Chipped/Rolled CTS-204P

nccole

nccole

Joined
Jun 2, 2011
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I was cutting up some boxes, and a cardboard pallet box at work and think (hope) I got into a staple. The cardboard pallet box was pretty stout and doubled up in some places, not your average box-type. Can't quite tell if it is a chip or roll. I think it may actually be a chip, so I have some work ahead of me tonight. I do have diamond stones. The edge was at 30 degrees inclusive, and I think I am going to keep it there. If it happens again, I will add a microbevel. Has anyone had edge stability issues with CTS-204P or M390 (they are virtually identical)? I am a little bummed, but it is a high wear resistance knife not a chopper. I have also heard about knives doing this when they are new, and then once newer steel is exposed, it is better. I can say that I have had three S30V knives roll, and one ZDP-189 roll/chip, and they were all on the factory edge, and never did it again.
Anyway, here are the gruesome pictures.
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Those are some nice little chips you got there. I'm not terribly surprised, I've had S30V do the same thing when accidentally encountering a piece of metal.
 
No way cardboard did that. I say you hit metal for sure.

Edit: I've used M390 a fair bit to break down some serious stuff, heavy duty cardboard shipping tubes and boxes with various plastics intermingled in. I've never had it chip or roll from that type if use. I did, however, hit a large packaging staple once and that did do a bit of damage, similar to what your showing.
 
I did the same thing to my CTS XHP Millie. Blazed the very tip of the blade off cutting cardboard when I skimmed a big staple.
 
Hit metal for sure.
Probably hit a heavy duty staple, those are pretty common in the heavy duty cardboard used pallets.
I know that because I've cut some pallet boxes before, and they were filled with those staples on the corners.

Pallet boxes were approximately 4 feet tall, 6 feet wide, and maybe feet deep. Probably a 1/4 to 1/3rd of an inch thick.
They completely dulled my S30v Buck vantage pro.
 
It wasn't shaving sharp, but could slice phone book paper, so that was good.
 
I have limited experience with the steel so far but I haven't seen roll/chip on my Southard but just the other day I was destroying cardboard boxes at work with a freshly sharpened 154cm and I came across a big box held together by those big ol copper colored staples. The blade swiped one of these hard because I didn't see it. The edge that it touched "died" on contact lol. Serious rollage. I know the steel it happened to is lesser than CTS-204P but metal on metal does that sort of thing.
 
I wouldn't be too bummed out. In my usages that is really mild dmage, it can be fixed readily and is almost insignificant. Keep in mind, nothing that gets used, remains pristine forever. That being said, when you sharpen it add a microbevel and that will be that. I've seen actual fingernail sized chipped knives, that is is what I would call bad.
 
Jeez, you guys have no fear when you dive into that tough corrugated cardboard. :p

I always watch what I am cutting with my knives. The only time I didn't was when I cut up old carpet with my Salt 1. I did check for staples, luckily there were none, and I told myself that the steel was so soft I would be able to repair any damage. Well, since I had Krein give it a FFG, that sucker just kept going and going. No chips, just slight edge rolling and flattening. That night, I spent an hour and restored it to a hair whittling edge. Soft steel but with the right edge geometry, H1 is a very capable steel.
 
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Never expect something like that for the steel which consider one of the best in the market.
 
I've been using the Southard at work every day since I got it cutting cardboard, stripping wire, cutting zip ties, etc.. and it still shaves with no deformations. I cannot say the same for a couple of S30V knives I put to that much task as it chipped. I will say that after I fixed the edges, they never did it again leading me to believe that the brittle edge was gone for good.
I am really impressed with 204P and as odd as it sounds am anxious to sharpen it!
 
It only takes me 30 seconds to change out the razor blade in my cardboard knife!;)
My job doesn't pay for my knife.
Nor do they pay me to sharpen or repair my knives either.
Even if I could use my own knife at work, I wouldn't. Cardboard cutting isn't that fun, it's just a task. My advice is to save your knives for better things, go camping or get into whittling or something. Cutting up crappy cardboard with my new Techno is not on the agenda.
 
shqxk said:
Never expect something like that for the steel which consider one of the best in the market.
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One of the best in edge holding. Often, when you gain edge holding, you lose toughness which would have resisted the tendency to roll/chip/deform when hitting metal better. Also, you have to consider geometry, which in a pocket knife should be optimized for cutting and slicing, not high impact chopping. The truth is most folders would have done the exact same thing. I am not surprised at all, and more bummed that I had to spend over an hour repairing my knife. I do however prefer to use it and repair it if needed then not use it.

foxx said:
It only takes me 30 seconds to change out the razor blade in my cardboard knife!;)
My job doesn't pay for my knife.
Nor do they pay me to sharpen or repair my knives either.
Even if I could use my own knife at work, I wouldn't. Cardboard cutting isn't that fun, it's just a task. My advice is to save your knives for better things, go camping or get into whittling or something. Cutting up crappy cardboard with my new Techno is not on the agenda.
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Call me a knife/steel snob then:D You won't see a $10 cardboard cutter on me.
 
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My job doesn't pay for my knife, nor do they pay for any of my tools. If they did, it would be nothing but 99 cent screw drivers, pliers, and wire cutters from the Dollar Store. Let's see the repaired edge! Pics or it didn't happen!
 
RevDevil said:
My job doesn't pay for my knife, nor do they pay for any of my tools. If they did, it would be nothing but 99 cent screw drivers, pliers, and wire cutters from the Dollar Store. Let's see the repaired edge! Pics or it didn't happen!
Click to expand...

I fixed it late last night, and it was shaving, but I wasn't completely happy with it, but I will post pictures when I get home. I need to get the diamonds for my Sharpmaker. I used a diamond on a guided rod system at 15 degrees and then went to the Sharpmaker at 30 inclusive to hone it. I did in the process really thin it down at the shoulders, so a micro bevel might be necessary. Do you think I could set a reasonably quick micro bevel at 40 degrees with the medium and fine Sharpmaker stones?
 
nccole said:
I fixed it late last night, and it was shaving, but I wasn't completely happy with it, but I will post pictures when I get home. I need to get the diamonds for my Sharpmaker. I used a diamond on a guided rod system at 15 degrees and then went to the Sharpmaker at 30 inclusive to hone it. I did in the process really thin it down at the shoulders, so a micro bevel might be necessary. Do you think I could set a reasonably quick micro bevel at 40 degrees with the medium and fine Sharpmaker stones?
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I've heard that rather than spend the bucks for the diamond sticks you're better off getting a DMT Aligner. Accidents with the diamond sticks can ruin a knife. Re-align with the DMT and then use the Sharpmaker.
 
I rolled the edge on my M390 paramilitary when the knife slipped through what I was cutting and hit the tailgate on the truck. Very minor and took a minute or two to fix. It's at about a 35degree inclusive bevel. No micro bevel.
 
Here it is mostly fixed up. I think the notch is slightly present, but I wanted to go to bed. That mark is a little left over sharpie marker. This steel is quite a bit different than my others. It is not terribly hard to work, and raises a nice burr that is easy to see. It seems like it is very difficult to get a very fine edge. It will shave, slice newspaper, but does not feel as smooth as say VG-10 when freshly sharpened. I can get VG10, and S30V to make hairs seem to jump off my arm, but not this. It feels rough, and it also looks rough at the very apex. Is this what guys call a toothy edge? If so, I don't think I like it as much, or maybe I am not quite there, and can get it finer with more work. Maybe time to master my strop?
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