High Rc is all I want.

[ChuckBuck]

I'm looking for aknife with a ridiculously high Rc, like 65 or 68 or even higher. I know that Rc isn't all that counts, but I'm just curious as to how high manufacturers, or custom for that matter will take the Rc. I think I remember seeing something on Cliff Stamps website, the physics one, about knives with either 1095 High Carbon, or 52100 having a Rc of like, 68 or something. I just want to learn more about these steels and how they are tempered. I find it fascinating.

PS, I'm not Chuck Buck the CEO of Buck knives, my name is Charlie Buckalew, hence, Chuck Buck. I want to get a name change but i think it cost $10. Maybe I'll terminate my account and make anew one. Any helpful ideas here would be appreciated as well.

Thank you

Charlie

 

[Robert.B]

The reason not many smiths take their RC to that level is because its when knives start becoming really brittle...I've heard claims some smiths have figured a way to temper the steel at that hardness so its very durable...but its all wind bagging on the smiths part with no evidence (this smith i wont mention, but everything he does is speculative).

 

[MelancholyMutt]

heard rumors of what's called a S5 Shock steel, and also Carbide...

 

[Steven Roos]

Any steel will be super brittle at that Rockwell. Unless you are using it in a small slicing only blade you are bound to damage it.

That being said, I do believe the S (for "shock" or "shock resistant") steels can have rediculously high Rockwell and stay tough, and maybe even the Boye dendritics.

 

[ChuckBuck]

heard rumors of what's called a S5 Shock steel, and also Carbide...

I've looked into carbide and only found printing press cutters and stuff like that, and I think I remember seeing something about sharpeners. I haven't looked into S5 though, but I will.

Thanks

Charlie

 

[Temper]

Its an easy and enjoyable read

ack, the site has blocked the picture, anyway its called


Metallurgy Fundamentals get it from amazom for about $40

 

[Jan P]

Hi Charlie

You should take look at Finnish smith H. Roselli - www.roselli.fi. I have one of his UHC (ultra high carbon) Carpenter Knives. The UHC is supposedly wootz related an it has a carbon content of 1.5-2.0% with a Rc of about 65. I have used the knife quite hard for carpentry work and the like, also cutting hard materials. Despite the high Rc the steel shows no brittleness and the edge holds at least as well as my blades of M2, S60V and BG42.


Regards, Jan

 

[Will P.]

I think your best best would be laminated Japanese chef's knives, possibly paring knives. Unfortunately, they have chisel edges.

 

[the possum]

William Henry knives is offering one of their folders with some new powdered steel at ridiculously high Rc. I think it was like 66 or 67? I believe they are even offering it in san mai construction, with 420 outer layers to add some support to the hard core.

 

[Cliff Stamp]

Most non-stainless steels can easily get that hard, 1095 can get to 65 HRC, M2 at 66, O1 etc. . The really high alloy ones, the CPM REX series can get up to 72 HRC. For stainless, BG-42 gets up to 64 HRC, S90 V similar, S30V, about 62-63 HRC.

-Cliff

 

[ErikD]

Murray Carter makes knives with Japanese steel, and runs them to a pretty high RC, around 64. You can pick up a Muteki line paring knife, that is v-ground, for under $50. It is a laminated knife, carbon steel core at a high RC, and a stainless outer steel at a lower RC.

 

[tom mayo]

Files are that hard................put one in a vise and hit it with the heel of your hand and you will see why knives are tempered back from their initial high hardness out of the furnace.

 

[Cliff Stamp]

Hawksaw blades are tempered that hard too, they work better than if they were tempered back. Alvin Johnson did such a direct comparison on rec.knives a few months ago with a full hard and drawn file. Knives left that hard work better cutting ropes, cardboard, woods, plastics, etc. . They are not for chopping and prying though.

-Cliff

 

[kamkazmoto]

Try a laminated blade such as the ones made by Murray Carter. He has a lot of styles to choose from.

 

[numberthree]

I have a handmade 1095 blade that the maker treated to about 60+ RC; mind you, it's only 2" long, so brittleness is not really an issue. It sure does hold and edge nicely though!

 

[Jeff Clark]

If you carefully reground a high quality file you could make a very hard, very brittle knife.

 

[Will P.]

Tear up your grinding wheel too...

 

[the possum]

Well, I once made a small knife by carefully wet grinding a file, and it hasn't broken on me, even doing stuff like digging in the garden. I convex ground it so it would have plenty of support behind the edge; about the same geometry as my Blackjack knife. I figure if I tried throwing it or prying with it, it would snap. But for fine slicing or anything I'd normally use a folder for, I see no reason why it couldn't hold up just fine with some care. I drop my files on my concrete shop floor all the time, and they have never shattered like glass. I don't think we're giving this hard steel enough credit fellas.

 

[Jeff Clark]

Possum, I have broken files by dropping them on concrete floors. I don't know what brand they were. What brand did you use for your knife?

 

[Jazzman]

Have you looked at some of the D-2 knives made by Queen, the M-2 knives made by BM, or the SGLS made by Fallkniven? I believe that these steels hold an Rc of between 62-65.
Matt