Magnacut, Heat treatment, edge angle, and edge retention

R

racer32

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Sep 25, 2024
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I have EDC'ing a Giantmouse Tribeca in Magnacut for the last year. It is my first edc in a super steel. Frankly I have been a little disappointed in it. The edge from factory was good enough and lasted a reasonable amount of time. Frankly I did not track how long it lasted; I just don't remember being annoyed that it came too soon. I did decide to go a little more aggressive on the edge angle at the first sharping, maybe 17*. This edge did not last. I was not at the time super deep in the lore or knife sharping. I had a DMT stone and just free handed. I blamed myself and gave it another visit to the stone. After a few of these ill adventures sharpening a super steel I decided to buy a fixed edge sharpening system, I chose a Wicked Edge model. Straight off the stone the blade was a laser through paper. Once I started going through carboard things went south quick. I tried 15* then I went the other way and tried 19*. I bought a digital micro scope camera to study the edge. I have finally back off to 20* and now I am getting better edge retention. I like the knife the aesthetics and the feel in the hand are on point. I find myself blaming Magnacut but the whole of the internet can't be wrong, can it ;) I was just under the impression Magnacut could handle cutting Amazon boxes all day with a 15-17* edge....

I am at the point that I think I just have a substandard HT. Looking for some guidance.

M
 
If the steel isn't heat treated correctly or the heat treat is damaged by the grinding process, it doesn't really matter what steel it is.
 
D Delgadonine I bought it new last April. But I don't know how long it was sitting on the shelf waiting to be bought. This is the denim scales version, might have been a first run knife that was new old stock.

Synov Synov That is what I am worried about. Even with a 20* edge it's still not hold a edge for a particularly long time.
 
racer32 said:
D Delgadonine I bought it new last April. But I don't know how long it was sitting on the shelf waiting to be bought. This is the denim scales version, might have been a first run knife that was new old stock.

Synov Synov That is what I am worried about. Even with a 20* edge it's still not hold a edge for a particularly long time.
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A larger edge angle will be tougher but a smaller edge angle will hold its edge longer. Maybe that's part of the issue?
 
Magnacut is a great balanced steel, but edge retention isn't its main selling point. Cardboard is also incredibly abrasive. Perhaps your expectations were set too high? That being said, I've heard that a lot of the Italian makers run their steels on the softer side, so that may be contributing to it. I'm not sure how true that is, but I've seen the notion floating around.
 
There are a few things you are saying that point away from it being a steel or heat treatment issue:

1) you didn’t notice poor edge retention with the factory edge
2) the story you shared sounds like you are an inexperienced sharpener
3) you found improved edge retention with 20 degrees rather than 15
4) you are losing your edge rapidly rather than gradually

With the type of cutting you are performing the 15 dps should cut longer. So I think more likely you started sharpening better with 20. The more obtuse edge angle may have helped with deburring as well. The fixed angle sharpener keeps you angles consistent but does not deburr for you. Deburring is one of the most important steps for sharpening, and an improperly deburred edge can often still slice paper. But to give one more possibility for heat treatment, improperly heat treated blades do not deburr well.

Even relatively low wear resistance steels can cut quite a long time if well maintained. While cardboard is abrasive there are knives in unimpressive steels that can cut miles of the stuff.
 
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racer32 said:
I have EDC'ing a Giantmouse Tribeca in Magnacut for the last year. It is my first edc in a super steel. Frankly I have been a little disappointed in it. The edge from factory was good enough and lasted a reasonable amount of time. Frankly I did not track how long it lasted; I just don't remember being annoyed that it came too soon. I did decide to go a little more aggressive on the edge angle at the first sharping, maybe 17*. This edge did not last. I was not at the time super deep in the lore or knife sharping. I had a DMT stone and just free handed. I blamed myself and gave it another visit to the stone. After a few of these ill adventures sharpening a super steel I decided to buy a fixed edge sharpening system, I chose a Wicked Edge model. Straight off the stone the blade was a laser through paper. Once I started going through carboard things went south quick. I tried 15* then I went the other way and tried 19*. I bought a digital micro scope camera to study the edge. I have finally back off to 20* and now I am getting better edge retention. I like the knife the aesthetics and the feel in the hand are on point. I find myself blaming Magnacut but the whole of the internet can't be wrong, can it ;) I was just under the impression Magnacut could handle cutting Amazon boxes all day with a 15-17* edge....

I am at the point that I think I just have a substandard HT. Looking for some guidance.

M
Click to expand...
Definitely sounds like a burr issue to me. Look into that.
 
racer32 said:
It is my first edc in a super steel.
Click to expand...
Keep in mind, it is a super steel because it manages to perform like carbon tool steel while being very corrosion resistant. However, it is not an edge holding monster as something like S90V or S125V. It was never meant to be and never marketed by the maker as such. For those of us who like steels like Cru-wear, Magnacut was a welcomed improvement.
 
Thanks everyone for all the responses. As Larrin Larrin picked up on I am not a seasoned sharpener and all input is well apricated. Certainly this knife has provided me the opportunity to go deep into this world.

Regarding the factory edge, I remember it lasted longer that what I can get with my sharpening but it did not impress me over the cheap no name steel I had been using before. IF there was a HT issue, taking a 20*+ factory edge down to 17* could show as a drop off in edge retention performance?

I know I can raise a burr. In my reading and youtubing to get where I am in writing this post I have/had considered the de-burring not being done correctly. One of the reasons I bought the camera. Over the weekend I sharpened and re sharpened this knife a few times, each time adjusting one thing or the other to try and isolate where I was going wrong. I am confident, at least the last few attempts, I am de-burring.

When I said better edge retention @ 20*, I am not talking about 3-400 cuts of carboard before edge starts falling off. We are talking maybe 50-60 cuts before its hanging up on paper. I realize I should probably do a better job of documenting and quantifying if I am going to get to the bottom of this.

I did not mention in the first post but I did buy a second Magnacut blade over the last year and I have not had an issue with that blade post my own sharpening. That one is a Benchmade fix blade I use for dressing game. Different application but I have not had issues with its edge. Maybe hide and meat is less abrasive than carboard but then again mud covered hogs are not that gentle of an application.

I am not giving up on Magnacut, just ordered a new daily for myself and it is in Magnacut, just a domestic supplier. And I am not giving up on this blade either :D Just got to keep learning.

Thanks again all,

M
 
racer32 said:
Regarding the factory edge, I remember it lasted longer that what I can get with my sharpening but it did not impress me over the cheap no name steel I had been using before. IF there was a HT issue, taking a 20*+ factory edge down to 17* could show as a drop off in edge retention performance?
Click to expand...
Nope, that should still result in more edge retention regardless of heat treat. Going below 15 dps should give you plenty of edge retention. There's something wrong.
 
You're not alone in having your sharpening skills humbled by Magnacut. I wouldn't say I've got the hang of it just yet, but I'm learning.
 
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