Looking for a knife.

K

Kravur

Joined
Sep 19, 2007
Messages
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I am currently looking for a tactical fixed blade knife. i have done some research on steels used in knife production, but have had no luck finding a manufacturer that uses the steel of my choice. CPM 9V

I am also considering using a titanium knife.
any suggestions or info an either of these?
 
Kravur said:
I am currently looking for a tactical fixed blade knife. i have done some research on steels used in knife production, but have had no luck finding a manufacturer that uses the steel of my choice. CPM 9V
I am also considering using a titanium knife.
any suggestions or info an either of these?
Click to expand...

Welcome to Bladeforums.

I think you will have to go custom to find a CPM 9V blade. What makes you desire this steel for a tactical fixed blade knife? What tasks do you propose to perform with the blade that this steel will perform better than all others?

As for titanium blades, read this thread from this forum from last week:
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=498289
Not recommended if you want a sharp edge.
 
You're going from one extreme to another.
CPM 9V is a high carbon steel that will take a great edge,
and Titanium is a soft metal that takes a weak edge.
What exactly do you want this knife for?
Personally, I'd recommend a Chris Reeve knife with S30V.
Why do you want CPM 9V or Titanium.
Stellite and Talonite are both cobalt alloy metals that are stronger and hold a better edge than Titanium, but still not quite up to par with good steel.
 
knarfeng said:
Welcome to Bladeforums.

I think you will have to go custom to find a CPM 9V blade. What makes you desire this steel for a tactical fixed blade knife? What tasks do you propose to perform with the blade that this steel will perform better than all others?

As for titanium blades, read this thread from this forum from last week:
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=498289
Not recommended if you want a sharp edge.
Click to expand...

so titanium is out. as far as the steel i wish to use, i just want the best knife out there. any other suggestions, or even manufacturers would help.
 
Do you think that a Busse knife is what you want? INFI is reported to be phenomenal.

what kind of knife do you want?

-will you be chopping?
-awesomeness factor?
-skinning?
-military use?

most all popular knife steels are good, and most people have a hard time giving 1085 a run for it's money.
 
Kravur said:
so titanium is out. as far as the steel i wish to use, i just want the best knife out there. any other suggestions, or even manufacturers would help.
Click to expand...

I don't think there is a single best. Everyone's need is a bit different.

Certainly Chris Reeve Knives and Busse are top outfits. They also charge top dollar.

At a lower price level, but still extremely good knives, you might look at Ranger Knives or Ontario Knives.
 
The very best knife for the money IMO is a BUSSE! Swamp rats are also an EXTREME value for the money. Check out the Busse forum for more info!
Jerry Busse made his own proprietary steel called INFI, which is both a very good edge retaining steel, very tough, and also stain resistant! IMO INFI is the best of all worlds!
Now if you're looking for a slicer in the kitchen, you might want to get a harder Japanese style chef's knife, which have very long lasting edge retention, but they chip more easily. Okay.... I just realized you're looking for a tactical. Yeah, I'd have to say GO BUSSE!
Okay, a couple of questions:
1) What is your price range?
2) How big of a knife are you looking for?
3) What style of knife are you looking for?
4) Do you want it to be a bit more dressed up, like a Randall, or are you looking for a utilitarian type knife, more like a Kabar.
5) If you're fairly new to the knife world, let me let you in on a little secret. Knives with older high carbon steels, like Kabars and Randalls are time tested, and still reletively very strong. You'll have little worries with a Kabar, HOWEVER...........
IF you really, really, really, want to be sure you can count on knife, buy a BUSSE. AND FOR GOSH'S SAKE, TEST THE KNIFE IN YOUR BACK YARD BEFORE YOU COUNT ON IT.
 
As Walking Man already said, that is an odd combination of choices.

CPM 9V is a highly alloyed steel that is AFAIK not even a blade steel it is a steel that has ernormous wear resistance and high toughness but at a hardness that is considered very low (soft) for a bladesteel (54 Rc). Meaning, edgeholding is likely limited due to edge deformation. At 57 Rc the longitudinal toughness is about the same for 9V as for S30V. I assume you simply looked at the graph on the Crucible S30V data sheet and picked a steel that looked good?

If you want a knife with high toughness and don't mind the lack of corrosion resistance you can go either with something like 3V or INFI or S7, but a well made blade in some very basic 5160 or 1085 or even A2 won't disappoint you, toughness wise. On a blade that requires that amount of toughness, the lack of wearresistance is usually not a problem.

If you want rediculus wearresistance at high hardness (60+ Rc), I would suggest you give Phil Wilson a call and ask him for a blade in CPM 10V.
 
here is a quick list, any additions that are suggested I will add...

-Busse combat
-swamp rat
-strider knives
-Fallkniven, although more outdoor than tactical
-custom
-Chris Reeve knives
-there are also lots of nice folders out there
-Ontario/Rat
-Ranger knives
-TOPS
-

It really does depend on preference, some people love a SAK, while others love a battle mistress.
 
Kravur said:
so titanium is out. as far as the steel i wish to use, i just want the best knife out there. any other suggestions, or even manufacturers would help.
Click to expand...

Way too subjective. "Best" to you may not mean best to some one else. What do you want to do with this knife?
 
PC356 said:
Way too subjective. "Best" to you may not mean best to some one else. What do you want to do with this knife?
Click to expand...
Exactly. Do you want the best of the best, or the best value for your money.
Also, tactical can mean A LOT of things. Do you plan to keep it strictly as a self defense knife OR do you plan to use it for any tactical situation that might come up, like a rescue knife? Or will it your all-around knife that you can count for SD if you need it?
 
Might have a look at Fehrman and Crusader Forge (Trident knives). Also, Mission, Busse, CRK, Strider, and Extrema Ratio. -I've never had a fixed blade from any of them, but I'd like to have at least one of each. Between them you'll find a good selection of steels and designs to choose from.
 
Another good and inexpenisive options would be TOPS and Ranger knives.
Ranger knives may be a bit cheaper, but the fit and finish on TOPS is very nice, and they have a HUGE variety of knives.
 
John Greco's 8670 based carbon steel knives, like the MST & 'Fighter", are well made and reasonably priced for custom pieces. The similar offerings of Fred Vollmer of Foley, AL are nice, too. Both have great sheaths - and Micarta or G10 handles. While hard, they are resharpenable with 'normal' tools. You can get an excellent custom 'military style' knife shipped to you for well less than $200 from either. A standard KaBar - at ~ $55 - is hard to beat, too, for so many applications. Heck, my pair of fixed Buck Vanguards, including the super S30V variant, will suffice for all of my needs. That is the key... my 'best' will be different from your's. Of course, that hasn't stopped me from acquiring the aforementioned examples, much less the Gerber S30V Freeman I think I want - and the new, aint out yet, S30v Buck kalinga Pro. Maybe I need a Gerber LMFII, too...

Who am I kidding? I had my Dad's WWII USN KaBar, his fellow veteran of the S. Pacific, when I was a young man - and into my college years. i still have it - and it has a few newer brothers. My use in the woods - hiking, for which it was overkill, and camping, for which it proved very effective - never left me wanting more.

As W.M. said, 'best' is so subjective... what are your real, or perceived, needs? Good luck!

Stainz
 
Please do look at the Phil Wilson CPM10V knives.

I have one and they are an amazing custom knife. Very light weight rivaling many folders with an edge that will split hairs not just shave them. Thin but not brittle blades that are extremely fun to use. This is not a chopper but an excellent field and big game knife. Phils a great guy to do business with ...

www.seamountknifeworks.com

NJ
 
A thanks to the members of Bladeforums.com
I may not know you personally but I still appreciate the help.
My respect for the following, whom let me pick their brain:

Walking Man
HoB
Keith_H
Siggyhk
Stainz
Native Justice
 
Let me pose the question again :D. I bet many more would be willing to make suggestions if you would let us know what you plan on using the knife for.
 
PC356 said:
Let me pose the question again :D. I bet many more would be willing to make suggestions if you would let us know what you plan on using the knife for.
Click to expand...
I know we're sounding like a broken record here, but you have to evaluate your true needs. For ideas of a knife that you MIGHT be looking for I recommend going the TOPS, BUCK, KaBar, Chris Reeve, John Greco, RJ Martin, Ontario, Bark River and Fallkniven, also Ranger knives and Fehrman knives might be helpful, so would that auction site......websites. Also check some of the HUGE knife online dealers like oso grande knives, knife outlet, New Graham knives, AG Russell knives, and many others. As well as Knifeart, Truenorth knives, Arizona custom knives and Nordic knives.
Don't waste time on the dealers that sell mostly junk. You'll know them when you see them. We're here to help. Good Luck! I'm sure if you've checked all of those site you'll have a great idea of what you're looking.
DON'T trust information that you have a bad gut feeling about. Ask us. We'll help.
 
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