Hey, I'm new to the forms. I'm looking at getting the MicroTech Anax (DLC version), I saw that MicroTech/Rike is running their HRC pretty low on their M390, around 58-60 HRC. I am really interested in this knife as it has everything I want in a grail knife and I don't want to spend much more than what it's selling for, but I was wondering what their M390@58 HRC (just in case I'm that unlucky) would be comparable to, as in comparison to a different steel? I'm in Canada so I'm trying to shop from Canada based retailers. It's not a knife I'd likely ever carry as an EDC but more of a show piece/fidget knife. I'd likely use it for light work (cutting paper, envelopes, apples, etc.) not high abrasive like cardboard. Im just wondering how often it will need to be sharpened compared to the optimal HRC rating of M390 and what else would act like it (14c28n?)?
-
The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is ready to order! See this thread for details: https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/bladeforums-2024-traditional-knife.2003187/
Price is$300$250 ea (shipped within CONUS). If you live outside the US, I will contact you after your order for extra shipping charges.
Order here: https://www.bladeforums.com/help/2024-traditional/ - Order as many as you like, we have plenty.
Microtech Anax DLC HRC question.
- Thread starter LordSlvr
- Start date
- Joined
- Apr 6, 2017
- Messages
- 1,743
Hardness (or a stated hardness range) doesn't tell you a complete story, but IMO it's at least indicative of how seriously a company is taking the heat treatment process.
In the many cardboard cutting tests I've seen from youtube accounts like Outpost 76, M390 at relatively low hardnesses tends to perform poorly, in some cases being outperformed by good AUS8 or 14C28N. And that's just in edge retention; you're also sacrificing toughness and strength by having a lower hardness steel that's full of carbide, and it won't be nice to sharpen as a better heat-treated steel. I get that you don't intend to use it for cardboard, but I will maintain that your user experience will always be better overall with a more sensible steel + heat treat combo.
In any case, the Anax is probably fine but I doubt the cutting performance and edge retention will impress you for the money. If that's okay with you, don't even worry about any of this and just buy it.
In the many cardboard cutting tests I've seen from youtube accounts like Outpost 76, M390 at relatively low hardnesses tends to perform poorly, in some cases being outperformed by good AUS8 or 14C28N. And that's just in edge retention; you're also sacrificing toughness and strength by having a lower hardness steel that's full of carbide, and it won't be nice to sharpen as a better heat-treated steel. I get that you don't intend to use it for cardboard, but I will maintain that your user experience will always be better overall with a more sensible steel + heat treat combo.
In any case, the Anax is probably fine but I doubt the cutting performance and edge retention will impress you for the money. If that's okay with you, don't even worry about any of this and just buy it.
Awesome, thanks for the info. I actually decided against the Anax after and just put in a preorder for the MC/Kunwu Excalibur. I figured the vanax would be nice because I live next to salt water, definitely took me a few days to figure out I wanted the Excalibur more but I'll probably end up getting both if the Anax is listed long enough
I believe this was the answer I was looking for. If a poorly heat treated m390 could be out preformed by my Velona I would be pretty upset. Now I did say i wouldn't use it for cardboard but I'm sure if it was the only thing in my pocket and I wasn't home, I would use it lol. if I do decide to get it at some point it will be a display piece more than likely. as for right now, I'm waiting for my Excalibur to ship out. At least the Excalibur I will be able to be confident in it's heat treat as I believe Kunwu does an excellent job. Thank you for your insight, definitely helped justify the path I have chosen.
- Joined
- Apr 6, 2017
- Messages
- 1,743
Good call. If I really wanted an integral, it'd be the Excalibur.
Hardness isn't an end all be all indicator of heat treat quality. There's a lot more that goes on on an atomic level than hardness increasing during the heat treat process.
Been beating on my MSI and Ultratech for almost a year now and I've got zero complaints, carboard, dirty wood, aluminum cans... They fair just about as well as you'd expect from the steel.
That being said, the Anax is kinda awkward to open, all you're got is a rounded groove that doesn't even bite into your fingernail. I like the design, it's very well made, good cutting geometry, but that awkward opening lost me.
Been beating on my MSI and Ultratech for almost a year now and I've got zero complaints, carboard, dirty wood, aluminum cans... They fair just about as well as you'd expect from the steel.
That being said, the Anax is kinda awkward to open, all you're got is a rounded groove that doesn't even bite into your fingernail. I like the design, it's very well made, good cutting geometry, but that awkward opening lost me.
Leo Greer
Gold Member
- Joined
- Dec 30, 2021
- Messages
- 867
I should note that it’s incorrect to equivocate Microtech’s USA-made ultratech and MSI (which is in a different steel), with the Rike-made Anax. Not to say they can’t have similar heat treatments, but they’re not the same.
- Joined
- May 14, 2012
- Messages
- 11,356
Did someone say ANAX? (What’s a thread without photos!)
These aren’t the Rike version though. I would save up and get a USA made ANAX before the Rike. IMO. They are easy to open with the fuller and also front flip.
These aren’t the Rike version though. I would save up and get a USA made ANAX before the Rike. IMO. They are easy to open with the fuller and also front flip.
While I agree it's not exactly comparing 8cr and Rex 121. It's more or less the same steel (M390MK vs M390), the former supposedly has a tighter control on the Carbon content resulting in slightly higher Carbon content compared to M390. And both are made by the same company - Bohler. How that translates into real-life use, for me, a moderate user, It makes no difference other than the "MK" suffix on the label. I also have a Rike-made Socom Bravo Mini, but admittedly I've not used it enough to compare it to let's say the MSI or Stitch. Let's also not forget these are different blade geometries, so even if I do something like a rope cutting test I'm willing to bet each of these models will perform differently.