Ionfusion vs BG42 & ATS34. Which is best?

B

backpacker

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Oct 2, 2000
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I am going to order a knife from Petes Shop, but, I have no idea which blade steel Buck heat treats or prepares better.

The knife is going to be used as my primary backpacking knife. It will be subect to hard use.

Which steel would be best?

I understand that the Ionfusion is a surface coating. Does this wear off or dimminish as the knife is sharpened or used?
 
Since you are looking for a hard use steel, get BG-42. It will hold a edge longer than ATS-34. Ionfusion will hold a edge longer, but is only sharpned on one side as part of the process. So if it is used for choping, than it would not last as long.
 
BG-42 takes a sharper edge, is easier to sharpen, holds the edge for a very long time, and is tougher. If you only cut wood, hide, or meat the ionfusion will stay sharp indefinetly, but if you chop into bone you can ding the underlying metal. The BG-42 chops through bone without damage.
 
Originally posted by Jeff Clark
The BG-42 chops through bone without damage.
Click to expand...

without as MUCH damage.:) keep choping bone and any knife will show it.
 
I ran a test to compare several hunting knives. I bought a bunch of 10"-long beef ribs. I compared how the knives worked stripping all the raw meat off the bones. Then I tried chopping half-inch deep v-shaped notches in the edge of the bones. Among the knives I used were an ionfusion (buckcote) Vanguard and a BG42 Master Series Vanguard. The ionfusion edge got dinged by rolling over to the side that did not have the sharpening grind (the steeper side). The BG42 blade was razor sharp and showed no indication that it had been used.

As a comparison, a basic Swedish hunting knife 12C27 alloy blade was also dinged. I could mostly steel and hone away the dings in the relatively soft blade. The ionfusion blade could only partly be restored by steeling and honing on a diamond bench hone. It needs to go back to the factory.

That said, the ionfusion blade is really amazing. When I was trying to steel the blade it would easily shave metal off the side of my steeling rod.
 
A lot depends on what you use the knife for. I don't hunt, (but I'll be happy to cook for those who do), so I can't comment on chopping bones with the Ionfusion. I do whittle, do ropework, and general cutting around the house. I've never had to sharpen an Ionfusion knife! Someday I'll see how tough it is to sharpen one.

My BG-42 knives sharpen well, and keep their edge well. So, by the way, do the Damascus 110's I have. In fact, on my belt right now is a damascus 110 with NS bolsters and Oak handles.

Try them all, buy LOTS of knives! Make your own choices!
 
hey Folsom-
what do you think is the difference in the cutting abilities and other qualities between the BG-42 and the damascus?
 
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