Originally posted by BruiseLeee
I've read a little about the fancy steels used in some commercially available pieces of cutlery. Is there any creedence to their claims?
Yes
How do they compare to recycled leaf springs?
Some compare very well. A few exceed spring steels performance in certain areas.
I know by tempering can one achieve the same things such as edge retention or ease of sharpening. How does the fancy steels affect these factors?
Many of the fancy steels are very hard to sharpen and requires more advanced hones such as the ceramics and diamonds in order to sharpen efficiently.
NO, it's not all hype. Many of the fancy steels have their place if one needs their abilities. Most people do not.
You are not alone.
Bruise after buying and using a couple of the new fancy steels I have determined that my favorite and all that I require is still a good carbon spring steel.
Yes they do have a tendency to rust more, but then I have seldom had a rust problem even when living near the ocean, but that's just me.
There are some people with so much acidity in their bodies that they can cause steel to rust just by touching it.
I once worked with a fellow who's micrometers and other steel tools that weren't chrome plated were all rusty. He had a helluva time with rust and constantly fought it. Micrometers don't work well if they're all rusty, let alone other machinist's tools.
A problem with the so called stainless steels is that they're not really stainless. They are just stain less. And many of the new ones will rust almost as quickly as some carbon steels so I've read.
I personally don't know.
Dan K who used to be a regular here had a very valid point as to hardness of knife blades. Dan always said that a knife didn't have to be all that hard and IIRC Dan preffered his on the soft side for ease of sharpening.
I have always been one who prefer a harder blade so that the edge will last longer. Just different strokes for different folks.
And although I prefer a harder blade I do agree with what Dan says.......
There would be certain times in other areas of the world that I might prefer a softer blade.
The little Camillus 154CM Talon I have I really like. I also got the EDC in 154CM.
The edges on these little knives seem to last forever and with a nice ceramic hone are not hard to sharpen at all.
I like this steel and would probably buy another if I really liked the knife.
If I didn't have a ceramic hone or it would be difficult for me to get one I would stick with my carbon steel.
I also have a Busse E-Battle Mistress and a Busse Basic 9 that are both very fine knives, one made from INFI steel and the other Modified INFI.
These knives are everything everyone says about them. Would I buy another?
Probably not.
The reason is that I just do not need that level of performance.
The other reason is that I find INFI hard to sharpen personally, the Modified INFI isn't quite as bad for me.
And I'm in the minority among the ones who find either one of these steels hard to sharpen, maybe I just don't hold my mouth
right.
The bottom line is that I agree with my Bro Walosi.
What most people don't stop to realize is that good carbon steel well heat treated has been the mainstay for hundreds of years. And IMO will be for several hundred more.
It is fun playing with new and different steels, but in reality most people will never require the level of performance that some of the fancy steels deliver and in that case much of what's said about the fancy steels is hype.
The WW II Kabar is a good in point. The Kabar has a rather thin blade for a military knife that was expected to do so much and did. Yea some of them broke, but that was usually because of expecting too much from the knife.
Just think how many survived the war and went on to become a treasured hunting knife because it had seen you through the really hard times.
You knew it was dependable!!!!
Just look at what happened to a certain Sirupati one day when Uncle Bill got pissed off.
It took a lot of force to cause that Sirupati to do what it did and it dayumed sure wasn't designed for that kind of treatment!!!!
Knives aren't designed to do everything although a good khukuri approaches that goal methinks.
Man has ever looked for a better material for knife blades. I imagine that when our tools were chipped from stone that each tool master had his own favorite type of stone and the area it came from.
Obsidian was traded all over the continental USA before it was ever named.
I don't know that it was a superior tool and actually I think obsidian is more brittle than good old Oklahoma Flint.
Yes, the obsidian will no doubt chip to a much sharper edge, but it gets back to the old story, "Do you want an edge that will last or one that's super sharp that you have to be careful of not chipping?"
The story in reality hasn't changed.
Has it?
5160 or old Mercedes Benz Springs is my favorite steel for large knives made for chopping.
There are a few well known custom makers who feel the same way about 5160.
52100 done up right by some makers such as my friend and fellow Cherokee Ray Kirk is my favorite smaller knife steel say up to 12 inches or so.
But with what Ray has been doing with 52100 my views may change and it may become that in reality, "Size does not matter."
The only reason my Raker knife made by Ray isn't my daily carry is because I would hate to have it taken from me in todays fearful world.
Perhaps one of these days I will get Ray to do me up something around 4 inches with a nice sweeping edge and nice point outta 52100.
On the other side of the coin I know it would be great fun to be able to buy and check out each and every new knife steel or other material like the well known Taolonite(r) to come along.
I think everyone would like to be somewhat like Cliff Stamp, Dr.Walt Welch, and the survivalist guys who get to take new and exciting knives to new and exciting places in the world.
Another good dream.
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(I think most of us would like to see how any good heat treated piece of sharp carbon steel with a nice recurved edge would perform when placed at Bin Laundry's throat and given a quick smooth pull sideways.
)
Another good dream.
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