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Gossman Knives

Gossman Knives

Edged Toolmaker
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
Joined
Apr 9, 2004
Messages
9,439
How would you guys feel about a standard PSK knife made from CPM 154?
Scott
 
IMO tool steel is all you need, and you do great stuff with it.:thumbup:

On the otherhand, that might be the way to go for people who are wanting a wet enviroment knife. By the ocean, or on a boat.
 
I think that would be a great idea personally. Would be nice to have a PSK with some corrosion resistance, and CPM 154 is a good steel. Would make for a great fishing/wet environment knife.
 
rocketbomb said:
I think that would be a great idea personally. Would be nice to have a PSK with some corrosion resistance, and CPM 154 is a good steel. Would make for a great fishing/wet environment knife.
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These were my thoughts exactly.

Scott
 
i personally prefer the tool/carbon steels, but it would be great to have it as an option...
 
Gossman Knives said:
With those scales, it would be a good knife for the deerhunter.
Scott
Click to expand...

I would purchase a CPM154 PSK with a set of low profile orange handles.

Preferably with a Kydex sheath that I can wear as a neck knife. Would make a great one, methinks. I'd take it fishing, kayaking, hunting, etc.

I have a lot of tool steel already. Would be nice to mix it up.
 
Go for it. I'm considering getting into 440c this winter. There really are reasons to have a stainless knife. Much as I like my carbon steels.
 
As long as you plan to keep the tool steels in the PSK lineup Scott. I'd hate to see a complete switch over to stainless:(
 
rocketbomb said:
I think that would be a great idea personally. Would be nice to have a PSK with some corrosion resistance, and CPM 154 is a good steel. Would make for a great fishing/wet environment knife.
Click to expand...

+1:thumbup:


How about in 3/32 thick :D
 
Gossman Knives said:
How would you guys feel about a standard PSK knife made from CPM 154?
Scott
Click to expand...

I don't know anything about CPM 154, but the fact that you would considere it is endorsement enough for me.

I used to despise "stainless steel" knives. They were not to be taken seriously because it was cheap junk sold to satisfy dumb-a$$es who 1) didn't know how to take care of their gear and 2) didn't know how to sharpen a knife because that crap wasn't going to take or hold a decent edge and anyone buying it obviously wouldn't know the difference.

I have changed my mind a little because 1) I am a lot less concrete in my opinions about many things these days and 2) I bought a Ritter Grip' and bought a BRKT Mini-Northstar. They're not made of CPM 154 but I found out that there really is "stainless steel" suitable for a knife.

I do love the tool steels and the other less "fantastic" steels such as 1095, L6, W1, etc. but,..... BUT,..... if a knife I really like is in one of the "good" stainless steels and I know I can trust the HT, I won't let the SS-factor stop me from having that knife. I also REALLY like the idea of stainless (people who know me would die if they heard me say that) in a knife like the PSK - a last ditch, "on-your-person" edged tool to keep you sucking air through the right hole. Seems like every time I have ever been in a tight spot I was WET. WET and COLD. Wet and cold are what usually makes it a bad situation to begin with and threaten you with hypothermia much more than no more Peanut M&Ms in the bottom of your bag threatens starvation.

So - a knife that is on my person, tucked away for an emergency, getting sweaty, being ignored day in and day out, subject to getting wet from rain, melting snow or the occasional "dunk," as I use a bigger more comfortable knife for daily tasks, would be something I personally would count as a big "plus." Even for those stowed in my vehicle or strategically tucked away in bags and kits for those "just-in-case moments," would benefit from some corrosion resistance. I have used my PSK with scales a lot around the place and find that even when ignored for a day, as I work, it comes out of my pocket in need of some rubbing to make sure the day's effort is cashed out in "patina" rather than "rust."

It's hard to look at it this way when we don't use a PSK for its intended purpose though. How many of us have the discipline to take such a sweet little tool, stuff it away for a "rainy day" and forget about it? As an EDC, the PSK is the berries in O1 or A2 because we can "keep an eye on it." I actually have an O1 PSK in a kit that I forget about periodically. It has not gotten rusty yet but this kit hasn't been truly "tested" yet either. The way the PSKs are priced, it's not a stretch to think we could save up and have one to EDC and one to "bury in the back yard" (that's a figure of speach - I don't really do that).

Help! I've started talking and I can't shut up!:o

I owe you a call, Scott. Don't worry - I won't do this to you on the phone.:D
 
Jeff H said:
...
So - a knife that is on my person, tucked away for an emergency, getting sweaty, being ignored day in and day out, subject to getting wet from rain, melting snow or the occasional "dunk," as I use a bigger more comfortable knife for daily tasks, would be something I personally would count as a big "plus." Even for those stowed in my vehicle or strategically tucked away in bags and kits for those "just-in-case moments," would benefit from some corrosion resistance. I have used my PSK with scales a lot around the place and find that even when ignored for a day, as I work, it comes out of my pocket in need of some rubbing to make sure the day's effort is cashed out in "patina" rather than "rust."
...
Click to expand...

+1, my thoughts exactly. When you've got a knife just sitting in a kit or in its sheath for a long period of time, corrosion will happen. Stainless is great in this case. Also, there are a lot of *good* stainless steels around now that are really a joy to work with. I don't think there are many that can match the toughness of a tool steel for a big blade, but for a smaller PSK blade in an appropriate thickness, they work very well.

Personally, I really appreciate a small stainless blade because, just as Jeff said, a lot of the time knives on me are abused as far as moisture and environment are concerned. Especially when I'm at work or when I'm out hunting/hiking in foul weather. It's just good not to have to worry about corrosion in those situations.
 
IUKE12 said:
As long as you plan to keep the tool steels in the PSK lineup Scott. I'd hate to see a complete switch over to stainless:(
Click to expand...

No worries about that. A2 and O1 are top dog steels for me. I did 37 blades in six days in both of these steels last week. I already make knives in 154CM by request. K. Estela has a PSK Jr. in 154CM for use around water. I've heard many good things about CPM154 and would like to add it to my line up for those who prefer stainless. Some of my hunting knife models are D2 and I feel CPM154 would do well in that catagory. The PSK knife is a perfect size for whitetail hunting. Most who hunt in my area only need a knife to field dress. I know alot of guys who go to local processers to have their deer butchered. I do all my own skinning and butchering. The neighbors love seeing deer hanging in my black walnut tree, behind the house. :D

Jeff, call today if you want. I'll be at the shop all day.
Scott
 
I've only got one blade in CPM154, a benchmade folder. So far it has impressed with both its edge hold and its sharpenability. I think there is a place for stainless, but over the years I'd about given up on it for anything but knives to put in my tackle box, canoe bag and life vest pocket. That reminds me, I need to go that little "stainless" CRKT knife out of my life vest :-). Anyhow, some of the better stainless out now and better blade geometry, heat treating and such has me giving stainless a chance again. Right now the stainless blade that gets a regular workout for me is my Mora, which stays bungied to a canoe thwart when i'm on the water.
 
Scott,

I have your PSK in O-1 and its doing a great job. But I have to admit I would prefer a more stain and rust resistant steel. I am reluctant to use it on items that contain juice or sap as I am worried I will forget to clean it and it will rust (this has happened to me before).

The environment I live in is very humid, so I am a fan of stainless steels. IMO there are lots of good stainless steels out there (154CM, VG-10, S30V). On a small knife surely there is no major advantage to using a tool steel, but there is a distinct advantage to using a stainless steel.

And I'm not worried about patina - I have patina on my PSK already. I worry about rust that eats steel.

I also believe that a survival knife that will be used for a wide variety of tasks (not just cutting wood) should be as low-maintenance as possible.

Mark
 
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