Glock knives, what steel?

Danbo

Danbo

Joined
Nov 28, 1999
Messages
14,985
Picked up a Glock knife recently, and was wondering if anyone knew what steel these knives are made of. Blade is marked "Made in Austria". It is obviously a carbon steel, since there is a little discoloring/rust on the edge. It also takes a pretty good edge. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

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Danbo, soul brother of Rambo
 
Nobody knows what steel they use in these blades????

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Danbo, soul brother of Rambo
 
Ummm, the fender of a '76 Volkswagen Beetle? I don't know, just guessing.
biggrin.gif
 
I've looked at the Glock site and some other sites, but nothing is listed. This might be unfair, but in my experience, if it isn't being clearly advertised, it might not be all that good. I'll keep looking...you have me curious.

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NRA Lifetime Member
 
Here is one source:

http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/ctd/dept.asp?dept%5Fid=1514&category=Knives&dept%5Fname=Glock

It labels these knives as being "made of special alloy hardened steel with polymer handles." Anyone want to suggest what special alloy hardened steel is? It must be a mystery!

knife2.jpg
Does that blade say "01"?

Osograndeknives.com says, "GLOCK’S Knives are made of a special hardened steel." That mystery steel again.



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NRA Lifetime Member
 
OK...I emailed Glock directly and received this reply:

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Thank you for your inquiry dd. May 26th!

For our knives we use specially tempered steel. The exact composition is purely confidential , we hope you will understand that we cannot give you a more detailed answer.

However, please be assured that it is being successfully used by many military and police units all over the world and that it is designed to withstand the toughest torture-tests!

Kind regards,

GLOCK Ges.m.b.H.
Martin Schiffer</font>
Click to expand...

So, it's "confidential" steel and a closely guarded secret. I wasn't satisfied with that, so I persisted and was emailed a "facts" sheet. Here is the data most of us would want:

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Material of Blade: Hardened Steel
Material of Handle: Polymer
Material of Sheath: Polymer
OAL: 290 mm /11.4 in.
Blade Length: 165 mm/6.5 in.
Blade Thickness: 5 mm/0.2 in.
Rc: 50-55 HRC
Weight: 202g/7.1 oz.</font>
Click to expand...

So that's all they are willing state. So, Danbo, I hope this helps.



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NRA Lifetime Member
 
Looks like you have another "Carbon V". I don`t trust mystery steels! I doubt Glock actually makes these knives. Anyone know who they buy them from? Doesn`t look like typical Taylor Cutlery stuff.
 
Anyone want to guess Pakistan? Isn't that the home of mystery steels?

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NRA Lifetime Member
 
Hi all,
that mark on the blade isn´t "01", it´s "81" I think. The Austrian military issue knives (and other weapons) are labeled with the year of first issue. The "FM78" , means "Feldmesser" (field knife) 78, introduced 1978.
Don´t know for sure as I haven´t seen any sawback Glock knives during my Army service, but it´s probably first been issued in 1981.
Don´t know exactly about the steel. I vaguely remember an article about the knife I read years ago, where they stated that the material is an AUS series steel. But as we know, the knives tend to rust very easily, so AUS is not very likely.
The Rc is deliberately very low to aid in sharpening the knife in the field.
I do not think that Glock farmed out the knife production, the also produce folding spades, belts, holsters and load bearing equipment.
If someones´s interested, the weakest point of the knife is the tang/handle portion (very short tang), if you manage to destroy the knife, it usually breaks there.


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"Peace is not without conflict; it is the ability to cope with conflict" - Leo Giron

[This message has been edited by judge (edited 06-01-2001).]
 
Checked Brigade Quartermaster. They also list as "specially hardened alloy steel." Specially hardened and an RC of maybe 50 is almost an oxymoron. A range of 5 pts on the Rockwell scale is ridiculous. Can't persuade me that quality is particularly important if the hardness can vary that much. I would think that the cutting ability of a steel at 55 should be significantly higher than that of a steel at 50. Might be quite a difference in strength or ductility as well.

Well, TOPs calls 1095 or 1084 or whatever they use an alloy. I think maybe it has 2 tenths of one percent of some other element beyond the carbon and iron. It is my guess that it is the cheapest steel they can buy with a half percent of carbon in it.
 
And here I was, ready to stick up for Glock amidst the many sarcastic - although good natured humour - responses by saying that we shouldn't pre-judge the knife until more is known about it.

However, I think the assinine reply from the Glock "know nothing" marketing rep sums it up. "Special Composition?" Yeah right. It reads more like, "We don't know", or worse, "We don't want to tell you (how crappy it is) because you sound like you know better."

Some of the above replies are right on target. It's nothing more than a licensed product...Glock has "sold out" its name. :barf:
 
Before you speak too dismissively of the Glock, Greg Walker recommends it as one of the best low-dollar fighting knives around in "Modern Knife Combat: The Training of a Knife Fighter." No, it's not miracle alloy, but according to him it is a tough knife, and fairly easy to achieve a razor sharp edge, and the sheath is extremely durable and secure. I've handled them (don't own one), and the quality appears to be reasonable, especially given the price.
 
Originally posted by Drakkar
It labels these knives as being "made of special alloy hardened steel with polymer handles
Click to expand...


:barf:


I don't know whether to laugh or cry... I wonder if it's surgical...
 
surgical steel... I think i remember it mentoned here once. That hospitals buy new surgical stuff/products rather than cleaning it, because it is cheaper... That tells a lot...
 
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