do you folks really want stainless knives?

Personal preference is ATS 34 Stainless and the like for folders, but for fixed-blades I really like the carbon steels. A great suggestion was made above in that you should offer the option of either stainless or carbon.
 
I think one of the reasons stainless sells is because most well designed, one handed folders are not availiable in any thing else.

Corrosion factor aside, I think any knife would perform better.

This reminds of something that took 35 years ago. When I first got involved with woodworkning and worked in a cabinet shop there was this older fellow offered to let me try some of his old tools. The difference was nearly startling and this was in comparison to "mechanic" tools not your cheaper handyman tools. About the only thing you could fault these old tools were the patina they had. I looked into the matter and found out one of the reasons that the manufactures added more chromium to the tools was so that they would not rust on the shelf which they felt hurt sales.
 
Well Beam, the problem is that any such "darkening rust" on a knife is slowly rusting your cutting edge away. On a daily hard-use knife that you know how to sharpen and maintain the extra edgeholding of a carbon or tool steel might be worth the hassle. On a fighter that is with you frequently but seldom used for heavy utility, having an edge that's "always there, always ready with no maintenance" is WORTH the increased sharpening you'd have to do if you did use it as a serious worker.

Does this make sense?

Jim
 
As mentioned in another thread some of the carbon steel Xacto blades and single edge razor blades have been in my tool box for ten years, at least, who knows how long they sat on store shelves before I bought them, and they are fine, as such blades have been for all of the years that I have bought and used them.
 
For me it depends on use. If a FB, I would go for a high carbon, A2,5160,D2 etc....

Folders I am inclined to go with the favs: BG42, 440V, VG-10 etc....

YMMV
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The vague and tenuous hope that GOD is too kind to punish the ungodly has become a deadly opiate for the conscience of millions.

*A. W. Tozer

2 Cor 5:10

 
My knives are utility knives. I am aware that I am also carrying for defense but that is secondary. Carbon steel has more advantages than ease of sharpening. The blades are tougher and get sharper. Many people who are into tradional knives like stockman patterns buy the carbon steel version. It not worth the loss of one hand opening to me. I can see your point if you carry a knife but don't use it often but I don't that problem and I don't mind a little extra effort in upkeep.

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Roger Blake
 
Beam,

I'm with you.

I have a handful of "traditional" patterns, and when available I prefer to get those in carbon steel. (Case, Camillus, Klaas, etc)

The decision is made easier when the stainless offered in the same patterns is 420j or 440a imho.

Now that Queen has begun offering their patterns (Queen, Robeson, Schatt & Morgan) in ATS-34, the disparity is not quite as pronounced.

Still, for everyday carry on and off the job, I want a "one hander" that has it all. (Like a Carson in a folder, or a small fixed blade neck knife.) Which is why I usually enjoy carrying more than one knife on my person at any given time.
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Great topic.

(By the way, I have a Hatin built D2 neck knife about to arrive any day. Will be my first experience with D2 and I am looking forward to it.)

Blues

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Live Free or Die

Some Knife Pix
 
Another advantage in addition to price/performance that something like a carbon steel stockman has is that it also has three blades. Someone in a few other threads has complained that his expensive tool steel knife ended up with a rolled edge when it hit a staple, which wouldn't be much a of problem with a stockman as two other blades would be available for use.
 
I thought I would add to the dissussion by giving a link to Ron Hocks tool steel rant. http://www.hocktools.com/steelrap.htm The first paragraph kinds of sums it up and I am quoting him here.
"The three qualities that most effect the selection of a steel for a hand-tool application are edge-holding, sharpenability, and corrosion-resistance. For metallurgical reasons, you can only have two of the three. We at HOCK HANDMADE feel that in woodworking, corrosion-resistance is the least important of the three, and prefer an edge that is easily sharpened and long lasting."
Ron Hock is a knife and tool maker. His plane blades are very well thought of by woodworkers which is how I know of him. I realize some of what he is saying may be dated by metal particle steels and some other new technologies.
 
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