Is the new O1 steel actually O1 or something similar

Nobody

Nobody

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Dec 13, 2000
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I love properly heat treated, clean O1 steel and was happy to hear that CS is starting to use O1 on some of their knives.
Not all steel suppliers are equal however. Does anyone have info on the source for CS's O1 and whether it's clean spec'ed O1
and whether their heat treat will keep it from being too brittle on the larger blades? I doubt anyone here has this information
but I thought I'd check before I go spending money on a new steel transition. I just want to make sure all the potential and totally
understandable kinks have been worked out transitioning into this change with the large blades before spending bucks. Thanks.
I also wonder if they'll offer DLC coating on some of these O1 blades help with rust prevention.
 
One of the things that ColdSteel does extremely well is their heat treats. The o1's have been around for a while now, so should be no worries.
 
Good luck finding any info on the steel source of Cold Steel's O-1, they're understandably pretty hush-hush about it. Trade secrets and all, I guess. But all reports regarding the new O-1 knives say they're excellent quality. As for whether the previous SK-5 or the new O-1 is tougher and less brittle in the large blades, I've asked the same question myself and basically got nowhere. No reports of brittleness failure anywhere that I could find for either steel in the big bowies. If there is one thing their Taiwan factories seem to do extremely well, it's heat treat. So I wouldn't worry about it.
 
RAN MY ALL-BUT-NEW O1 TRAILMASTER into a wrought iron post holding a bird feeder with a full power swing as I was cutting down five foot high sunflowerws; forgot it was there. The blade was TOTALLY unmarked and I could not detect anything running my thumbnail up and down the blade; I was amazed at how tough that O1 really is.
O1 can be t-totally rustproofed by bluing it with OXPHOBLUE. Did mine after using it the first time and have not wiped it off since. It looks mighty fine and is totally corrosion free.
And so it goes...
 
I know this is a slight necrpost but do you have any pics of that blued O1 TM Wil Terry? I'd really like to see how it turned out!
 
Cold steel's O1 takes wicked edge for sure. None of my knives get as sharp as my Natchez bowie O1. Sails through water bottles as if they weren't there.
 
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