Chris Reeve's A2: newbie questions

Andrew Lynch

Andrew Lynch

Joined
Feb 6, 2000
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I'm new to this forum, and have a few questions. Please forgive my ignorance!

If I understand it right, Chris's A2 is hardened only to 55-57 RC. While that might mean great toughness, I imagine the edge-holding wouldn't be very good. After all, A2 has a very simple chemical make-up, and therefore the hardness should be a huge factor in its edge-holding (some steels, like CPM 440V, don't have a high RC, but the vanidium carbides make it have excellent edge-holding). Am I wrong? Please set me straight if so.

BTW, great idea to make the one-piece knives, Chris.
 
Just do a search. I asked a similar question not all that long ago, and if I remember correctly that topic has been discussed at length here. I have yet to get my own experience with the OPR, but I have several and am intending to take them out for some field use as soon as I can.
 
I've got a Mountaineer I that's really small compared to most of the one-piece range, and I thought since it was small, that the blade would be ground proportionately thicker and would hold an edge worse than the larger models. I've found it to be quite the opposite. The edge is ground nice and thin, and it holds an edge surprisingly well, despite my using it to plane wood, etc. Honestly, I think the A2 holds its edge as well as my Dozier Pro Guide which is D2, and a horse of another color altogether.

Professor.
 
There are several factors that come to play when choosing the RC for a knife. The hardness of a piece of steel is a choice - there is a sequence that you follow when heat-treating and, depending on the desired Rockwell Hardness, so the soak time and temperature varies.

For a knife to perform well overall, there has to be a compromise between edge retention and toughness/shock absorbancy. Chris chose to harden to 55-57 to gain the best compromise.

At 55-57, the knives are relatively easy to sharpen in the field too, so you don't end up working hard at a task, dulling the edge and then being unable to sharpen the edge before the task (or weekend or trip!)is completed.

For folding knives, it is fine to have the hardness up at around 60 because shock absorbancy is not such an important factor simply because you can't chop with a three inch folding knife!

Hope this helps understanding ~
Anne
 
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