Carbon V better than SK5?

SlamFire said:
I have been watching ebay auctions of new and used knives. I have noticed that Carbon V knives are selling at quite a premium. Is carbon V better than SK-5, the carbon steel that replaced it? Would anyone notice a difference if they were not told?
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I think the main thing driving the price difference you see is that the Carbon V knives are discontinued, and becoming more and more scarce.

Regarding the quality question though, Carbon V has a reputation as an excellent cutlery steel due in part to it's carbon and alloy makeup, but mostly in my opinion due to the excellent heat treatment done by Camillus Cutlery.

To be absolutely honest, I'm not sure I would notice a difference if I was not told. Both are very tough carbon steels. Carbon V is similar in composition to 52100. SK5 is very similar to 1070 I believe.
 
longbeachguy said:
I think the main thing driving the price difference you see is that the Carbon V knives are discontinued, and becoming more and more scarce.

Regarding the quality question though, Carbon V has a reputation as an excellent cutlery steel due in part to it's carbon and alloy makeup, but mostly in my opinion due to the excellent heat treatment done by Camillus Cutlery.

To be absolutely honest, I'm not sure I would notice a difference if I was not told. Both are very tough carbon steels. Carbon V is similar in composition to 52100. SK5 is very similar to 1070 I believe.
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Agree except SK5 is about equal to 1080.
Look at page 7 here for exact composition.
http://www.jfe-steel.co.jp/en/products/sheets/catalog/b1e-005.pdf
 
I doubt Carbon V is much, if any better than SK-5. The Carbon V knives are US made and that could have something to do with the higher price.
 
SlamFire said:
I have been watching ebay auctions of new and used knives. I have noticed that Carbon V knives are selling at quite a premium. Is carbon V better than SK-5, the carbon steel that replaced it? Would anyone notice a difference if they were not told?
Click to expand...


No, they are being sold at a premium because they were U.S. made by Camillus and Camillus is no longer. Carbon V is a trade name Cold Steel applied to the carbon steel bladed knives made for them by Camillus. There is no reason to think it was the same steel all the time. I'm pretty sure the steel used in them changed from time to time because of pricing and availability.

Is it better than SK-5 for the most part? I don't know. I just know why the knives sell at a premium.
 
According to Mike Stewart, Carbon V was always 50100. Cold Steel developed its own heat treat, which was used by Camillus (CS since recovered its equipment, I believe), so that was part of the formula. Carbon V is one of the best high carbon steels I've ever come across. With as a good a heat treatment I would expect SK-5 to perform very similarly. I'd pick up another Master Hunter in SK-5 if CS offered one.
 
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