CS Kobun: AUS8A or 420?

Juramentado · Aug 24, 2003

I'm considering purchasing a CS Kobun and I'm aware that they are phasing out the AUS8A blades for the 420. CS still has some AUS8A kobuns. What do you recommend, the 420 or the AUS8A?

Morgoth412 · Aug 24, 2003

420 is utter crap...Grab that Aus8 one.
-Kevin

Roadrunner · Aug 24, 2003

AUS8. I wouldn't take the 420 ones if they were given to me.

glockman99 · Aug 24, 2003

Originally posted by Roadrunner
AUS8. I wouldn't take the 420 ones if they were given to me.

One of the 420 Kobuns WAS given to me (I won it in a contest here at BladeForums

), and I find that steel to be "ok", but I would still go with the AUS-8A steel, as it's a much "better" steel than 420, and will hold a better edge, longer.

fishface5 · Aug 24, 2003

from what I've seen, 420 is pretty much "pretend" steel. Great for wall-hangers, but not for an actual work knife.

W.T. Beck · Aug 24, 2003

I would personally stick with Carbon V in Cold Steel knives. AUS8 may be better than 420, but many consider 440C to be the starting point for good stainless steels.

Morgoth412 · Aug 24, 2003

While many people would agree with that W.T. Beck, I'm going to say that it depends on the company. Spyderco makes some Aus6 that is fairly good for being Aus6. CRKT, while I hate there Aus6, seems to do well with there AUS8 for me.
-Kevin

Angelus1781 · Aug 24, 2003

I just bought the Aus-8...wish I got the carbon instead. I like it but still rather have carbon.

Kyui Su Kim · Aug 25, 2003

I have one of the Carbon V ones and I would highly recommend it. But between the AUs8 or the 420 I would most definetly go with the AUS8.

Angelus1781 · Aug 25, 2003

yeah sounds like I should have paid the extra for the carbon. damn.

Phil Elmore · Aug 25, 2003

The Kobun is a great deal in a defensive knife.

Wunderbar · Aug 25, 2003

I've handled the one in 420....:barf: .If you can get the one in AUS8A do it.

W.T. Beck · Aug 25, 2003

As a purely defensive blade the steel might not matter so much. If the idea is that it would only be used in self-defense, and hopefully the need for that will never arise, then 420HC might be OK. Edge-holding is more important for utility knives.

Still, AUS8 has a very good reputation for sharpness, so that might put it ahead of 420HC in a defensive application.

Cosmic Superchunk · Aug 25, 2003

Originally posted by W.T. Beck
As a purely defensive blade the steel might not matter so much. If the idea is that it would only be used in self-defense, and hopefully the need for that will never arise, then 420HC might be OK. Edge-holding is more important for utility knives.

Still, AUS8 has a very good reputation for sharpness, so that might put it ahead of 420HC in a defensive application.

Well said. My thoughts exactly.

CS Kobun: AUS8A or 420?

RIP Dann, you were a good guy.