Does Rockwell hardness variability equate to different cutting jobs?

Yo Mama

Yo Mama

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Sep 25, 2011
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I'm getting my first knife made with a Rockwell hardness between 60 and 62. Comparing this to a softer level say 56 - 57 would there be a difference in the intended use of the steel? Would one be better for food prep whereas the other for cutting harder material? Or does it really matter what material is being cut? Does it have more to do with longevity of an edge and ease of sharpening?
 
Generally speaking (without knowing what style of knife you made) harder knives are better for light cutting tasks, whereas softer knives can handle impacts better. Harder knives generally also hold edges longer and have better fine edge stability. But there's nothing saying you can't use a softer knife to cut hard material, you'll just have to sharpen it more frequently.
 
what steel are you getting with HRC between 60 and 62? i mean, anyone can make a knife 60-62 hrc, but it doesnt mean its good or done right. generally a higher HRC may be more brittle but it all depends on many many factors.

you would really want to focus on blade geometry for different cutting tasks.
 
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Mo2 said:
what steel are you getting with HRC between 60 and 62? i mean, anyone can make a knife 60-62 hrc, but it doesnt mean its good or done right. generally a higher HRC may be more brittle but it all depends on many many factors.

you would really want to focus on blade geometry for different cutting tasks.
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Microtech UTX 85 in Elmax :)
 
Mo2 said:
what is your intended use? im not a fan of that kind of OTF let alone the blade shape for the tasks i do. i wouldnt see any real difference between the HRC of them for the tasks i would use this for.

what do you think of the drama going on with Microtech http://www.bladeforums.com/threads/natrix-vs-matrix-the-0777-quagmire.1464781/
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All around use, nothing special, it just made me wonder about RC in general. I bought the knife loving automatics, and having plenty of side opening autos I wanted to try an otf.

As far as the ongoing saga with MT vs. the world.......not really sure. It's clear that family is not going well for the Marfiones, which is terrible for anyone. Also, not sure but it's clear both MT and KAI hate each other with a passion.
 
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I'm not a knife maker or expert in metallurgy, but other variables play into the steels performance as well. Heat treat plays a big roll as well as the ingredients in the steel. Chris Reeve heat treats his S35VN a little on the low side 58-59 hrc if I remember right for ease of sharpening. 60-62 hrc for Elmax seems about right, you shouldn't have any issues with edge retention.
 
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