OKC's SP series 1095 switch to 1075 steel...

Yonose said:
Tooj said that it was really their only option, not having marquenching ability on site—which sounds like a complicated and thus expensive operation. Had they this ability, 1095 would definitely be a better option. Even those break more frequently ime than 1075.
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Yeah, I saw his post.

The funny thing is I just bought a CT1 12" machete made out of 1095. And actually that would be a blade that I would prefer to be made out of 1075. So OKC has no problem using 1095 on the CT1 but they do on some of their other knives? Just doesn't make sense for what I see going on with them IMO.
 
buckfynn said:
Yeah, I saw his post.

The funny thing is I just bought a CT1 12" machete made out of 1095. And actually that would be a blade that I would prefer to be made out of 1075. So OKC has no problem using 1095 on the CT1 but they do on some of their other knives? Just doesn't make sense for what I see going on with them IMO.
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Is that military issue? Does it have 1095 printed on the blade? One of my sp10’s box has a date code of March ‘15, since he said 2-3 years ago I have no idea which steel is used. It shouldn’t bother me at all, probably, but I’m trying to figure out if it’s 1095 or 1075! I’m not familiar with the CT1, but unless it’s etched 1095 I would assume, based on what he said, that it’s 1075.
 
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Yonose said:
Is that military issue? Does it have 1095 printed on the blade? One of my sp10’s box has a date code of March ‘15, since he said 2-3 years ago I have no idea which steel is used. It shouldn’t bother me at all, probably, but I’m trying to figure out if it’s 1095 or 1075! I’m not familiar with the CT1, but unless it’s etched 1095 I would assume, based on what he said, that it’s 1095.
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No not military, 1095 not stamped on the blade, but all descriptions list the blade being 1095.
 
buckfynn said:
No not military, 1095 not stamped on the blade, but all descriptions list the blade being 1095.
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I would ask tooj on that one, since all descriptions I’ve seen the last several years on the sp-10 have shown it being 1095 as well. I believe he said all 1095 blades not produced under military contract are now being made from 1075. They are looking for ways to distinguish on a case by case basis.
I would like to by the original 1095 machete, I think it’s 18” blade has a 44 as the last letters of its catalog listing, but I know they make a lot of different machetes, which are now 1075.
 
Yonose said:
I would ask tooj on that one, since all descriptions I’ve seen the last several years on the sp-10 have shown it being 1095 as well. I believe he said all 1095 blades not produced under military contract are now being made from 1075. They are looking for ways to distinguish on a case by case basis.
I would like to by the original 1095 machete, I think it’s 18” blade has a 44 as the last letters of its catalog listing, but I know they make a lot of different machetes, which are now 1075.
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Ask Toooj? Sure but why should it be this difficult to find out what steel they are using per day, or month, or year. As a customer we shouldn't have to play such a whack a mole approach to find out what kind of steel we just purchased. Is really that difficult for OKC to not update their website from some of the changes that occurred three years ago?

Perhaps like you mentioned in one of your prior posts, maybe they should mark what steel they are using on every knife. It sure would make such things simpler for identification purposes.
 
buckfynn said:
Ask Toooj? Sure but why should it be this difficult to find out what steel they are using per day, or month, or year. As a customer we shouldn't have to play such a whack a mole approach to find out what kind of steel we just purchased. Is really that difficult for OKC to not update their website from some of the changes that occurred three years ago?

Perhaps like you mentioned in one of your prior posts, maybe they should mark what steel they are using on every knife. It sure would make such things simpler for identification purposes.
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I agree 100%. Engraving the steel should be a priority. I cant figure out what steel a knife that I bought 3 years ago is made from. The spec plus gen2 knives I own all have 5160 on the blade, the bushcraft knives do, only the ranger knives don’t (which were always 5160) or the rtak2( which switched years ago from 1095 to 5160 years ago, though the site still lists them as being either.
 
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Toooj thanks for replying here, and FWIW I support your switch from 1095 to 1075 on choppers and large hard use blades. Please consider an even better option, which is (or should be) near price-wise, but offer more advantages: 80crv2

Have you also looked at this one? It's quite nice according to several custom makers, and has the added love of just a touch of Vanadium for grain refinement.
Typical Chemistry: Carbon 0.807 Silicon 0.32 Manganese 0.54 Phosphorus 0.010 Sulfur 0.003 Chromium 0.503 Vanadium 0.153
(from http://newjerseysteelbaron.com/shop/80crv2/ )

I included the link, since they actually CHARGE LESS for 80crv2 than 1075 : -)
 
dirc said:
Toooj thanks for replying here, and FWIW I support your switch from 1095 to 1075 on choppers and large hard use blades. Please consider an even better option, which is (or should be) near price-wise, but offer more advantages: 80crv2

Have you also looked at this one? It's quite nice according to several custom makers, and has the added love of just a touch of Vanadium for grain refinement.
Typical Chemistry: Carbon 0.807 Silicon 0.32 Manganese 0.54 Phosphorus 0.010 Sulfur 0.003 Chromium 0.503 Vanadium 0.153
(from http://newjerseysteelbaron.com/shop/80crv2/ )

I included the link, since they actually CHARGE LESS for 80crv2 than 1075 : -)
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I wonder if HT for 80crv2 is even harder than 5160 to get the most toughness out of this steel for a large chopper? It definitely sounds harder than 1095 or 1075, not that Mr. Maragni couldn’t handle it, but doesn’t this steel require a secondary hardness or differential temper to get the most out of? That said, I wouldn’t mind seeing any Ontario blade made from this steel if they would do it! Also, I doubt if Ontario orders less than 20 tons of any steel at a time.
 
dirc said:
it's basically been discussed in the past... there might be minor tweaks, but since it's really quite close to 1080, it's been HT'd the same way...

I'd perhaps follow this guide as it seems to be from someone who knows : ) https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/kevin-cashen’s-guide-to-1080-1084-dvd.1585579/
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I meant to get the toughness and lateral stress at optimal levels. Even 5160 takes a good HT to get the best results. Not compared to any steel specifically, but I’ve torture tested Ontario ‘s 5160 by using it like I hated it—the Woodsman came out of it needing new handle slabs but otherwise such a work of art—something I’ve only ever done with one other steel, s7. I wouldn’t treat my blades in 1095 the same way; 80crv2 seems really close to cro-van in composition. If they really wanted a stainless at an affordable cost I would have suggested 12c27– but this steel isn’t available in 1/4” thickness.
 
I also think Sandvik steels are great. I prefer the 14c28n, I have a nice fixed blade which uses it and I really like it. I also have a Kershaw Leek in 14c28n, and an Opinel #8 which uses the 12c27.

If Ontario wants a stainless replacement, which should be quite tough, 14c28n should be perfect. Knife people would respect it much more than the 420 they've started using.

The SP series uses non-stainless to really maximize toughness (and budget constraints) which is why I think 80crv2 would be wonderful. It's seems similar to 1095 crovan 'on paper', the main difference is it crosses the eutectoid point, which makes it a vastly different steel in practice. This is exactly the reason Ontario dropped from 1095 to 1075.
 
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Wow. This is the 1st I have heard of OKC using 1075. I have been wanting an SP-6 for a long time but I do not like bigger blades in 1095 due to its brittleness.

It has been asked here several times but how do you know if you are getting a 1075 blade? It still says 1095 on the OKC site. Some vendors sell new old stock.
 
Jdigi

No way of definitely knowing since the blades have no marking...though Tooj did mention the change began to occur 2 years ago on all except the government contract knives.
 
I notice at Cabela's that they had SP 10's in a plastic clamsheel type package instead of the cardboard box like mine came in. Did they ever put any 1095 SP 10's in the clamshell package?

SP10 Marine Raider rules!!!!!
 
Of course SP-10 Marine Raiders Rule! Gidions's Tactical finally got around to testing one and was amazed.
 
So I just bought 2 SP-6's from Amazon (an amazing deal at 29.99 each). Will these be 1095 or 1075?
 
Check the date on the boxes, they been making 1075 blades for about two years now as a guide line.
 
StrikeBack said:
I really liked the 1095 :( big fan on the SP knives I have in 1095 and 5160.
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I hope you realize that 5160 = 0.6% carbon... so it's similar to 1060, but with a tiny tiny bit of chrome added (not for rust resistance)
Also, 1095 = 0.95% carbon...

so why is 1075 (with 0.75% carbon) so scary? I know it's not as popular as 5160, which recently has a resurgence of popularity, but so what?

IMHO 1075 is a nearly perfect low cost carbon chopper steel, tough tough stuff. My preference would be 80crv2 of course.
 
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