My recent experience with John's O1

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So I've been in Florida all week with my folks and some other family. Well, a couple nights ago we decided to head to the pier to do some fishing. After about an hour of unsuccessful Spanish mackerel fishing I hooked a little kitty cat fish. Since the mackerel, or anything else for that matter, weren't bighting we decided to use the cat fish for cut bait and try and land a shark.
So, I whipped out my Toby's knife and proceeded to turn that cat into shark food. I didn't really have anywhere to cut up the fish, so I resorted to the metal grate(kind of like a charcoal grill style grate) floor of the pier. I had no clue how tough a cat fish's bones were! So, as I sawed through the bone I would end up slamming into the blade into the metal grates. I completed the task and was now preparing myself for the extensive damage I had done to the edge. I just knew it would be ate up with dings and dull as a rock.
Well, to my surprise the edge was pretty much flawless. I didn't feel a single chip or roll, and it was still sharp enough to slice free hanging squid. I know that if I had subjected any other knife that I own to this I would've had some serious edge work ahead of me before it was back in my rotation. But, all the Toby's knife needed was a little stropping and it is back to it's original finger bighting edge.
I really could not be happier with this knifes performance, and this is just one more reason why I absolutely adore my Toby's knife. I mean, I had read the praises for John's heat treat. This experience has finally confirmed them and then some.
And because all threads are useless without pics, here it is with my esee 4 that I rehaned with African Blackwood.
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Thanks for posting your experience, and nice rehandling job! I take a lot of pride in my heat treat process, I spent many months when I was starting out making rough blades, then torture testing them. I feel this has paid off in the long run.
 
So I've been in Florida all week with my folks and some other family.

Wait! You used a carbon steel knife around a SALT WATER ENVIRO! :eek: (I used to live on an island in the Gulf of Mexico and pier fished an awful lot! Guess what happened to my Case carbon steel CV Sodbuster ............... nothing! Wipe em off, oil em up a little, and don't throw them in your tackle box for months at a time.) Bye the way, did you catch any sharks? I am, some day, going to order a fillet knife from John....in O1! Both knives are beautiful, what wood is the Toby handled in?
 
Awesome post.

I concur - John's heat treat has been tested (by me at our gear lab) to 60rwh and the knives show that up in use.

best

mqqn
 
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Wait! You used a carbon steel knife around a SALT WATER ENVIRO! :eek: (I used to live on an island in the Gulf of Mexico and pier fished an awful lot! Guess what happened to my Case carbon steel CV Sodbuster ............... nothing! Wipe em off, oil em up a little, and don't throw them in your tackle box for months at a time.) Bye the way, did you catch any sharks? I am, some day, going to order a fillet knife from John....in O1! Both knives are beautiful, what wood is the Toby handled in?

I know right? I don't get where this idea that you must own something in that ultra rust resistant steel if you are even thinking about going near the coast. As long as I'm not submerged in the stuff then I have no problem using a carbon blade. I will however switch to a stainless blade when going surf fishing, since I'll be wading in the water.
Oh and nope, we did lay into a school of lady fish towards the end of the night, though. That kept us entertained untill about 11pm.
The JK knife is in blood wood which is a very underrated wood if you ask me.

MQQN that is good but to know. I've often wondered what he treated his blades to.
 
Great post. I have to make one of these threads myself.
 
This is what MOST PEOPLE DON'T GET ABOUT JKs. They are tough as hell. I think they read O1 steel and they assume they know what that means. Well they don't. I'm glad for another testimonial. :thumbup:
 
I'm always impressed by the hardness of 01 :thumbup:

mine alwys withstand more mosture and time between cleanings then they should but I've just become sued to them putting up with it so much :D





both of these have had raina nd salt water on them for long periods of time, they've been bag carried belt carried and with an ocasional dusting with some fine sandpaper, neither has ever faltered

thanks for the post!
 
I saw this post after I asked a question about his 01 hardness in another thread. Cool knowing that that they can handle the tough jobs and keep on going.
 
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