CV Soddie vs. SS Soddie

E

ElCuchillo

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Here we go again, yet ANOTHER sodbuster thread. LOL. I just figured noone would mind. Anyway, here's the deal. I recently got me a Sodbuster Jr. in CV. I'd heard all these great things about it, rave reviews, people swearing by them. I had the SS, and figured I'd see what all the hoopla is about.
I know I'm probably gonna get hell for this, but I've got mixed feelings about it.
We all know that there are always trade offs when going from one pattern to another, or from one steel to another. This is no different. I like the steel. There is definitely a difference. I loved how sharp my SS got, and this one feels even sharper. Also, although I haven't used it long, I hear that they hold an edge alot longer then the SS. Very cool.
I also like the Patina that develops with a carbon blade.
The yellow handle looks good as well, and really helps if I were to drop it in the grass. I could see it a mile away.
Things I don't like? The Carbon blade. I've been told that the CV won't rust too bad. A good patina, light oiling, and it's good to go. Well, not where I work. Living here in the humidity capitol of the US (Florida), and working out in the heat all day has conspired to rust right through the Patina. Not too bad, but it's there. Every few days I have to wipe it off the blade. I guess the humidity, wet jeans (we go in the water after the gators), and the salt from my sweat just conspired to beat the poor blade up.
I also don't like the backspring strength. While adequate enough, it's not like the bear trap of my SS. That one slams shut, and holds securely open. The CV one doesn't feel the same.
Fit and finish are different too. I know this is a QC issue that can vary from knife to knife, but there are quite a few rough edges on my CV, but not on my SS.
For where I work, the conditions I work with, and durability, I think I'm gonna stick to my SS. It sharpens more then well enough, and when it dulls, it easily gets back to hair poppin sharpness. Besides, I like sharpening my knives. Plus, I carried that one for about a year, in the same humid, sweaty conditions, and no rust. I know SS does not mean rust proof, but this one has given me no problems. I guess I'll keep the CV in the draw for special occasions, but for EDC? I'm stickin to my SS.
 
I would pick a SS knife also if I were in your shoes. I don't think any carbon steel knife would fare too well if it was constantly being dunked in and out of the water. Maybe you could use the SS knife for work and EDC the CV when not wrestling gators.
 
I believe that if I were in your place, I'd be carrying a Spyderco Pacific Salt in rustproof H-1. It isn't traditional, it isn't pretty, but it will NOT rust, no matter what you do.
 
On really hot summer days in WI, my Schrade ss stockman gets a little rusty from my perspiration. I guess stainless in Fla would be your best choice.
 
ElCuchillo said:
Every few days I have to wipe it off the blade.
Click to expand...

You have to wipe down your blade every few days!? Dear God! It's a wonder our carbon-steel-toting forefathers were able to go on under that sort of pressure! ;)

Seriously, though, Cuchillo. Good post. Nothing wrong with admitting you prefer SS. You lay out some good, solid reasoning here.
 
If your conditions make stainless more viable, then go for it by all means. Like the fine print says; your milage may vary.

I have a love of the peanuts, and like potato chips, you can't have just one. While I use my yellow CV peanut alot, I also have a bone stag true sharp I carry because its just such a nice looking little knife. In edc I have not noticed a difference in sharpness. The true sharp cuts the jute twine we use around the house, opens my mail, opens those plasitc clamshell packages for which I have many foul names, and opens the UPS box now and then with no trouble.

The only way you will be able to tell a difference in the knives is sit down with alot of hemp,cardboard, and newsprint to do some cutting tests. Too many people are steel snobs, when in the long run the more important thing is how the steel was treated. Did the heat treat people get it right? Did the final production line people over heat the blade when sharpening or polishing? There's alot more to a knife than the label on the steel. But most of all, you have to like the knife. Like the feel, the look, the action. Do you like it?

The most expensive boots in the store ain't worth a tinkers damm if they don't fit your feet!
 
Corrosion will dull a knife just as much as anything else. As you’ve found stainless is much better depending on your situation. I happen to favor carbon and tool steels, but that doesn’t work best for everyone.
 
El, I think you should stick w' the CV and you should wipe it off and oil it on the hour. It's what we "knife nuts" do and I'm beginning to question your dedication. :D
 
I hear, if you really want to develop a nice patina on a carbon steel knife, you stick it in a 'gator overnight.

Or maybe you stick it in a 'tater overnight....I forget...

Whatever...SS sounds like the way to go!
 
I'm afraid I have to agree about the Stainless:thumbup:

OK I'm going to get it now but just exactly WHAT is so fascinating about Carbon eh?:eek:

Modern stainless is well sharp enough, holds a good edge and it won't start getting, mottled, spotty and rusty like carbon. Nor does it stink like carbon when you use it on food prep or snacks. SO WHY IS IT SUPERIOR???Is this some nostalgia trip like those old buffers who want to look at steam trains and decry modern locomotives eh?

Well, how can I achieve this so called 'patina'? I've tried leaving blades in potato,or apple, they end up sticky and blotchy looking and they stink-no good for food work. Give me some tips please or your point of view, I just don't get this carbon fetish.
 
Ohhhh...I sense a very courteous and even-tempered "debate" about to begin.

From what I've been able to glean, willgoy, I think there is no real objection to stainless (though it seems some do not like Case TruSharp (and some do)).

I think this crowd unashamedly are "...old buffers who want to look at steam trains and decry modern locomotives..."

The care and feeding of carbon steel, at least to me, has some kind of retro, soothing, simplicity to it. Simpler times or something.
 
What, us Luddites? Nah....

(We oil our carbon steel computers nightly, so we can't be. :p )
 
I don't know how much of that was tongue-in-cheek or not, so I'll bite.

Most prefer carbon steel because it does take a keener, finer edge than most stainless steels, and when it does get dull it can be put back into fine working shape very quickly. You'll find most people that really use their cutting tools, like whittlers, carvers, leather crafters, etc, prefer carbon.

But since carbon steel does require some maintenance, and because human society is constantly in a headlong rush toward time saving conveniences (even when they don't save time and aren't convenient) stainless steel was invented so that we could be lazy about keeping knives clean and dry. Oh, and for the occasional use, as above and in food prep, where it actually does serve a useful function.

When stainless was first introduced it was of significantly poorer quality than what we have today, as well as the carbon steel in use at the time. It instantly developed a bad reputation that its makers have been trying to change since its introduction. The last 50 years have given us significant improvements in metallurgic technology, right up to the current wunder-steel-of-the-week products.

So now we have steel that resists rust quite well, but can be a right bear to sharpen. Or is brittle. If there's a "super stainless" that holds its edge as well as, and is as easy to sharpen as carbon steel, in identical geometries, I don't know of it yet.

And many believe that age imparts character to carbon steel, whereas it pretty much just imparts scratches on stainless.

There is no one perfect steel. What works for one person will likely not work for another.

-- Sam
 
2 cv 3137's 1 ss 3137, 1 vic soldier (ss), 1 okc 499 (1095), 1 all steel craftsman camp axe. I don't care what my blade looks like, it has to CUT. all my knives do so I'm happy. fwiw I would have taken my 3137ss to Iraq next month, but my SM gave me the vic. btw for youns that carry a peanut, whats the record for dressing a deer w/1? my neighbor did 1 in 3hrs.
 
Wow, this thread just took off!! However, I just want to bring up two things:
1)This thread was more of a "Here's an example of where one steel works better then the other" topic then "this steel is superior to the other". I just happen to work in an environment where the SS works better. No biggie. Not to say it IS better, just works to the conditions better. Like alot of you said, steel snobs aside, it's ALL good.
2)No longer any point in talking about which soddie to carry. I LOST my SS today. We were doing some work on one of our signs out in the main lake, where the big 10-14 foot gators are, and I was hanging off the side of the row boat cutting some twine when a gator bumped the boat and made me loose my balance. Since I was hanging over the side, my first thought was 'GET BACK IN THE BOAT, GET BACK IN THE BOAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!", which I did...... but I dropped the Soddie along the way. It went in the main lake. Considering what was swimming around us, I figured I'd cut my losses and run rather then dive in and look for it.
Damn.
I really liked that knife.
Oh well, at least it wasn't my Peanut. By the way, JK, I think I have that same little Bone Stag SS peanut you have. Fewpop gave it to me when I lost my Jigged delrin Peanut. It IS a beautiful little guy. When I got it, I opened the box and inspected it, and thought to myself "I can't use this thing!! It's BEAUTIFUL!!" I have since carried it alot, and STILL pause to stare at it, or hold it, or fondle it for a while.
Fondle.
Did I just say I fondled a knife?
Can you SAY that here?
Well, I just did, and I do.
Often.
;)
 
Ya can't run fast enought to give me a stainless steel knife :D

and I spent 29 years in Florida around the north gulf coast. 10 years commercial fishing in saltwater.

When you first start toten a carbon steel knife it will look bad for a while, get spoty and discolored here and there but if you keep using it and wipe it down every day or so, the blade will develop a nice even dark color almost black. May take 3 months, may take a year. This natural aged patina will also protect the blade better. Don't give up on the carbon just yet :)
 
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