I didn't know better

P

patrickjames

Joined
Feb 11, 2006
Messages
274
For years and years I was able to do what ever I needed to do with a knife with inferior steel.The latest whipping boy is 420HC which I've been told recently on the blade forum that it's just a little better than Pakistani pot steel.I own alot of exspense custom made knives that I would never use.I get most of my enjoyment heading to the woods with my 110 or the light weight diamond back.I also carry a 3 bladed stockman every day at my auto repair shop and it's never let me down the 10 or so times a day I use it.It's easy to sharpen and as tight today as the day I bought it.Actually I've really enjoyed being blissfully ignorant.
pj;)
 
patrickjames said:
For years and years I was able to do what ever I needed to do with a knife with inferior steel.The latest whipping boy is 420HC which I've been told recently on the blade forum that it's just a little better than Pakistani pot steel.I own alot of exspense custom made knives that I would never use.I get most of my enjoyment heading to the woods with my 110 or the light weight diamond back.I also carry a 3 bladed stockman every day at my auto repair shop and it's never let me down the 10 or so times a day I use it.It's easy to sharpen and as tight today as the day I bought it.Actually I've really enjoyed being blissfully ignorant.
pj;)
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If it works for you Patrick, keep on doin it...:thumbup:

I for one, still have favorites that I carry all the time. It is just fun to carry different ones in addition to the favorite. Course having 3 or 5 on the body at one time,,,well ya dont wanna fall in the pool.:D

I don't knock the 420 either, it sharpens up faster then the S30V. But the S30V holds an edge longer.... least for me...
 
patrickjames said:
3 to 5 on your body at once.Thats funny!
pj
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Lessee,,,just emptied pockets...

Little Red/black marble 170 that is people friendly.

Little larger cutback 174

And well,,,,a Swamp Rat Rat Trap. (sorry guys, havent got a Buck strider yet)

I was in a class all day so this was all I needed. :D
 
Steel snobs are always criticizing 420HC, but it is a good knife for a user and someone who knows how to keep it sharp. It has a decent edge holding ability and it is easier to sharpen than the new "cutting edge" steels.

In addition, Paul Bos heat treating brings it to a different level. I like the Buck knife main steel offering.
 
Schatt & Morgan also uses 420HC in many of their knives, and no one ever seems to complain about it.
 
Well, seeing as how you need a BS:rolleyes: , I'll trade you a nicely customized, one-of-a-kind 889 for that worthless Rat trap.........:D
 
I do get a litte tired of hearing 420HC get slammed, especially Buck's 420HC.

I have yet to see where it doesn't perform, and I have a 450 Protege that I have literally beat and batonned unmercifully, and it hasn't failed yet.
 
Pack Rat said:
I don't knock the 420 either, it sharpens up faster then the S30V. But the S30V holds an edge longer.... least for me...
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Faster also means easier. I'm a wilderness survival / primitive skills junkie and a scenario I could envision is you have a knife that needs sharpening and your hi tech __________ (pick one) sharpening system is at home. The only tool you have for resharpening is a rock. In that scenario, I want something that will sharpen as easy as possible.

Doc
 
Doc -Canada,I never thought of that.There nothing more miserably than knife thats hard to sharpen.It takes alot of patience.Right now I have a Buck strider fixed blade with ATS-34 steel that I don't have the ability or patience to sharpen.I need to find somebody to sharpen it for me.Anybody have any suggestions?thanks
PJ
 
that's what i love about my folder which shall be unnamed. the AUS-8 takes a wicked edge, holds it respectably and sharpens up pretty easy as well. i like that combo.
 
patrickjames said:
Doc -Canada,I never thought of that.There nothing more miserably than knife thats hard to sharpen.It takes alot of patience.Right now I have a Buck strider fixed blade with ATS-34 steel that I don't have the ability or patience to sharpen.I need to find somebody to sharpen it for me.Anybody have any suggestions?thanks
PJ
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Do you have a spyderco sharpmaker? Just the ticket, takes very little ability and comes with a video and instruction booklet.
 
Those of us who actually use knives know that being able to sharpen a blade easily is a very important consideration.

I have nothing but mistrust for all these fancy steels.... give me 1095, 420 or CV any time.

Buck knives take soem criticism for their blade steel...... but it is well heat-treated and nicely ground AND HOLDS AN EDGE.

420 can be crap, sure, but if it is properly heat treated, it can be fine.

If you are going to use a knife to do the job it was made for, then you must also take soem responsibility for looking after it and keeping sharp...'sharp is safe', as my old Dad always says.
 
DOC-CANADA said:
Faster also means easier. I'm a wilderness survival / primitive skills junkie and a scenario I could envision is you have a knife that needs sharpening and your hi tech __________ (pick one) sharpening system is at home. The only tool you have for resharpening is a rock. In that scenario, I want something that will sharpen as easy as possible. Doc
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Doc, in your primitive skills playing, I am curious. If you have a knife, why wouldn't you have a sharpener. If you are playing stone age primitive, why do you have a knife? I guess primitive is subjective.

But I do agree, in some settings, easier sharpening might be better. I don't think we ever did any camping where there wasn't a steel or stone in camp. I always considered primative camping as not having any ice. ;) :D
 
Pack Rat said:
Doc, in your primitive skills playing, I am curious. If you have a knife, why wouldn't you have a sharpener. If you are playing stone age primitive, why do you have a knife? I guess primitive is subjective.

But I do agree, in some settings, easier sharpening might be better. I don't think we ever did any camping where there wasn't a steel or stone in camp. I always considered primative camping as not having any ice. ;) :D
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In regards to the first part, you are quite right in that a steel knife is not a primitive skills tool. However, since most of us have limited amount of time for our interests/obsessions, quite often modern tools can speed up the learning curve. For example, when the emphasis is on learning different trap triggers, steel means faster. As far as not having a sharpener, s@%t happens!

As to the second part, "....or mix". :)

:) Doc :)
 
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