Marble's 52100 steel, good?

Any of you have any experience with Marble's 52100 steeled knives? I have a couple of Marble's 1095 knives, and am thinking about getting the newer 52100 knives. I have one knife made of 52100 which is excellent, but how is it in Marble's?

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Reynaert
 
Paracelsus

Paracelsus

Joined
Nov 6, 1999
Messages
2,639
Ed Fowler, who forges Only 52100, tested a Marbles knife. He wrote about it in Blade magazine a few months ago. As I recall, he Loved the knife. Very well made and properly heat treated.

Paracelsus
 
Isn't that a ball bearing steel? I thought I had read that. At any rate I have a new fieldcraft coming. can't wait to play with it.

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Lead,follow, or get the hell out of the way!
 
Tangus, yes, that is my understanding. Apparently when Ed Fowler started working with it it was only available as 3 inch or larger round bearings. It is difficult to heat and forge. I am also told by PJ Tomes that this steel is more difficult to work than other steels, and requires unusual quenching steps and very close attention to the heat treatment (tempering). Sounds like Marbles has done it right, by all accounts I have read.

Paracelsus
 
Ed Fowler compared the '98 Woodcraft to a 20's or 30's Woodcraft made of 1095. He stated that the older model would outcut most current production knives, the heat treat was a testament to what could be done with 1095. The new model was approx. 35% better. I would say that is pretty good performance. I know the ones that I own get wicked sharp and offer great performance along with the classic look of the old Marble's. If Ed gives high praise to a production knife using the same steel he made famous, must be pretty good stuff. Right? By the way, it is my understanding that Marble's had to order 30,000 lbs. of this steel in order to get it in bar stock. Exactly how many knives is that? Marble's just started a Manufacturer Forum @ KnifeForums.com. Check it out, it could get real popular as the word spreads.

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It's only a mistake if you fail to learn from it!
 
I have a Woodcraft in 52100. Slices, whittles, and shaves hair better than any other knife I have. The knives I compared it to are Kabars, NextGen Kabars, CS, Spec Plus, SOG Seal Pup. Just my $.02.
-CAman
 
Tangus,

The Fieldcraft is the one I'm planning to get too.

Paracelsus,

If Ed Fowler was impressed, I'm impressed, unless I find it otherwise later of course. It is no small feat to impress him. I don't have that particular Blade issue, I will have to search for it.

blademan 13,

The new model was approx. 35% better.
Click to expand...

Yes, that is really good.

CAman,

How tough is it? How about edge chipping? Have you had any?

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Reynaert
 
Frantium,
My Marbles w/52100 compares very favorably with similar knives from Fisk, Dean, Tomes(3), Lambert, Ellis & Bagwell as far as blade & cutting performance. For a production knife Marbles does it very well - it will give you exceptional field performance at a good price. I would take any of my Master Smith knives over my Marbles every day of the week but to quantify the differences in cutting performance would take testing that I would not want to inflict on my Master Smith knives & do not have time to perform. The Marbles 52100 blades from my experience(2) will take and hold a wickedly sharp edge & do whatever you would want a hunting knife to do. My opinions.

Bill
 
I just wish they'd put a better guard on their smaller knives. I do a significant amount of field dressing work with my blade inverted and my hand choked up towards the blade. I like to nestle a good chunk of guard against the web of my thumb when I'm doing that.
 
I haven't tested my Woodcraft for toughness. The edge never chipped, but the hardest material I cut with it is whittling wood for making tent stakes. Its edge holding is great. I haven't had to sharpen it yet and it is still scraping sharp (it will shave some hairs, but not shave the arm clean).
One thing I wish they did is add a lanyard hole to it, so to hang it up after washing off the blade. - CAman
 
I really like 52100...haven't tried the Marble's knife though. I have a Ray Kirk neck custom w/52100 that is superb in the using dept. He zone treated the blade.
Like the other post said, I do think that the heat treatment is important in this steel. Several years ago I bought a knife with this steel and it does not hold a edge like the Kirk neck knife. Just my opinion!
 
It sounds like Marble has gone to extra effort to get a good heat treat on their 52100 blades. On their web site they indicate a multistep process with cryo treatment. If they go to extra expense to get the steel rolled for them, you'd hope they would go the rest of the way and do a good heat treat.
 
I think they did go all the way. My Fieldcraft takes a terrific edge and holds it. Carbon V comes close, and might equal the Marble's if it had a rolled edge, too. My Frost's of Mora laminated blades (R62 core) also take a very fine edge, but they're nowhere near as thick and stout as the Fieldcraft.
 
CAman,

Yeah I wish they had those holes too.

Hmmm... looks like everybody loves his Marble's. Thanks guys, I'll definitely get one of these knives.

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Reynaert
 
I heard another twist on knifeforum.com's Marble Arms forum--Marble claims to do economical customizations. Things like changing the guard, using your handle material, maybe putting a hole in the pommel.
 
Marble's gives you one of the best "bangs for the buck" in knifedom.
I've got some of the old ones and a couple of the 52100's. You will NOT be disappointed!
Dan
 
Has anyone on here seen the new "Lil' Handy" model from Marbles, in the Winter 2000 AG Russell catalog?
Looks like a pretty nice blade shape/size, and available in both 1095 and 52100. Interesting thing to me is that the 1095 is more expensive. Anyone know why that would be?


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inktomi
 
rockspyder,

I just bought a Lil' Handy with stag handle yesterday, and I'm still waiting for a Fieldcraft. I picked up the 52100 one. Why is the 1095 more expensive? I'm not sure, but I got the impression that the older steel has a more sentimental value. At least that's what I figured from talking to the saleslady. The bladeshape is like an overgrown Sebenza blade, albeit with a convex grind. When I handpicked it, I saw several knives that as not as pointy as the ones in the picture. But that's not a big deal to me, as I don't really need pointy blades for skinners.
 
Thanks Frantium. They are a tempting picture!
wink.gif


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inktomi
 
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