Need Help TRADITIONAL EDC folder - Pics added they are here! ...

Aeromat209

Aeromat209

Joined
Jun 26, 2008
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There's ATS 34 stays sharp a long time but some say it is hard to sharpen, then there's D2 , 1095,420HC, 440, chrome vanadium ,SS . This all makes my head spin and need some guidance !

I will be keeping care on the steel so not afraid of regular maintenance .
Is ATS 34 too hard to sharpen ?
I also look at the RC hardness and D2 and ATS -34 are very close with 420 HC right behind . I am truing to keep the budget under 150 . I also find the under 4" folders too small for my big hands for whittling and EDC opening taped boxes and letters cutting fruit etc!
 
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I used to try to find really high grade steel that holds an edge for a long time, but now I prefer a good heat treated AUS 8 for my EDC knives, definitely not for my camp knives though! That's a whole different story. It takes a razor edge really quickly, holds it well enough for EDC tasks, and at the end of the day you can touch it up on a strop and it will be good as new again, im with you about the blade size man, 4" is okay for me but i'd like something bigger, i'm waiting on Cold Steel to make their Voyagers in G 10, I haven't found any other good folders over 4 inches
 
i like D2 mostly. I find that it holds an agressive edge, and easy to sharpen, at least for me. edge retention is good, and it has stainless attributes (though it is a semi stainless.). D2 is also affordable. it is a steel that is proven through time. the only cons, for me is that the tendency to chip rather than roll. but I dont find it as a minus when applied to a small blade.

next, 1095 (or another simple carbon steel ) are also great. very easy to sharpen, stays sharp for a long time. also develop patina which gives character. as for another, I havent tried 420,440, and Ats34.
 
I changed the title of your thread. If you are looking at knives in 1095 and CV, chances are you actually are looking for a traditional folder. Adding the word "TRADITIONAL" to the title will serve to reduce the number of intrusions from folks talking about the latest uber stahl for their mega folders.


Sharpening difficulty is dependent on your sharpening equipment. If you use diamond stones, nothing is all that hard to sharpen. If you use natural stones, any alloy containing carbides will be difficult to sharpen.
1095, CV, 420HC, and 440A do not contain significant amounts of carbides.
440C, ATS34, and D2 do contain significant amounts of carbides.

Alloys with carbides are great for heavy work. They hold a working edge a very long time. But they don't hold a fine edge as long as alloys which don't have carbides.

Alloys without carbides will hold a very fine edge longer than a carbide containing alloy. But once they lose that fine edge, they lose their cutting ability faster than a carbide containing alloy.

For the tasks you say you want to perform, I think you don't have to worry about it. Figure out whether you want stainless steel or non-stainless steel. Then just buy a knife that you think you will like from its size and shape and go with whatever alloy the knife company uses.

At your price point there are some very nice knives available.
There are even a lot of very nice knives available considerably below that. The Case Back Pocket springs to mind. It's available in either CV or TruSharp and can be had for about 1/2 your max amount.

I borrowed this image from knifecenter, a BF dealer member.
CA7381.jpg
 
For a working pocketknife, made by a quality producer, the type of steel is irrelevant beyond carbon vs. stainless. I pick a brand of knife I like, a pattern and size I like, and buy the knife and start using it (unless I'm buying it to collect only) I find carbon and stainless both work well and take an edge just fine - the producers choose steel that is appropriate for the product they are making. OH
 
I also think that, unless you use your knife very much, steel is a bit of an overestimated factor in a knife (and sharpening skill is underestimated).
Aside from the carbon vs stainless thing (which is quite an "important" choice), the rest is less a factor when choosing a knife.
Size, pattern, handle, and so on, those are the main factor influencing my choice.
I own (and have owned) a few traditionals but I tried many steels (Victorinox' 420, Case 420, Buck's 420 HC, GEC and Schrade 1095, Canal Street D2, and CPM 154-CM in a custom knife); honestly, although they're not the same thing, all of them worked fine in the end (and as my sharpening skills get better, they work better as well). I tnd to prefer stainless though.

Fausto
:cool:
 
Among factory producers, my favorite traditional knife steel is Queen's D2, with S&M's ATS-34 and GEC's 440C as close seconds, and 1095 third. But as knarfeng says, the differences between even D2 and 440A or 420HC don't mean a lot on a traditional EDC. The cutting tasks are just not that demanding, most of the time. For me the difference is more in the feel of the blade on the stones when sharpening, and knowing I have a quality product. I carry and enjoy using knives from all the major companies with all the different steels, but my favorite steels get the majority of use.
 
I also believe steel type is vastly overrated on the forums. I have had most of the major steel types in common use today, 1095, cv, carbon v, s30v, sgps, 12c27, 440c, 420hc, inox SAKs, aus 8, d2, and many others. I prefer the simple carbon steels due to the patina they develop and the character they show, they are also easy to sharpen on my Arkansas stones and take a very sharp edge and hold it plenty long enough for me.
I also like the extra care they require over stainless, gives me more time to spend with my knife and another aspect to my hobby.
 
Thanks for all the knowledgeable replies!!!!! I ended up getting a Vintage S&M English Jack amber jigged bone in ATS-34 mint and a S&M Presidents #9 Whittler in Stag D-2 . Both are at least 4" closed and will post pics when I got em in my hands!! Boojah!!!!
 
Looking forward to the pics for sure. :)

Be sure and check the Workshop sub forum if you are into whittling.

As for steel (even though your question has been answered), I feel like you have two kinds of knife fanatics. Those that get interested in knives, buy a bunch (or all) of the latest steels, then over a period of time come to realize that plain old carbon and "simple" stainless steels just make sense *if* you plan on sharpening your knives.

The other kind of fanatic knew it all along. ;)
 
Queen's D2 is excellent, quite resistant to corrosion, with excellent edge retention. Buck's 420HC is a bit more forgiving, and not too prone to rust, pretty easy to sharpen. Carbon has the aesthetic advantage for me, it takes an attractive patina.
 
Queen make some excellent larger than 4" knives in D2
Schatt & Morgan in their File & Wire series make some even better larger than 4" knives in ATS -34

ATS-34 is easy to sharpen
D2 needs more work

Use diamond stones
 
I ended up with a few new Slipjoints !
Laguiole 3 3/4"Damascus blade Picnic knife with corkscrew
Queen Cutlery 4"closed 3 3/4" Wharncliffe President's Choice #9 in Stag with 2 " pen & 2" clip blades all in D2
Schatt & Morgan English Jack File & Wire series 2 - 3 &3/4" Blades of ATS-34 steel with Wormed Antique boneIMG_4364.jpgIMG_4365.jpg
 
Nice!! Right now, queen and Schatt and Morgan are some of the most bang for your buck out there.
 
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