- Joined
- Aug 27, 2004
- Messages
- 12,955
I wasn't going to show this one or comment on it much originally because I don't want to do more double blade models but I also don't want to get into it with some that love the Talonite blade material. Actually this one didn't start out to be a double blade model at all. I decided I wanted to try the Talonite material since some folks really like it and to read about it I was thinking it may please me. I priced it and at first I backed out of buying any but Chuck Bybee worked with me to get just enough to do this one little blade. That small piece of talonite no bigger than needed to barely get what you see here was a lot of bucks and I about fell over to be honest.
The stuff isn't cheap and its terrible to work IMO and non magnetic so grinding the normal way is, well not happening for me but anyway, the thing is I got it in the folder, got a great lock contact, super smooth since the stuff is very slippery with a great luberosity to it, which is supposed to help cutting. I carried it a while, used it and in the end regarding Talonite, I don't get it really! Stuffs not crap in my opinion but its not what I expected it to be either. You can't whittle with it really. If you do in pine you can get by going easy but anything harder the edge rolls easy and its edge is gone. I read that it was great in softer materials but it didn't seem to do any better for me in hemp rope slicing or carpet remnants than regular blades I've tested for myself and Kershaw and in fact I'd have to say it wasn't as good in many ways as a good steel blade.
Its seems to be ok cutting paper and cardboard, rags and stuff like that which it goes through pretty quick and for a long time. Carpet dulled it out pretty darn quick though and before long it was not really doing any real cutting in the stuff. Hemp, well so long as the piece is something you can hold up and loop so the blade doesn't have to cut down on wood after going through the stuff it will cut, but first time you cut with one on a cutting board the wood folds the edge over. The carpet I used was new carpet never on a floor but left over end cuts I had in the shop for testing edges. If it were old used carpet I doubt it would have lasted as long as it did which point of fact wasn't that long. Talonite does touch right up quick but it seems to like a burr too which has proven to be tuff tuff tuff (thats triple tuff) to get rid of. Of course this is the only one I've used too but bouncing it off some guys that have used it that seems to be something others have noted too.
So, anyway, being disappointed somewhat with Talonite I ended up making another blade in my fave 1095 (grandma's butcher knife) steel and was done with it. This I like! Now at least I don't have to use the Talonite if I don't want to but its there if I decide to later. Big if at this point on that though.
Anyway, I want to thank my friend Reese Weiland for his contribution in this talonite blade because without him I'd never have managed to make it work. Your advise was second to none and I thank you for your efforts working with me on this blade Reese. Wish I had better to say about the blade performance but its not something I regret really. I am glad I didn't bite the bullet on a big dollar purchase of one from someone else though. Saved me some headache doing it this way and some money.
This one is mine folks. I been wanting an Ouparator to carry of my own when I got around to it and although I've had it in my pocket a while now I must say that I like it in the .110 thickness titanium best for EDC, which is what this one is, and I really like this shallow hawkbill instead of a really aggressive one. Much easier to maintain this way although I'm sure eventually the hawkbill part may sharpen out to some extent and in fact did already on the first edge profile. The blade in the folder now is the 1095 blade by the way.
Reese finished out the blade on that talonite for me because one other thing I learned was its darn hard to get it to look presentable. He managed to do that for me better than I could. Last time I'll be using this material but at least I know now. :thumbup:
Thanks for looking.
STR
The stuff isn't cheap and its terrible to work IMO and non magnetic so grinding the normal way is, well not happening for me but anyway, the thing is I got it in the folder, got a great lock contact, super smooth since the stuff is very slippery with a great luberosity to it, which is supposed to help cutting. I carried it a while, used it and in the end regarding Talonite, I don't get it really! Stuffs not crap in my opinion but its not what I expected it to be either. You can't whittle with it really. If you do in pine you can get by going easy but anything harder the edge rolls easy and its edge is gone. I read that it was great in softer materials but it didn't seem to do any better for me in hemp rope slicing or carpet remnants than regular blades I've tested for myself and Kershaw and in fact I'd have to say it wasn't as good in many ways as a good steel blade.
Its seems to be ok cutting paper and cardboard, rags and stuff like that which it goes through pretty quick and for a long time. Carpet dulled it out pretty darn quick though and before long it was not really doing any real cutting in the stuff. Hemp, well so long as the piece is something you can hold up and loop so the blade doesn't have to cut down on wood after going through the stuff it will cut, but first time you cut with one on a cutting board the wood folds the edge over. The carpet I used was new carpet never on a floor but left over end cuts I had in the shop for testing edges. If it were old used carpet I doubt it would have lasted as long as it did which point of fact wasn't that long. Talonite does touch right up quick but it seems to like a burr too which has proven to be tuff tuff tuff (thats triple tuff) to get rid of. Of course this is the only one I've used too but bouncing it off some guys that have used it that seems to be something others have noted too.
So, anyway, being disappointed somewhat with Talonite I ended up making another blade in my fave 1095 (grandma's butcher knife) steel and was done with it. This I like! Now at least I don't have to use the Talonite if I don't want to but its there if I decide to later. Big if at this point on that though.
Anyway, I want to thank my friend Reese Weiland for his contribution in this talonite blade because without him I'd never have managed to make it work. Your advise was second to none and I thank you for your efforts working with me on this blade Reese. Wish I had better to say about the blade performance but its not something I regret really. I am glad I didn't bite the bullet on a big dollar purchase of one from someone else though. Saved me some headache doing it this way and some money.
This one is mine folks. I been wanting an Ouparator to carry of my own when I got around to it and although I've had it in my pocket a while now I must say that I like it in the .110 thickness titanium best for EDC, which is what this one is, and I really like this shallow hawkbill instead of a really aggressive one. Much easier to maintain this way although I'm sure eventually the hawkbill part may sharpen out to some extent and in fact did already on the first edge profile. The blade in the folder now is the 1095 blade by the way.
Reese finished out the blade on that talonite for me because one other thing I learned was its darn hard to get it to look presentable. He managed to do that for me better than I could. Last time I'll be using this material but at least I know now. :thumbup:
Thanks for looking.
STR
