Kershaw RAM and Sanvik experience.

[k12s]

Hello all,

I responded to post a few weeks ago where someone was inquiring about a Kershaw RAM. I stated that while I like the knife the steel needed sharpening a few times a day. That basically Sandvik was a poor steel and I rather have AUS-8 than Sandvik. The Sandvik never chipped, but would "flatten".

Well the Kershaw folks on here took up for the Sandvik 13c and said there must be a heat treat problem since I bought mine the first week they were released. They kindly gave me the Kershaw warranty info and said to contact Kershaw and they would replace it.

Well... I had given the knife to my son within a week of buying it, and he has had it ever since. When I went to retrieve it from him it was, as usual, dull as a butterknife. I decided to give it one more try before I sent it back for warrany. I took out the Spyderco diamonds, progressed to the greys, on to the fines, and eventually the ultra fines. I took alot of steel off since the edge was flat. Almost took the hollow grind off I took so much.

Well, after all that the knife, and steel, has performed excellent. I don't know what the initial problem was, but now I am so happy with my son's knife that I will have to get me one.

I had a similar problem with a 740 Dejavoo. The S30V edge chipped something terrible, but since it was my only knife at the time I kept sharpening the big chips out. After a couple of months the Dejavoo never chipped again and began taking a SCREAMING edge. It would get sharper than any knife I have had since (20).

I don't know anything about heat treat, but it seems both knives had an issue. Maybe someone that does will chime in.

For the record Sandvik is a good steel for EDC. I hated that I slammed it so bad in the past.

K12s

 

[J.Mattson]

I had the same experience with one of my Kershaw knives in 13c26. I knew it must be a fluke because I had more then one knife in the steel. I re-profiled the edge and thinned in down and then suddenly the steel preformed wonderfully. I wonder what it is that causes these problems in certain knives?

 

[Vicarious Reality]

That's odd.. reminds me of how H1 becomes better the more you sharpen it

 

[Peter Parker]

I'm a huge fan of 8A, but for me 13C26 beats the day lights out of it! The only steel I currently like better is S30V. I currently have 4 knives in that steel all from Kershaw and all well heat treated!

 

[spoonrobot]

I had a similar problem with a 740 Dejavoo. The S30V edge chipped something terrible, but since it was my only knife at the time I kept sharpening the big chips out. After a couple of months the Dejavoo never chipped again and began taking a SCREAMING edge. It would get sharper than any knife I have had since (20).

Not sure who came up with it but AKAIK the theory put forth was that factory knives which are generally sharpened on hi-speed belts or other machinery that causes the last few millimeters of the edge heated up, causing it to become brittle. When the knife is first used this causes the edge to chip but as the small brittle section is sharpened out edge holding improves and the remaining steel starts behaving properly.

As I said, I'm not sure if this is a sound theory or if it's been debunked but I first read about it here several years ago and have seen it referenced from time to time.