Do you prefer Hard Use materails? Or nicer looking, maybe cheaper materials?

Daniel Koster

Daniel Koster

www.kosterknives.com
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
Joined
Oct 18, 2001
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For me....Ironwood is the ultimate material.

There are others that are more beautiful...like Koa, stag, mammoth, etc.

And there are others that are cheaper, like Cocobolo, etc....

But for me, I just love the way Ironwood looks, feels, smells....the weight of it...everything. Even the way it works on the grinder (eats up belts...but I love it anyway).


Just love everything about it.



And Canvas Micarta....can't find anything wrong with it. By far my favorite synthetic handle material.


And for steel, well...you all should know by now....CPM 3V holds a very special place in my heart!!! All other steels are at best 2nd to CPM 3V.


If I could make make all my knives from these 3 materials...I'd be a pretty happy guy and would have no problem guaranteeing even against abuse


Other materials I really like:


Blue/Black G10 - I can get a nice gripopy texture with this and the layering is very nice.

Fibermascus (with carbon fiber) - as nice as ironwood in looks, but not as tough as micarta.

Koa - Knifemaker's dream handle material....stabilizes well....nice curl...exotic...just danged expensive!

Cocobolo - great "budget" exotic hardwood. Almost as hard as ironwood, just as oily...but not as dense or stable....and lots cheaper!

Curly Maple - great "budget" stabilized wood. Like Koa in looks and very easy to work.

Stag - I need to do more of this....just too hard to get nice pieces





Steel preferences:

As stated...can't get enough CPM 3V...:D

But I also really like CPM D2....need to do more of this

CPM S30V is high on my list...as is 12C27


1095 is a great budget steel...as is O1

And 5160 makes for a good "beater"

I think I'd like to experiment more with M4....just haven't had too many requests.



There are many materials from which knives can be made....but I've found that certain materials just "make sense" to me more than others. I've messed around with quite a few...and have narrowed it down to the above (I'm sure there are others I'm missing....will add to it later).

Anyway, hope that gives you a glimpse into my knifemaking head...:D



Dan
 
Hard use for me. :thumbup:

I have grown to love the 3V....... it is a heck of a steel !!!

PS/ In fact I'd have to say +1 for most everything you said above............ :thumbup: :eek: ;)
 
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i like hard plastic, rubber, 550 cord, basically anything that keeps my hands from the bare steel that wont fall apart.

in steel, i like 1080, O1, 12C27, and 13C26. I hope to make some blades of the latter two steels eventually. I'll leave the 3V fashioning to Dan and buy his.
 
My favorite knife so far is my 3V, canvas micarta nessmuk from you.
The 3V is an absolute dream for me. Tough as nails, takes a great edge, just all around a great steel. I suppose if I could have my way I'd have iron wood instead of micarta on the handle, but the micarta does a fine job.

I don't dig g10. It's always seemed to tacticool for me.
I also don't dig femmy woods like curly maple. There's just something about it that says "lady's knife". I can't really explain it. It's light colored, and lacey...
I like my woods dark and manly. Ironwood, cocobolo, koa, some of the burls, etc...
 
Hard use. Oh, hell yes.

No question. My knives are meant to be used. Keep your mother of pearl and chromed treasures at home.

I love micarta for handles -- indestructible and good grip when wet. But I'm willing to try other materials. G-10 is OK. Some woods are nice.

For steel, I'm just learning about S3V. I now have 2 blades made from this (Krein, Fehrman). So far I like it. CPM S30V seems OK as well. I have a few 154CM blades that do well. I have some D2 that has performed nicely. I still love 1095 and O-1; I'm a romantic. ;)

I have a question about D2 though. I have read somewhere that D2 often contains large carbides that can diminish a blade's ability to flex or result in a more brittle edge. I can't say I've noticed this personally, but I have become a little wary of D2 as a result. Is CPM D2 different? Is this just a myth?

When guys Like Bob Dozier use D2, you gotta believe it can be a decent knife steel. Any thoughts?

Added: Make a knife out of S3V and micarta and I'm paying attention -- I'm looking forward to your BushMaster. And that EDC looks good too!
 
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I like pretty, I like fugly...basically I just like sharp. ;)

3V is definitely a favorite---MUCH more the great-at-everything steel (from skinner to chopper) than S30V, despite what the early dogma said.

I think, Dan, that there couldn't be a much better combo than one of your scandi bushcraft blades and M4. For edge holding in pure slice and push cutting (non impact) I think you'd find it would pull away from 3V. Of course, it's not that M4 can't do impact work, it just won't outshine 3V in it.

An M4 Nessmuk would be interesting too. I'm willing to buy it/try it if you're willing to make it...
 
I'll choose hard use over fancy every day. You allready mentioned my favourite materials. Canvas micarta and desert ironwood.
CPM M4 looks like a very good steel for a bushie..
 
I have never owned a knife with mammoth, stag or horn because I think they are downright ugly. Give me natural/green micarta or light colored wood anyday. As far as steels I have no prefered choice as they all have pros/cons.
 
I don't think sheep's horn is very attractive, but I'd give it shot as it's supposed to be quite durable.
 
Ever tried purpleheart? it is tough as heck, but would need to be resin impregnated to keep that nice purple color from oxydizing.
 
Is'nt African bubinga the same or a very similar species to koa? Might save some money in that regard.
 
Daniel Koster said:
Stag - I need to do more of this....just too hard to get nice pieces


Dan
Click to expand...

I agree! I love stag and have it on several folders and fixed. Saw pics of your Nessmuk with stag - I must have one someday!
What are your thoughts on the durability of stag when applied to bushcrafty blades? Does it hold up under wet or cold conditions? Have you had any feedback or personal experience?
 
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I agree - that 3V Desertwood 3rd generation bushcraft IS my dream knife. I recently owned a 1/8th thick steel knife and it was okay - but I want a thicker nicer blade. Again, I want just ONE knife for life - or a VERY long time - not 20 knives. They are nice and fun to own - but for USE I want ONE knife that I can ALWAYS trust.

TF
 
I haven't done enough knives in stag to be able to have a reliable feedback from customers....not like with micarta and my stabilized woods.

So far, so good...and it does seem to be quite tough. Time will tell.

One thing I've noticed is that I get a lot of "user" feedback...moreso than other makers, I think.....has a tremendous influence over my craft.

Because I insist on using the stuff I make...

I'll wear a knife for a day or two...or a week...or month...:D...and definitely want to make certain changes. I don't just make up a cool drawing, make it and sell it. It has to work....I have to wear it for a while...I need to know where the weaknesses are...as well as the strengths.

Dan
 
"Hard enough" is OK with me. I don't necessarily NEED the highest-performing material, so long as it gets the job done. For example, stabilized wood probably isn't as tough as Micarta, but I'm not likely to damage either one.

If a new material is interesting, I'll probably give it a try, but I'm not going to spend hundreds of dollars extra on the experiment. For example, Warren Thomas makes knives with some high-tech features that I don't think anyone else is using (Titanium carbide edge treatment). If one of these blades had unique performance requirements that met a specific need for me, then I'd consider paying extra for the tech. Otherwise, I'd rather spend 1/10 as much on a knife that's "just" 10 times tougher than I need, rather than one that's 100 times tougher than I need. I suppose based on that statement, I should be carrying a Mora rather than a Bushcraft. Sometimes I do, but I use the Moras more selectively. I'm pretty sure that the Bushcraft will survive anything I do to it - including poorly planned, not-thought-out escapades.

Pretty materials are nice. However, form follows function. Mammoth tooth scales look great, unless you start chopping and they turn into little fossilized chips. Green Micarta is kind of fugly, but it just looks right on a knife. Understated and functional.
 
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