Most stable steel in sub-zero temps?

J

J.Davey

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Feb 10, 2004
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Just curious as to the most stable (i.e. 'no increase in brittleness') steels in sub-zero temps. Stainless and carbon if anyone knows. I live in Duluth, MN, and it can get pretty friggin' cold in the winter (think Arctic-like:o). Thanks ahead of time!
 
It really won't make a difference until you hit temps like -50 +.
 
just about any alloy is affected some by extreme cold. i think the alloy is'nt so critical as having a real high rockwell. harder steel will tend to be more brittle, see if you can catchup with 'Bearcut' he lives in alaska.
 
There is a video by Nutnfancy where he ends up breaking a high quality fixed blade in 18 degree weather. He was simply batoning a small log. I would venture to agree that once the ambient temps his around 20 degrees, most any steel will turn brittle.
 
RevDevil said:
There is a video by Nutnfancy where he ends up breaking a high quality fixed blade in 18 degree weather. He was simply batoning a small log. I would venture to agree that once the ambient temps his around 20 degrees, most any steel will turn brittle.
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That was a Recon Scout and it was a pretty thick log almost as wide and the blade of the knife. ;)

He had to be beating the heck out of it to break it as they are 5/16" thick.

Also that was one of the old ones before they changed them.
 
The question of cold weather performance comes up every once in a while.

Based on posts in previous threads, the consensus among users who have used knives at low temps (arctic winters) is that there are more issues with the handle materials than with the blades themselves. High carbon steel knife blades, whether stainless or not, don't seem to have a lot of issues until you get colder than arctic winter ambient.

Here's an old thread as a "for instance":
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=705792
 
Somehow I don't think people are going to really be out in -100 + temps for very long. :D
 
DennisStrickland said:
just curious but what is there to cut in those areas of -40 & below. ice monsters are the only thing i can envision.
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Most people wouldn't be out in those temps in the 1st place and even if they were the last thing they would be thinking about was using a knife.

I have been in those temps more than a few times and colder...

It's so cold that it hurts when you are talking -50 and below.

As a side note people don't normally go out in the Artic Winters, they move South to some what warmer weather.

Not many people in Northern Alaska and Antarctica in the Winter. ;)
 
Dennis & Ankerson:
In Northern MN, it's nice half the year and not so nice the other half, and there are pines everywhere. That's what you find that MAY need to be cut in -40 degree temps, especially if you're stuck in a bunkhouse with a wood burning stove and ya' didn't plan ahead. I like to do a bit of winter camping or staying in the bunkhouse on my parent's land, which is 5 miles+ in the woods. It can be +30 degrees one day and -30 the next. It isn't even remotely uncommon.
 
J.Davey said:
Dennis & Ankerson:
In Northern MN, it's nice half the year and not so nice the other half, and there are pines everywhere. That's what you find that MAY need to be cut in -40 degree temps, especially if you're stuck in a bunkhouse with a wood burning stove and ya' didn't plan ahead. I like to do a bit of winter camping or staying in the bunkhouse on my parent's land, which is 5 miles+ in the woods. It can be +30 degrees one day and -30 the next. It isn't even remotely uncommon.
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I won't be going out in that stuff unless I had too, anything below -10 is way too cold IMO.

I have been in -50 degrees and colder weather in the Mountians before and that's just too cold for me.... :eek:

I tend to avoid extreme cold these days.

But like I said before unless you get into the -100 degrees range I wouldn't worry about it too much. Carbon Steel blades would be your best bet or something like INFI IMO.
 
Ankerson,
I'm born and raised in northern MN, so the cold isn't usually a problem for me. I'm used to it and am never what a person would call 'unprepared'. I actually do tend to stick to carbon steels on larger fixed blades in general. I usually bring a CS machete, a medium sized fixed, and a folder. I've never actually had a problem with a knife in winter. The original post was just a question that I've always been curious about.:)
 
J.Davey said:
Ankerson,
I'm born and raised in northern MN, so the cold isn't usually a problem for me. I'm used to it and am never what a person would call 'unprepared'. I actually do tend to stick to carbon steels on larger fixed blades in general. I usually bring a CS machete, a medium sized fixed, and a folder. I've never actually had a problem with a knife in winter. The original post was just a question that I've always been curious about.:)
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The cold really doesn't bother me until it gets extreme, then I am like AHHHHHH let me out of here. LOL :D
 
J.Davey said:
Ankerson,
I'm born and raised in northern MN, so the cold isn't usually a problem for me. I'm used to it and am never what a person would call 'unprepared'. I actually do tend to stick to carbon steels on larger fixed blades in general. I usually bring a CS machete, a medium sized fixed, and a folder. I've never actually had a problem with a knife in winter. The original post was just a question that I've always been curious about.:)
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I'm just a So Cal boy, so what would I know from cold. Anything below 50°F calls for a parka around here.

I couldn't find the other old posts I was remembering, but if memory serves, the experience of other folks who have actually used their knives in COLD weather is the same as yours: it's not a problem. There were some comments about handles shattering. Some polymers (especially thermoplastics) do funny things down around -40.
 
Knarfeng,
You're right about the plastics. The only thing I've ever broken was a BK&T Brute kydex sheath from Camillus. The knife was fine, though. I accidently dropped the knife &sheath while removing it from my belt after being outside in -10 weather for about 15 minutes, and it literally cracked in half. Kudos to the old Camillus though; they replaced it right away.
 
minnesota was a place i actually thought about relocating at one time since we had a summer when the average temp for july was 107. you can dress for cold but only suffer in hot. anyway minn. has some of the best fishing in the world & i like to fish better than hunt.
 
You guys are nuts. The coldest temperature I've ever faced was -4 F and I thought I was gonna die. Well, it was kinda windy, so I guess it was one of those "it's -4 but it feels like -20".
 
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