Maserin 500/EB Arno Folding Knife or I want to try some 440C!!!

[Maximumbob54]

This was supposed supposed to be my big experience with 440C in a good knife. I'm not starting out as well as I'd like.

She comes with slightly buggered screws, an uneven on both sides bevel to include bottom to tip, and sharp edges all around the liner lock. I can correct everything but the screws. It did com with two extras but if they did that at the factory I'm thinking they may be a bit soft and I would just repeat the problem.

This one was the choice because it was advertised as being 58-60 HRC instead of many being 55-58 HRC. With 440C having a carbon content of 0.95-1.20 I'm hoping the higher HRC means a higher carbon content. If that is how that works. Either way, I'm hoping a decent sharpening and a triangle stone to the edges will fix most of the problem.

For whatever life reasons I just never ended up with a knife in 440C, so this will hopefully end up a fun diversion.

 

[knarfeng]

This was supposed supposed to be my big experience with 440C in a good knife. I'm not starting out as well as I'd like.

She comes with slightly buggered screws, an uneven on both sides bevel to include bottom to tip, and sharp edges all around the liner lock. I can correct everything but the screws. It did com with two extras but if they did that at the factory I'm thinking they may be a bit soft and I would just repeat the problem.

This one was the choice because it was advertised as being 58-60 HRC instead of many being 55-58 HRC. With 440C having a carbon content of 0.95-1.20 I'm hoping the higher HRC means a higher carbon content. If that is how that works. Either way, I'm hoping a decent sharpening and a triangle stone to the edges will fix most of the problem.

For whatever life reasons I just never ended up with a knife in 440C, so this will hopefully end up a fun diversion.

Carbide content does not have anything to do with alloy Hardness. But Hardness does play a significant role in edge retention. So you did well to shoot for a higher hardness.

 

[knarfeng]

Carbides in steel are like aggregate in concrete. The rocks in concrete improve wear resistance, but it's the cement portion which controls the hardness. The harder the concrete, the more strongly the aggregate will stay in place.

For steel, the hardness of the steel prevents edge deformation.

 

[DeadboxHero]

Most of the soft production 440C looks like this.

Which makes the edge look like this

Not just about hardness and carbides, the overall composition of the microstructure created with heat treatment and processing is important.

Same steel, better heat treatment.

Better performance but it's still just 440C.

 

[knarfeng]

Most of the soft production 440C looks like this.



Which makes the edge look like this




Not just about hardness and carbides, the overall composition of the microstructure created with heat treatment and processing is important.

Same steel, better heat treatment.





Better performance but it's still just 440C.

Since none of the standard manufacturers post pictures of the microstructure of their blade steel, the best the rest of us can do when looking for a new knife in a specific alloy is go by the manufacturer's stated hardness spec.

A hardness of 58-60 HRC normally gives the best blend of properties for 440C. MB said in his opening post that a lot of 440C knives he was looking at were stated by their manufacturer's as having a hardness of 55-58 HRC, which is not optimal. So, I still maintain that he chose well.