How blade steel affects your buying

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I didn't give the Mule much trail time, so she's up for sale right now, I'll have to test out that Magnacut with another knife, probably a folder.

But lately, this one from Petrified Fish Havrog has gotten a lot of pocket time, blade of K110 is sharp and pretty sturdy knife overall.

Untitled by GaryWGraley, on Flickr

G2
 
Gary W. Graley said:
I didn't give the Mule much trail time, so she's up for sale right now, I'll have to test out that Magnacut with another knife, probably a folder.

But lately, this one from Petrified Fish Havrog has gotten a lot of pocket time, blade of K110 is sharp and pretty sturdy knife overall.

Untitled by GaryWGraley, on Flickr

G2
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Nice knife! K110 is Bohler's powder D2, not bad stuff. I have one K110 blade, a CRKT Onion Skinner. Sharpens about like good D2, takes a finer edge, and cuts a little smoother. I'm not really a fan of D2, but I do like this one.
 
justjed said:
Nice knife! K110 is Bohler's powder D2, not bad stuff. I have one K110 blade, a CRKT Onion Skinner. Sharpens about like good D2, takes a finer edge, and cuts a little smoother. I'm not really a fan of D2, but I do like this one.
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Where did you see that k110 is produced using powder process? I thought it was produced using conventional process. https://knifesteelnerds.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Bohler-Uddeholm-CATRA.pdf

The reason I ask is because cpm-d2 has significantly smaller carbides and due to this significantly better toughness. K110 should on the other hand be very similar to conventional d2.
 
My bad! People, PLEASE?! Disregard my previous ignorant posting!!

I've been under the impression, for several years, that K110 was a powder steel. Maybe it's just a cleaner D2, or finer grain? Still doesn't seem to be as toothy an edge as the D2 I am familiar with. And I still like it, for all the same reasons I previously asked you to ignore!

A bit more research, a bit less medicinal cannabis, perhaps.
Probably gonna have a bowl and think about it......
 
That’s true!

Reminds me of this funny tale, not directly related but there are numbers in it ;)


G2
 
Part of the fascination of this hobby is having something that represents the pinnacle of the tool. I'm at the point where I want the 'best.' I know this means different things to different people or different situations. If I merely wanted to cut something I wouldn't be here reading about it.

While definitely not the only factor, a modern high performance steel is important to me.
 
justjed said:
Nice knife! K110 is Bohler's powder D2, not bad stuff. I have one K110 blade, a CRKT Onion Skinner. Sharpens about like good D2, takes a finer edge, and cuts a little smoother. I'm not really a fan of D2, but I do like this one.
Click to expand...

ace said:
Where did you see that k110 is produced using powder process? I thought it was produced using conventional process. https://knifesteelnerds.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Bohler-Uddeholm-CATRA.pdf

The reason I ask is because cpm-d2 has significantly smaller carbides and due to this significantly better toughness. K110 should on the other hand be very similar to conventional d2.
Click to expand...

For a few years now, there has been controversy regarding Chinese D2. Generally, it just doesn't have the edge retention you'd expect if you were used to D2 in more expensive American knives. That's the reputation that made "D2" popular so this naturally rubs some people the wrong way. Of course, heat treatment matters and expectations should be metered for budget knives. There could be more to it though...

The vanadium levels seem to trend on the low side in results from XRF testing on Chinese D2. Not everyone here takes those tests seriously but one thing to consider is that Chinese D2 is produced in China. It isn't "brand name" so to speak, and there have been some questions about purity or consistency. Companies like Petrified Fish and Bestech switching to K110 for some models might be an answer to that issue. K110 is effectively D2 from a reputable producer and it comes with a higher expectation of quality control.

Given that those companies already do so much with D2, and Petrified Fish seems to do one of the better heat treatments for Chinese D2, I think that move makes sense. I still prefer more stainless steels for EDC but I'll be curious to see some testing.
 
Gary W. Graley said:
I was going to do a poll of different steels listed for you guys and gals to click and select, but, far too many to list and the Polling software limited that, so you can just post the ones you favour and if you want, the ones you avoid.

Seems every year we get a new flavour of steel that takes off and is suddenly the one everyone 'needs' or rather 'wants'. Take S45vn for instance, probably one of the shortest lived ones out there, I know some folks will favour it and that's good too.

Myself I like stainless steels, but I do like how the CPM3v takes an edge, just need to keep it cleaned after using. I have one knife in Magnacut, more a small leather working knife so it doesn't see any EDC type of work so I can't judge or compare its benefits to other steels.

But many years ago, 440C was touted and used by a lot of custom makers, as was ATS-34. Then BG-42 took the scene but I don't think it made as much improvement over the ATS-34, just a new version for us steel snobs to set our sights on ;)

So, lets hear if you have a preference for a particular steel, I'm still looking to get one in Magnacut to try out and hopefully soon, but it made me think of this scene from Jaws...

Untitled by GaryWGraley, on Flickr

:)

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1095 and its ilk.

Zieg
 
Chronovore said:
For a few years now, there has been controversy regarding Chinese D2. Generally, it just doesn't have the edge retention you'd expect if you were used to D2 in more expensive American knives. That's the reputation that made "D2" popular so this naturally rubs some people the wrong way. Of course, heat treatment matters and expectations should be metered for budget knives. There could be more to it though...

The vanadium levels seem to trend on the low side in results from XRF testing on Chinese D2. Not everyone here takes those tests seriously but one thing to consider is that Chinese D2 is produced in China. It isn't "brand name" so to speak, and there have been some questions about purity or consistency. Companies like Petrified Fish and Bestech switching to K110 for some models might be an answer to that issue. K110 is effectively D2 from a reputable producer and it comes with a higher expectation of quality control.

Given that those companies already do so much with D2, and Petrified Fish seems to do one of the better heat treatments for Chinese D2, I think that move makes sense. I still prefer more stainless steels for EDC but I'll be curious to see some testing.
Click to expand...
Many steels can make a good knife and this is why many people don’t think that steel matters. It is true, as long as the steel used meets whatever requirements the end user has it is fine. This in no way means that some steels are not better than others for knives. Today we have many excellent knife steels. 1095 and D2 for example are some of the worst popular steels for hand used knives, but we have many excellent knives in these steels. It also makes no sense to replace a knife that works for you with a knife in a different steel unless you just want to try something else. On the other hand if you don’t have a knife at all and you wanted to pick a good steel, then some steels are better than others and assuming these are available in the knife you want going with more appropriate steels makes a lot of sense. There is definitely a lot more to a good knife than the steel choice, as long as the steel is good enough, but given the option of any steel in a good knife design, some steels are better than others.
 
I like a good feeling knife with an edge that holds up and cuts well. My edc is a Spyderco Gayle Bradley 1 with CPM-M4 steel. If I had never looked around at the characteristics of various steels, I probably would never have found it. I stick with manufacturers like Spyderco that have a successful history in the knife market because of the good steel they use to make their products. I occasionally look over a rating chart just to see what is going on with knife steels.

www.bladehq.com

Knife Steel Guide - Knife Life

In its most basic form, steel is just iron and carbon, but people have been studying, experimenting with, and perfecting steel with other elements for specific applications for millennia. The study of steel is now so complex and nuanced that one can acquire a graduate degree in the subject and...
www.bladehq.com www.bladehq.com
 
For me it's less about the type of steel and more about the ergonomics. It could be made out of Nitinol but if I can't maintain a solid grip with all four digits then it's a no. But since this thread is asking specifically about steel I'll just go ahead and say that it needs to at least be stainless and be able to hold a decent edge through a week long backpacking trip. Cutting paracord, occasional whittling, preparing food, etc. I also should be able to pull out a pocket sharpener and put a decent edge on it without much of a headache.
 
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