Kershaw Composite Blades

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Mar 3, 2009
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190
Kershaw Composite Blades, I don't understand them. I really like the Kershaw Tirade and want to get one but I have this horrible vision that at the factory old women take one piece of 154cm and superglue it to an edge piece of D2. ;)

Can anyone actually explain how this process works, what it's advantages are, and provide outside links to details of the process and reviews of it.
 
That's absurd! It's very YOUNG women doing the superglueing!

Sorry, never could resist a punchline. I'm sure someone will post something actually addressing your question, the composite blades seem very popular.
 
Thank you 2brothers and Thomas for the links! It's amazing to see the two parts of the blade not yet welded.

Obviously I no nothing about this process but have any issues come up in testing where the two parts of the blades crack or come apart under extreme stress? It seems like it must be inherently less strong than a single piece of steel.
 
with kershaw's name, warranty and customer service, i doubt that you would have any problem at all. i have the jydII and love it, i would and will have tyrade, but i got interested in the zt line. the tyrade has been increasing in value at a very steady rate dispite the economy and it is having its affect on knives and metal in general. jus my 02
 
Good grief, get it right!! They are made by illegal aliens... of the 'lost their spaceship' type. Think Area 51 - or Plan 9 rejects. They touch the two metals with their appendage-tip, wirewelding them together. The older ones make the odd looking joints, obviously suffering from the DTs, while the younger more stable space aliens make the JYDII CBs, etc. They are totally off the books - and, if I remember Valdar of the Coneheads properly, they consume mostly Shell No-Pest Strips and cheap beer (Thus the DTs...).

They do good work - I can't seem to destroy my two JYDII CBs.

Stainz
 
i think blades of a single steel would fail from extreme stress too.

if you have a hard time throwing down $85. wait a year from now when they aren't availible and pay the secondary mark up.

also, i'm sure like most reputable company's, kershaw tests its pruducts before selling them. heck, if you even did have a problem, i bet kershaw would take care of you.

as for using extreme stress on knives, use a fixed blade if you have to. or just buy a hammer or crowbar.

how bout some tyrade pron.................
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and some jyd2 pron............................
attachment.php


cheers, kimo
 
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This is funny technology, but so far this does not make to much difference in anything but look. Decoration only.

If they do something like cheap 420 steel with ZDP189 edge and able to make it below $50. Then it will be noticible impact. Or it they start making hard to grind CPM S125V edge, which no one can produce yet (except Italians) on same 420 base.

But have 154CM base and CPM D2 combination just because it makes it more visible after etching? What the point - decoration?

So far this interesting technology did not bring anything new in terms of performance.

I can imagine A2 big blade for chopping with inset near the handle for shaving made out of ZDP189 or something. Or some not even blade steel, something very flexible, but with blade steel tooth to do cuts - like Poison Ive sword from Soulcalibur... Something which really combine best out of different steels in single blade using this technology, but so far this is for look only which is kind of wasting great effort for decorations only.

Regards, Vassili.
 
If they do something like cheap 420 steel with ZDP189 edge and able to make it below $50. Then it will be noticible impact.
Well I wish I could say this is possible Vassili, but in truth, we can't even make a Leek with a standard 420J2 blade here in the US for $50 MSRP.

I believe where the savings will come in to play with CB technology, is more in the next level of price points. When you can get street down in the $75 range for a full sized, LE, AO, G-10, CPM-D2/CB USA made blade, at least in my eyes...that's a deal.

Or it they start making hard to grind CPM S125V edge, which no one can produce yet (except Italians) on same 420 base.
Well we have some ELMAX and M390 PM steels upcoming in some CB's...that seems like a step in the direction you mention above.

But have 154CM base and CPM D2 combination just because it makes it more visible after etching? What the point - decoration?
I'm unsure if there is anything wrong with using CB technology aesthetically, as looks can be cool.


I can imagine A2 big blade for chopping with inset near the handle for shaving made out of ZDP189 or something. Or some not even blade steel, something very flexible, but with blade steel tooth to do cuts - like Poison Ive sword from Soulcalibur... Something which really combine best out of different steels in single blade using this technology, but so far this is for look only which is kind of wasting great effort for decorations only.
Did you just use a Soul Calibur reference for us Vassili? :eek: Wow, I can't wait for the next new products meeting! :D

We continue to play with different steel combinations, so hopefully in the future you will get your wish. We're still researching and developing the process.
 
I would have to agree that nozh2002 makes a valid statement at this point in time.

To justify the process, the performance gain should overcome the added cost of the lamination procedure and result in a knife that is less expensive than the same knife using a solid piece of the higher performance steel. Or, the blade should offer some mechanical advantage, such as increased toughness.

I haven't seen anything indicating this is the case yet.

Then again, I have yet to see any studies on how these blades stand up in various tests - bending and such (and don't give any of that panzie-boy stuff that knives are for cutting etc.) or how these blades hold up over the years.

Does have "cool" looks, though.
 
This is funny technology, but so far this does not make to much difference in anything but look. Decoration only.

If they do something like cheap 420 steel with ZDP189 edge and able to make it below $50. Then it will be noticible impact. Or it they start making hard to grind CPM S125V edge, which no one can produce yet (except Italians) on same 420 base.

But have 154CM base and CPM D2 combination just because it makes it more visible after etching? What the point - decoration?

So far this interesting technology did not bring anything new in terms of performance.

I can imagine A2 big blade for chopping with inset near the handle for shaving made out of ZDP189 or something. Or some not even blade steel, something very flexible, but with blade steel tooth to do cuts - like Poison Ive sword from Soulcalibur... Something which really combine best out of different steels in single blade using this technology, but so far this is for look only which is kind of wasting great effort for decorations only.

Regards, Vassili.

Not enough attention lately?? The benefits of having a more brittle edge with excellent retention being backed up by a more flexible spine to increase overall blade strength have been explained at length many times right here on the forums. Your "expert" opinion this late in the game just comes off like bitterness.:thumbdn:
 
Then again, I have yet to see any studies on how these blades stand up in various tests - bending and such (and don't give any of that panzie-boy stuff that knives are for cutting etc.) or how these blades hold up over the years.

Does have "cool" looks, though.

That was exactly what I was trying to ask and say in my opening post. I was actually thinking of some of the Cold Steel bending tests and how the two steel combination would stand up to it. It seems logical to me that since the metals have different hardness that the blade might naturally fail at the seam.
 
Well I wish I could say this is possible Vassili, but in truth, we can't even make a Leek with a standard 420J2 blade here in the US for $50 MSRP.

I believe where the savings will come in to play with CB technology, is more in the next level of price points. When you can get street down in the $75 range for a full sized, LE, AO, G-10, CPM-D2/CB USA made blade, at least in my eyes...that's a deal.

Well we have some ELMAX and M390 PM steels upcoming in some CB's...that seems like a step in the direction you mention above.

I'm unsure if there is anything wrong with using CB technology aesthetically, as looks can be cool.

Did you just use a Soul Calibur reference for us Vassili? :eek: Wow, I can't wait for the next new products meeting! :D

We continue to play with different steel combinations, so hopefully in the future you will get your wish. We're still researching and developing the process.

Whole point is that for first step like for introduction nice looking blade is good. Like to attract attention etc. But what next? More decorative patterns?

This technology should work for real. I am sorry to destruct your attention mentioning Soulcalibur (or Soul Calibur I am not really familiar with this), but point is why not to try some non knife steel which nobody use before just because it does not hold edge.

I am thinking about some steel used in old clocks for spring - very flexible. I am not offering you this or that solution - you have your own brain. But why not to think in this direction. Why not to try different metal?

Like make titanium base and steel edge? Titanuim base with steel edge and carbide glass breaker on the tip...

Thanks, Vassili.
 
That was exactly what I was trying to ask and say in my opening post. I was actually thinking of some of the Cold Steel bending tests and how the two steel combination would stand up to it. It seems logical to me that since the metals have different hardness that the blade might naturally fail at the seam.

I'm wondering about that, myself, as well as other potential issues.
 
That was exactly what I was trying to ask and say in my opening post. I was actually thinking of some of the Cold Steel bending tests and how the two steel combination would stand up to it. It seems logical to me that since the metals have different hardness that the blade might naturally fail at the seam.
What kinds of uses do you use your folders for?
 
Not enough attention lately?? The benefits of having a more brittle edge with excellent retention being backed up by a more flexible spine to increase overall blade strength have been explained at length many times right here on the forums. Your "expert" opinion this late in the game just comes off like bitterness.:thumbdn:

Please, provide some more info on this. I am talking about test results. Anyone can came with explanation which may look cool.

However just as an exercise in public speaking I can write you several page of explanation why...

... soft copper glue can not stand pressure which spine may hold but copper can't. So blade will fall apart way before spine strength came to play and even before "brittle" edge start show it's brittleness...

So you see words can be turn one way or another. I may came with something opposite to this as well. Like...

... structure of thin copper layer between different steel under high temperature and pressure changed and also got some steel dissolved in it so it's strength is different then strength of plane piece of copper and geometry of joint was carefully calculated to disperse mechanical pressure between elements of construction...

bla bla bla.

Again this is only words which you can shuffle one way or another. Anyone can do this.

But I am not interested in this - show me real test results in comparison with solid blade maybe with laminated blade etc.

Otherwise benefits should be obvious like blade with COM S125V edge under $100.

Thanks, Vassili.

P.S. BTW Thomas told me (should be in Kershaw forum archive) that reason why combination CPM D2 + 154CM was chosen was only because D2 is much darker and so make this technology better appear. So all this brittleness/toughness was not in the consideration at least for first models.
 
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Age related delamination, delamination due to multiple impact from along the spine.

And, as mentioned, delamination from side bending.

Any data? Or is Kershaw performing testing via the buyer?
 
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