life expectancy of a user knife

[jackknife]

I used a Buck 301 stockman for about 25 years, some of that in the army engineers, most of it employed as a machinist. It was my camping/fishing/small game/whatever knife. It was purchased in an army PX in 1967, and retired in the mid 90's. It's still ready to go, but the main clip blade was replaced by Buck in 1993 on an overhaul trip back to buck. For most of that time, it was my only edc, as I didn't get really hit by the knife buying bug until the mid 90's or so. If I didn't get hit with the knife bug, it would still be in every day service. I think 30 years is a good knife life under steady use it you don't abuse it.

My dad made it about 40 years with a Case peanut his mother gave him. It was used gently but steady. The main blade was about 50% gone at the end.

Carl.

 

[ono724]

Trying to keep on the subject, I've often wondered if some of us sharpen our knives more than they really need it? I've seen some blades on knives that aren't that old that are way deformed from sharpening. Now I understand that nicking or even breaking the blade requires a lot more metal removal, but I can't believe that's the case for all the knives I've seen. I'll admit to excessive sharpening, because I enjoy sharpening, it's relaxing, and it's cheaper than booze and drugs!

I've got a 40 year old Case that looks like it's been through two wars, but it still works flawlessly... A good knife should last a lifetime plus.

 

[MikeH]

My dad was a cotton mill worker, and used his knives hard, both to cut yarn daily (rough duty on an edge) at work, general farm chores around our place, and game and fish processing chores. Part of my inheritance was a box full of carbon steel folding knives with blades worn down to small nubs. Most of them are Case Stockman-type patterns and Sodbusters. He sharpened them on a stone, and tried to achieve a wire edge because it "grabbed" and cut the yarn better than a smooth edge. (We are not talking about cutting individual strands, but handsful at a time.) He went through a lot of knives.

 

[pilote]

I carried a Buck 110 daily for 25 years until the blade was wore down to about half an inch after all those years on the stone.I wish I had sent it back to Buck and paid for a blade replacement but I was stupid and tossed it.The sheath believe it or not was still in decent shape.I was at a Gun Show last year and found another no dot 110 the same year as my old one to go in my old sheath.I'm gonna send it to Buck for a Spa job because it's pretty beat up but still has a decent blade.

still got the buck 110 got as a cub scout ...over 40 years old...it's still looking pretty clean...

 

[ron_m80]

I guess there is hard work and heavy use, and then there is hard work and heavy use.

 

[unit]

I would speculate that most knives have their "lives" terminated through loss or theft. I might further speculate that some get left somewhere where they experience acute damage (crushed, rusted, whatever). Farther down the list would be the knives that actually get worn out through responsible use.

This is all speculation, but that is my hunch.

 

[J.Davey]

I still have pocket knives my Grandfather carried for years. They are sharpened down to the width of a fast-food straw. Ya' know what? They are still usable. Would the be my first choice? No. But, as long as there is steel present and you know how to sharpen, a blade is usable. The biggest thing I see on these forums is that it seems people let their blades get DULL before they sharpen them, and then want a miracle sharpener. When I use my knives, I touch them up. If I go to my cabin and cut some meat or light materials, I clean up my blade and give it a swipe or two on a fine diamond sharpener. I have knives that are ten years old and look brand new because of this. If you wait until your knife is like a butter knife, then you have to re-profile your edge and do a ton of unnecessary work. Minor touch ups go a long long way.

 

[Magnaminous_G]

... I think that with daily use, such as making kindling, cutting food, butchering animals etc and sharpening by hand with a strop or stone a good quality knife will last more than one life time.

+1.

Truth. A good knife will last more than one lifetime if not abused.

 

[Ankerson]

In general a good knife should last for a VERY long time under normal use depending on what it is, steel etc.

That also will depend on how much the knife is really used and what is is used to shapen it and how often it's sharpened etc.

 

[cziv]

Trying to keep on the subject, I've often wondered if some of us sharpen our knives more than they really need it? I've seen some blades on knives that aren't that old that are way deformed from sharpening. Now I understand that nicking or even breaking the blade requires a lot more metal removal, but I can't believe that's the case for all the knives I've seen. I'll admit to excessive sharpening, because I enjoy sharpening, it's relaxing, and it's cheaper than booze and drugs!

I've got a 40 year old Case that looks like it's been through two wars, but it still works flawlessly... A good knife should last a lifetime plus.

I'm an over sharpener. It seems like I always find a spot that needs attention or that my sharpening job (already satisfactory) could be better and I re-sharpen. I Blame you guys with edge-pros for that!

I've worn down a couple of expensive folders but not to the point of being really noticeable. I try to resist the urge to "tune up" already sharp knives now.

 

[Zombie Zeke]

a knife is like a marriage, put the work in and it will last a lifetime, abuse it and it will cut your balls off...

 

[Planterz]

Except for maybe the soft steel of a Case, it'd take many years to wear a knife out beyond practical usability. If I did, I'd probably consider it a point of pride. I guess the fact that I, along with most of us, have many "every day" carry knives, so while if we had one EDC we might wear it out. But with several in rotation, the wear is spread out. My PE Tasman Salt is easily my most used/worn knife. Very visibly different than a new one. Used for several years, but with many years left. I suppose eventually it'll wear out, since it's one that I use often and don't rotate.

 

[Charlie Mike]

I've posted this picture quite a bit lately, so I apologize if anyone's sick of seeing it. But my Dad carried and used this knife for 40 years. I have countless memories of him using it. It's still in pretty darned good shape. I traded him for a newer version of the same thing. I'm sure that one will last him the rest of his life.

If you take good care of your knives (and other tools), they will definitely outlast you. :thumbup:

My grandpa owned one of those... He also owned the next smaller 2 blade which got carried the most. Very good walk and talk on those old US made Bucks.

 

[Charlie Mike]

a knife is like a marriage, put the work in and it will last a lifetime, abuse it and it will cut your balls off...

Can I use this for a sig line?

 

[FlaMtnBkr]

I ususally run my user knifes on my slotted paper wheel which removes very little but brings back that razor edge.

I had pretty different results when I first got my paper wheels. I decided I would keep my then EDC as sharp as possible all the time so I touched up the S30V blade on the slotted wheels probably on average 3 or 4 times a week. After about 6 months I noticed the edge had receded about 1/8". It wouldn't take too many years to really use up a lot of blade. Using power tools always removes more material than you think. I now strop by hand and probably 10-20 strokes per side on average keeps my knives sharper than the paper wheels and also removes almost no metal.

 

[cziv]

I had pretty different results when I first got my paper wheels. I decided I would keep my then EDC as sharp as possible all the time so I touched up the S30V blade on the slotted wheels probably on average 3 or 4 times a week. After about 6 months I noticed the edge had receded about 1/8". It wouldn't take too many years to really use up a lot of blade. Using power tools always removes more material than you think. I now strop by hand and probably 10-20 strokes per side on average keeps my knives sharper than the paper wheels and also removes almost no metal.

Heck you think that's bad? I took 1/2 that much off a new lg Sebenza 21 S35VN in two days with three passes per side on a dia-fold - fine, x-fine, xx-fine (9 light passes in all) and generous use of two strops loaded with 3 and 1 micron dia-paste. I did this removing a thin deep notch in the edge. Never even carried the darn thing and turned it to user status that quick. True!

 

[blademaster01]

Have an axe for the hard use.
Strop, with whatever you have, leather, loaded with compound, photo paper, cardboard, etc..
Hone your sharpening skills, taking off too much metal will shorten a knife's life for sure.
Don't chip the blade. Sounds simple, but steel, HT, grind, and it's use are all at play here.

I've been having a great experience with my Bark River Custom Highland Special in CPM S35VN. I've been cutting up raw chickens, going right through the bones. No chipping nor any rolling of the edge. I've whittled, batoned, carved, and sliced wood with her, and it does loose that shaving sharpness. Then, it plateaus with a good useable edge. Then I've been able to strop or touch the ceramic crocks and I'm shaving again.

totally agree

 

[eccvets]

I had pretty different results when I first got my paper wheels. I decided I would keep my then EDC as sharp as possible all the time so I touched up the S30V blade on the slotted wheels probably on average 3 or 4 times a week. After about 6 months I noticed the edge had receded about 1/8". It wouldn't take too many years to really use up a lot of blade. Using power tools always removes more material than you think. I now strop by hand and probably 10-20 strokes per side on average keeps my knives sharper than the paper wheels and also removes almost no metal.

wow that seems like quite a bit (I don't think I have heard of that much wear before). What kinda compound were you using on your slotted wheel? thats a whole lot of buffing!

BTW: what kinda material do you ususally use your knife for cutting? when you sharpened your blades, how beat up are they?

 

[Bo T]

My mom had an Old Hickory type paring knife when I was growing up that she used daily when I was growing up. It would have dated from just before or just after WWII. My sisters family got it and the last time I saw it was in the late 80s or early 90s. It had about half the width of the blade left. So pretty much daily use for 30 years and ?? use for 20 or more. It could still be out there as one of my great nephews ended up with my sisters knives.

 

[Bo T]

Some of the hardest use for knives was butchering and skinning. In the mid 1800s high carbon knives had an Rc from the mid 40s to the mid 50s. This would put them at the lower end of hardness and quality for modern knives. I did a quick google search but did not find any information on the life expectancy of those 'hard use' knives. If there are any history buffs out there, this would give us a starting point for how much use it would take to wear out a knife.