H1

G

galen59

Joined
Mar 7, 2008
Messages
247
What's with this H1 stuff, infused with nitrogen rather then carbon? how they do that?, doe's it work, is it really rust free, if it hardens with use will it sooner or later shatter? G.
 
Yes, some of the carbon is replaced by nitrogen. If I knew how they did that, I probably wouldn't be working for a living anymore. ;) Yes, it does work. It is possible to get H-1 to corrode by placing it in direct contact with swimming pool chlorine tablets overnight, but that is the only way anyone has succeeded so far. Since it work hardens, it may eventually crack, so your great-great-grandchildren may have something to worry about. It is not likely to happen in your lifetime, unless you have a habit of clamping your blades in a vise and bending them back and forth with a pipe wrench. It is very tough stuff, and holds an edge reasonably well, especially in serrated configuration.
 
H1 is great stuff! Cant go wrong with it! Will not rust under any normal use! The foto of the Chlorine tablets looks like it ate the blade (like acid) rather then rusting it!
 
I love my Salt.... It might sound weird but I carry mine to gym (I go nowhere without a blade) After 2 years no amount of sweat has been able to put a single blemish on the blade even though some days I come home soaked and the knife never gets wiped down it is still perfect.....

It is easy to resharpen and a joy to use.......
 
Living and fishing exclusively in salt water is a test for any knife steel. The H1 has zero signs of rust after about a years worth of fishing/camping on the seashore. Greatest thing since sliced bread:D note: it does scratch up easily, but heck its meant to be a worker:thumbup:
 
The reason why it scratches easily and takes impact well is because they DON'T heat treat is. The grinding process work-hardens the edge zone, and every time you resharpen it you're also work hardening it further. This means the main body of the knife remains soft and durable. Sal told me this is the reason why you don't see them (Spyderco) making any H1 knives with a full flat grind. The blades have to be ground on both sides simultaneously because of the work hardening, and there's no such thing as a machine that can flat grind both sides of a knife at once! :D

Tom Krein has done a regrind or two on some H1 pieces, at least one of which was converted to a ffg, but the work hardening makes it uneconomical to do on a production scale--you'd be burning out your abrasives at a record pace! :eek:
 
Sal has posted that the edge hardness has tested Rc 63+ on PE and as high as Rc 68 on serrated. I think he said the blade stock was made to Rc 58, but I could easily be wrong on that number. I do know the blades and lockbars are made from stock made to different hardnesses.
 
:eek:

If I had to guess I would have said 59-63MAX.

Amazing.

yablanowitz said:
Sal has posted that the edge hardness has tested Rc 63+ on PE and as high as Rc 68 on serrated. I think he said the blade stock was made to Rc 58, but I could easily be wrong on that number. I do know the blades and lockbars are made from stock made to different hardnesses.
Click to expand...
 
Ive been using a pacific salt for 3 to 4 years salt water fishing. My wife uses it kayak fishing too and never cleans it. Hasnt shown a blemish yet. I've sharpened the hallows out of mine to a high saber grind. IMO it has not increased at all in hardness. It still sharpens up and holds edge the same as the day i got it. If hardness of H1 has no correlation to ease of sharpening and edge retention, then i could understand it not getting better with age. As far as it increasing up to 61 -63, i dont feel it after as much as ive sharpened mine. 58 tops.
 
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