ELMAX Steel Chips Easily?

Dirtykoala · Dec 17, 2014

I love my ZT 0560BW, but the blade seems to chip pretty easily.

I had to have a good amount of the blade ground down after it chipped on I don't know what soon after I got it, but I hadn't used it hard.

This last weekend I got stuck in the snow and used my ZT to hack at some branches to try to get traction and a little at some ice under my tires and the blade got pretty chipped.

Is this common for ELMAX?

I just got my Spyderco Manix 2 XL, so I'll see how my first S30V blade holds up.

:|

bdmicarta · Dec 17, 2014

I would expect that Elmax would be relatively chip-resistant for a stainless steel. I have heard that S30V is a lot more prone to chipping.

Dirtykoala · Dec 17, 2014

bdmicarta said:
I would expect that Elmax would be relatively chip-resistant for a stainless steel. I have heard that S30V is a lot more prone to chipping.

Well that sucks.

What steels are good at not chipping?

zl1 · Dec 17, 2014

I bet the ice chipped the edge rather than the branches.

Dirtykoala · Dec 17, 2014

zl1 said:
I bet the ice chipped the edge rather than the branches.

That would be my guess, I was just describing the use.

M.FREEZE · Dec 17, 2014

What angle is the blade sharpened to? I believe Elmax is one of, if not the toughest stainless steel available.

Bigfattyt · Dec 17, 2014

Elmax should be tough, if heat treated well. You may have gotten a bum heat treat.

Dirtykoala · Dec 17, 2014

M.FREEZE said:
What angle is the blade sharpened to? I believe Elmax is one of, if not the toughest stainless steel available.

20*. I thought this might be a factor, is 20 OK?

Dirtykoala · Dec 17, 2014

I swear my 154CM Benchmade held up better than this blade.

M.FREEZE · Dec 17, 2014

Dirtykoala said:
I swear my 154CM Benchmade held up better than this blade.

A full size griptilian in 154CM is my EDC. However I read that Elmax heat treated to 60rc is still tougher than 154CM heat treated to around 56-57rc.

20* is okay for EDC cutting, but may be too steep for chopping.

Dirtykoala · Dec 17, 2014

M.FREEZE said:
A full size griptilian in 154CM is my EDC. However I read that Elmax heat treated to 60rc is still tougher than 154CM heat treated to around 56-57rc.

20* is okay for EDC cutting, but may be too steep for chopping.

You really can't go wrong with a Griptilian. I carried a few of those a lot.

I was hopeful that this ZT would be a huge upgrade. In many ways it is, but I'm not happy with the blade which is what really matters.

M.FREEZE · Dec 17, 2014

Dirtykoala said:
You really can't go wrong with a Griptilian. I carried a few of those a lot.

I was hopeful that this ZT would be a huge upgrade. In many ways it is, but I'm not happy with the blade which is what really matters.

I've had two ZT knives, and they are great quality. I've had the Elmax and S35VN steels. But I keep finding myself going back to my griptilian. Personal preference I guess.

bdmicarta · Dec 17, 2014

Dirtykoala said:
20*. I thought this might be a factor, is 20 OK?

If it is 20 degrees inclusive then that is too thin for anything but slicing soft materials. If it is 20 degrees per side then it should not have chipped.

Krissig12 · Dec 17, 2014

Doesn't cold whether make wood pretty hard? Lol, Im probably way off, but I figured I would throw that out there

Like most of you said, I think it was just the heat treat that was off.

But what exactly does op mean by "hacking"? That word really doesn't register with me in terms of folders because of the short length. We're you slashing away like it was a mini machete? Or chopping at the base of the branches? Help me picture the scenario better

cyc79 · Dec 17, 2014

Dirtykoala said:
I love my ZT 0560BW, but the blade seems to chip pretty easily.

I had to have a good amount of the blade ground down after it chipped on I don't know what soon after I got it, but I hadn't used it hard.

This last weekend I got stuck in the snow and used my ZT to hack at some branches to try to get traction and a little at some ice under my tires and the blade got pretty chipped.

Is this common for ELMAX?

I just got my Spyderco Manix 2 XL, so I'll see how my first S30V blade holds up.

:|

zl1 said:
I bet the ice chipped the edge rather than the branches.

I cannot see how ice could ever chip any edge. Pebbles, grit or sand embedded in the snow would though.

Dirtykoala · Dec 17, 2014

bdmicarta said:
If it is 20 degrees inclusive then that is too thin for anything but slicing soft materials. If it is 20 degrees per side then it should not have chipped.

Each side

Krissig12 said:
Doesn't cold whether make wood pretty hard? Lol, Im probably way off, but I figured I would throw that out there

Like most of you said, I think it was just the heat treat that was off.

But what exactly does op mean by "hacking"? That word really doesn't register with me in terms of folders because of the short length. We're you slashing away like it was a mini machete? Or chopping at the base of the branches? Help me picture the scenario better

The wood was still wet and pretty soft. Hacking as in chopping at branches like my knife was a hatchet.

cyc79 said:
I cannot see how ice could ever chip any edge. Pebbles, grit or sand embedded in the snow would though.

It was all fresh snow, I didn't hit any pebbles.

It was pretty damn cold out. I cracked my Bates boots!

bedgoo · Dec 17, 2014

I had to use a knife in s35vn to stab through some hard ice last year. blade was scratched but the edge was just as good as it was before all the ice picking.
I thought ZT fixed their elmax heat treating issues.

Dirtykoala · Dec 17, 2014

Any info on what knives/SNs were effected by this heat treating issue?

mycough · Dec 17, 2014

Hacking like a hatchet sounds abusive to me. That's why I keep a hatchet in my truck. Russ

Dirtykoala · Dec 17, 2014

mycough said:
Hacking like a hatchet sounds abusive to me. That's why I keep a hatchet in my truck. Russ

If hacking at 1"-1.5" wet soft branches is too much for a knife to handle, it might be from Big 5.

I keep a chainsaw in my truck, but that seemed excessive.