Cold Steel switches from SK5 to O1

res1cue

res1cue

Joined
Feb 2, 2010
Messages
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I saw this on the downloadable catalogue, the changes aren't reflected on the website yet. This would be for the "combat classics" which is Recon Scout, Trailmaster, and some other bowies

I for one think its another step in the right direction, and I am glad to see some new steels being used



from the catalogue:

"These very popular, time tested knives have been in our
line for many years and are ideal for just about any mission.
Made out of O-1 High Carbon Steel, they are precision
ground, heat treated and Mar Tempered in our state of the
art factory in Taiwan to rival the strength, toughness, and
edge retention of our famous Japanese swords. Check out
their absolutely superior fit, finish and above all sharpness
and then put them to work and we are sure you’ll agree they
are an incredible bargain."
 
Annnnnnd I just bought an SK5 Trail Master a week or two ago. I'm sure the change will be almost imperceptible though.
 
What differences are there between the two? I've heard SK-5 compared to 1085 which acted just like 1095 to me. From what little I've read about O1, it's tough & a dream to sharpen, but rusts easily.
 
jeffphansen77 said:
From what little I've read about O1, it's tough & a dream to sharpen, but rusts easily.
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Not stainless but will not rust unless neglected. Speaking from the Traditionals section, O1 is preferred to most 1095 for edge retention and some other characteristics. Good move CS.
 
Now if they will switch to a decent steel on their voyagers like 154 or something I will really be impressed with them!
 
ron finkbeiner jr said:
Now if they will switch to a decent steel on their voyagers like 154 or something I will really be impressed with them!
Click to expand...

And if they stopped bead blasting or black coating everything.
 
I think its a good move. Hopefully they don't give the steel a fancy new name like Grivcarbex, or something.
 
I have a Trailmaster in SK5. Toughness seems the same as 1095, but SK5 seems harder and doesn't want to take an edge as easily. 0-1 rust like crazy, but at least it takes an edge easier.
 
I love O-1 and count it as one of my favorite steels. My opinion is it can be made to perform a bit better than 1085/1095 with the right heat treat and cryo. Compare your best/favorite 1095 blade with a BHK O-1 at rc 60 and do some cutting and slicing. Lower the hardness to rc 57-58 for choppers.

I've had more a difference in corrosion resistance from the finish than from any difference between steels 1085/1095/O-1.

I can't put any numbers on one being better or worse and just feel my opinions are subjective and probably reflect my cutting style, sharpening tools and methods, etc.

Plus, I just plain like O-1. 1084/85 is next and certainly no slouch. The SK5 version has done pretty well for me too. I have no complaints there. Just having CS use real named steels rather than the old make up their own name ones gets me feeling better about it. It's just a pet peeve. Often enough, as in "Carbon V", the real steel by any name was a good performer. I still have a few and still think they hold their own in most cases.

Joe
 
Sonnemann said:
Not stainless but will not rust unless neglected. Speaking from the Traditionals section, O1 is preferred to most 1095 for edge retention and some other characteristics. Good move CS.
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Not rust but stain an emphatic yes! My Randall O-1 stained in two spots, one largeish, while briefly washing fingerprints off of it...

O-1 Badly needs to be coated imho... And A-2 is nowhere near doing that...

Gaston
 
I don't see why O1 should rust worse than 1084. Usually the additional alloying ingredients in tool steels help resist rust, not promote it.
 
The Mastiff said:
I love O-1 and count it as one of my favorite steels. My opinion is it can be made to perform a bit better than 1085/1095 with the right heat treat and cryo. Compare your best/favorite 1095 blade with a BHK O-1 at rc 60 and do some cutting and slicing. Lower the hardness to rc 57-58 for choppers.
Click to expand...

I don't see how O1 would get any benefit from cryogenic treatment since the Mf is at 100F with about 99% martensite.

1 or 2 tempering at 400-425F would completely blow the rest RA out of the water.

o1ttt.jpg
 
ron finkbeiner jr said:
Now if they will switch to a decent steel on their voyagers like 154 or something I will really be impressed with them!
Click to expand...

You mean like the CTS-BD1 they've changed most of their Grivory knives to, or the CTS-XHP that you can get many of their G10/aluminium handled knives in?

Charlie Mike said:
And if they stopped bead blasting or black coating everything.
Click to expand...

They switched to stone washing rather than bead blasting a while back, and their new black knives are DLC not Tuff-Ex coated.

So everyone is happy.
 
I'm a new knifemaker and have used mostly 01 and it is a great steel, takes a very keen edge. But like stated before it stains extremely fast and will rust on ya if you don't watch it. I send out my heat treating and have them HT to a HRC of 60. I don't believe there is any benefit to cryo on 01.
 
Last year I got a second hand O1 TM , very cool knife.
but i really wanna get a 5160 or L6 one.
 
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