with carbon steel for the last year or so. I found that if I leave a bunch of them out and don't check on them every other day then I'll get some rust spots. Even if I put a light coating of mineral oil. But I've also stuck to my GEC #48 jack, #73, and #33 and found that if I stick to a smaller number of knives that I regularly use then rust isn't much of an issue. But I like having an assortment to choose from :o Because of my experiments, I chose no preference. Carbon or stainless, either will work for me (I may need to make changes of my own though).
 
I guess I generally prefer carbon, but only slightly. The blades on my Soldier and OHT would disagree with the notion that "stainless tells no story". There is a lot of character present on those blades.
 
Stainless for me. I can't keep carbon from spotting and rusting down here in southwest Florida. Me no likey.

Nathan
 
I love the patina on old knives, so I would vote for carbon steel. However, I am not too happy with some pitting I've gotten with this damp weather. Going to try several different forced patina methods. I would still have to go with carbon.
 
I voted 'no preference', only because I think 'it depends' would've been closer to my view on the subject. I really like the 1095 blades in my Old Timers (thin, springy and very sharp), and the 'carbone' Opinel No. 08 I bought is also great, with the added qualification, 'for SOME purposes'. In fact, my two Opi knives probably best represent my take on it. I often carry both my stainless and carbon No. 08s simultaneously. The stainless knife gets a lot of use on food items, and the 'carbone' is reserved for other utility uses. Among my other knives, I think D2 is likely my favorite stainless, with VG-10 and ATS-34 running pretty close behind. They all take extremely fine and durable edges. D2, in particular, is so far the only one I've been able to get that fine on a convex edge (my Queen Country Cousin). Best of both worlds, in that example. :thumbup:
 
Hi guys!

I voted "No preference". I got knives with carbon and stainless steel. I like carbon steel at my heavy-duty-folders. The edge is nicer to get really sharp-as-hell. The stainless steels, I prefer when I´m on the sea. Stainless steels can also get really sharp, but unfortunatelly they need more attention. I just can talk about production knives, I don´t own a Custom, til now ;)

Kind regards
Andi
 
I don't want my knives to tell a story; I want them to cut things. I hate patinas and rust, so stainless all the way.
 
Blues said:
On "customs" I generally prefer stainless (but still have several with carbon steel blades). On production knives I ordinarily prefer carbon steel.

So, I guess "no preference" would be the closest correct answer in my own particular case.
Click to expand...

This. I would also like to add that I think that the production slipjoint makers usually get better results out of carbon steel blades than no-name stainless.

- Christian
 
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