New User Intros / All Questions OK

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WalkTheEdge

Joined
Dec 14, 2019
Messages
46
Hi All,

I'm starting this thread as a welcoming place for new users to get started on BF and ask questions they might be afraid to ask.

It would be nice to hear about what brought you to BladeForums.com, what knives or aspects of knives you are interested in, and anything about you that will help us understand where you're coming from.

Go ahead and ask your "dumb questions" (that a lot of other people probably have as well). Based on my experience here I think we can trust users to respect the tone of this thread.

-WalkTheEdge
 
Here we go, I'll stick my neck out first!

I've been collecting knives on and off for about 15 years (I was active on BF over 10 years ago, and here I am again). Started with the cool tactical and even butterfly knives, and have gravitated toward fixed blades and traditional folders as they fit my life in the office and in the woods when I can.

Im enjoying the trad knives/fixed forum a lot now and rediscovering this forum.

Question: Here's something I've always found counterintuitive - why does carbon steel take an edge easily but also holds it well? For example, D2 makes more sense to me - hard to sharpen and holds an edge...because it's hard. Carbon steel is an enigma to me.
 
I depends on different things, like carbides, thickness, hardness, edge angle, media cut etc.

Imagine two identical knives, only difference is the steel: D2 and 1095. 15 deg pr side edge angle.

D2 has large, hard carbides. This gives better wear resitance (slicing abrasive stuff) than 1095, 01 etc. It also makes sharpening harder. 1095 is fine grained compared to D2, has a different kind of carbide, and much less of it. Knives in 1095 blades also tend to be much softer (56-59, Esee, Tops, Kabar) than D2 blades (60-62 Benchmade) and this also makes a difference in sharpening.

The low carbide percentage of low alloyed steels makes them easier to sharpen, and also hold that fine edge without chipping when cutting certain media, like wood. If you use the 1095 knife to slice cardboard on the other hand, the lack of carbides/wear resistance will make the 1095 knife loose its edge faster than the identical D2 blade.

thats the simplified explanation, which others here may want to expand on, correct etc.
 
WalkTheEdge said:
Question: Here's something I've always found counterintuitive - why does carbon steel take an edge easily but also holds it well? For example, D2 makes more sense to me - hard to sharpen and holds an edge...because it's hard. Carbon steel is an enigma to me.
Click to expand...

Think of carbides as the aggregate in concrete. Small, very hard, particles dispersed in the steel.
As Pr said above, they add wear resistance but are subject to being torn out of the knife. When they tear out, the blade loses the fine razor edge, but still has an edge which cuts well, even if it is not razor sharp. Steels containing carbides excel at cutting abrasive media, such as rope, cloth, fur, and most man-made materials

Carbon steel (1095, 1085, et. al.) will hold a fine edge longer than steels containing carbides. But once the edge dulls, it dulls completely and the knife will not cut well. Carbon steel blades excel at cutting materials which are not abrasive, meat comes to mind.
 
knarfeng said:
Think of carbides as the aggregate in concrete. Small, very hard, particles dispersed in the steel.
As Pr said above, they add wear resistance but are subject to being torn out of the knife. When they tear out, the blade loses the fine razor edge, but still has an edge which cuts well, even if it is not razor sharp. Steels containing carbides excel at cutting abrasive media, such as rope, cloth, fur, and most man-made materials

Carbon steel (1095, 1085, et. al.) will hold a fine edge longer than steels containing carbides. But once the edge dulls, it dulls completely and the knife will not cut well. Carbon steel blades excel at cutting materials which are not abrasive, meat comes to mind.
Click to expand...
That actually makes sense! Thank you!
 
Pr3inar said:
I depends on different things, like carbides, thickness, hardness, edge angle, media cut etc.

Imagine two identical knives, only difference is the steel: D2 and 1095. 15 deg pr side edge angle.

D2 has large, hard carbides. This gives better wear resitance (slicing abrasive stuff) than 1095, 01 etc. It also makes sharpening harder. 1095 is fine grained compared to D2, has a different kind of carbide, and much less of it. Knives in 1095 blades also tend to be much softer (56-59, Esee, Tops, Kabar) than D2 blades (60-62 Benchmade) and this also makes a difference in sharpening.

The low carbide percentage of low alloyed steels makes them easier to sharpen, and also hold that fine edge without chipping when cutting certain media, like wood. If you use the 1095 knife to slice cardboard on the other hand, the lack of carbides/wear resistance will make the 1095 knife loose its edge faster than the identical D2 blade.

thats the simplified explanation, which others here may want to expand on, correct etc.
Click to expand...
Excellent, thank you!
 
Not exactly a new user but I’m not on here that much. How do I tag another user in a feedback post?
 
Hello all,

I'm still fairly new. I have been a lurker for a while, and finally decided to join. I used to be a part of a couple EDC pages on Facebook, but I got rid of my Facebook about a year and a half ago.
I miss the EDC community and I miss seeing and discussing what people carry, and why.

I have been enjoying my time here and getting to know some of you.

BTH
 
Just signed up today. I have been collecting knives since I was probably 8 years old. I remember having a shoe box full of knives that I would carry around while I was helping a friend of mine on his farm or helping my dad around the garage. As much as I enjoy forums, I haven't ever really thought about joining a knife forum till today.

I typically always carry around 2 knives, a small case pocket knife that my grandpa had given me as a gift and an old Meyerco 18 Xray DDR by Darrel Ralph that I had come across on my last deployment when I was still in the military.
 
rthurman2386 said:
Just signed up today. I have been collecting knives since I was probably 8 years old. I remember having a shoe box full of knives that I would carry around while I was helping a friend of mine on his farm or helping my dad around the garage. As much as I enjoy forums, I haven't ever really thought about joining a knife forum till today.

I typically always carry around 2 knives, a small case pocket knife that my grandpa had given me as a gift and an old Meyerco 18 Xray DDR by Darrel Ralph that I had come across on my last deployment when I was still in the military.
Click to expand...

Welcome to BF (BladeForums) R rthurman2386
Look around the site here, there are so many that will grab your interest and just jump right in.

Here are 4 links to get you started.

Again, welcome to BF, really nice first post too.

1st, it moves real fast. https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/edc-xiii-which-knife-or-knives-are-you-carrying-today.1573161/

2nd is rather new, right up your ally. https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/did-do-you-carry-in-the-military-story-time.1762024/

3d, look here for how to post pictures and all things tech & general Q&A. https://www.bladeforums.com/forums/tech-support-general-q-a-site-feedback-more.679/

4th, is a link to practice posting pictures. https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/practice-here-to-post-pics.1585101/
 
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