Carbon V

Cold Steel's producer of Carbon V, Camillus, went out of business a long time ago.

I do love Carbon V and I have two blades made from this awesome steel. Fortunately, however, SK-5 and O-1 are comparable in performance to Carbon V.
 
Kwon Kwang said:
Cold Steel's producer of Carbon V, Camillus, went out of business a long time ago.

I do love Carbon V and I have two blades made from this awesome steel. Fortunately, however, SK-5 and O-1 are comparable in performance to Carbon V.
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Comparable isn't equal to ............................
 
I have the discontinued Mini Kukri in Carbon V and a Trailmaster in SK-5, both of which have done a fair bit of chopping. I must admit I can't see an appreciable difference between the two, performance wise.
 
gunfixrjoe said:
Comparable isn't equal to ............................
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Maybe, maybe not. I may own more knives in Carbon V than SK-5 (just my Bushman, for now), but SK-5 is pretty damn good steel.

[video=youtube;axhNWo80oRg]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axhNWo80oRg[/video]

Note that the same part of the blade was used for every cut.
 
I'm also a big fan of Cold Steels Carbon V.

One of my favorite low alloy steels and I really wish Cold Steel would bring it back and use it in their blades again.

As much as I like SK5 (a very good steel in it's own right) Carbon V or enhanced 1095 (1095CV) benefited greatly from the added alloys. The increase in toughness and especially edge retention is definitely noticeable while still keeping it affordable. Not to mention the increased corrosion resistance. Not as important to me but a nice benefit just the same.

I like the direction Cold steel is going with the new steels they are introducing and using but it is driving the costs up. I'd still love the option of a time tested and proven performer like Carbon V be available in their blades. No offence to SK5 that I also like very much.
 
^^^ In this regard, I see they have a new knife coming out with 3V steel and contoured G-10 grips. That's a good sign!
 
Buffalohump said:
^^^ In this regard, I see they have a new knife coming out with 3V steel and contoured G-10 grips. That's a good sign!
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The Warcraft Tanto is already out. Some buddies at another forum I go to already have one. Street price is running around at $200, which is a pretty good deal IMO.
 
See if you can get your buddies to post some pics here... very interested to see how it looks in the light of day.

Kwon Kwang said:
The Warcraft Tanto is already out. Some buddies at another forum I go to already have one. Street price is running around at $200, which is a pretty good deal IMO.
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Buffalohump said:
See if you can get your buddies to post some pics here... very interested to see how it looks in the light of day.
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Here, I'll show you. First pic is along with some other things he bought, second pic is next to the Cold Steel Natchez Bowie.
2013-07-15190956_zpse9c93810.jpg

2013-07-15191503_zpsbf79ce0b.jpg
 
IIRC correctly Camillus makes knives not steel. The Carbon V came from some big buy, but I don't remember the manufacturer. Cold steels Carbon V knives were made by Camillus.
 
CarbonV was a proprietary steel Camillus had, to which Cold Steel's proprietary heat treat was applied.
 
Carbon V was developed by Dan Maragni for Cold Steel.
Camillus Cutlery used it for Camillus & Becker knives under agreement with Cold Steel.
 
Kwon Kwang said:
Cold Steel's producer of Carbon V, Camillus, went out of business a long time ago.

I do love Carbon V and I have two blades made from this awesome steel. Fortunately, however, SK-5 and O-1 are comparable in performance to Carbon V.
Click to expand...

i held a sk 5 recon scount in one hand and my carbon v in the other. i chopped left right left right through a tree, and the thicker reinforced sk 5 blade was round, my carbon v reprofiled thinner more delicate edge was shaving.
 
That is info from an industry insider who was there .. definitive answer!


Phil Gibbs said:
Carbon V was developed by Dan Maragni for Cold Steel.
Camillus Cutlery used it for Camillus & Becker knives under agreement with Cold Steel.
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I am with you on that! Cold Steel made their reputation on Carbon V, they should bring it back, it was Sharon 01670-6 tool steel with a proprietary heat treat, they could find some one else to supply the steel and heat treat, in my opinion.
 
There is a company that bought the remaining stock of 0170-6 steel from the Camillus bankruptcy auction. They had Dan Maragni set up heat treating for that steel and have one knife model on the market. ( Note: It's not marketed as Carbon V or Camillus and has it's own name not borrowing anything from Either Cold Steel or Camillus) It's pretty expensive though. Sharon steel is long gone. Camillus is long gone ( original version) but the steel and knives produced still seem to be liked and sought after.

Remember though Camillus was just the last maker of "carbon V" steel knives. There were others including some imported by " Hoffritz" from Soligen so there were more than one version, and more than one maker of "Carbon V" steel knives. That's the way it goes when companies make up their own steels to use. They can change them without notice any time they desire. They could have used 0170-6 one week, then Chen's mystery steel the next. ( Note: I really don't think they did. :) The knives were of a consistent quality no matter the maker and steel. I've even found the SK 5 knives to be excellent)

My remaining "Carbon V" knives are Camillus vintage and excellent perfomers.
 
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