Ph1 103T 165UH 165OT Steel discussion

[doublegun3]

Ph1 130T 165UH 165OT Steel discussion

Never thought I would be a knife collector but I purchased a PH1 and 165UH last month and caught the Schrade bug. I used to carry what I have now found out to be a 130T about ten years ago. I love the knife so much that I went on a ebay search last month to find it thinking it was a Ph1.
I bouught a nice PH1 and 165UH. (love them) Search for the 130T and possibly a 165OT (if my budget will permits)

My question is: Carbon and Schrade+; What are the pros and cons? Which makes the best hunting or skinning knife? Ease of Sharpening? Holding an edge? Overall knife performance?

PS: Great forum

 

[Upstream]

Welcome to the forum. Personally I like the 1095 but I do a lot of fishing and boating and carbon steel does not like salt water so I like to carry Schrade+ blades during the summer months. I think it best to have quite a few of both.
You can find more info in the FAQ thread at the top of the page.
Thanks Rick

 

[textoothpk]

Glad you found us, doublegun.

As upstream writes, it's nice to have a few of both. I have user knives of several different steels, no big deal, just takes the right technique to sharpen each. I have always thought the Rockwell hardness was more important than the steel type. Just my opinion. And the design of the knife is more important to me than the steel type as well. Say, like the edge grind and blade shape, the pattern. For field dressing a deer, I'd rather have a less- than- perfectly sharp edge on a fine drop point-- like the PH1 or 13OT-- than a razorsharp bowie with a severe clip point.

Speaking very generally... a real knife guy might like a carbon steel blade that he can sharpen easily and quickly before every hunting trip. Another outdoorsman may not like to sharpen a knife, so once a season he takes his stainless steel job to a professional to have it done for him.

It seems you are happy with the Stainless steel Schrades you own. I am certain the PH1 is 420 steel, and the 165UH, being an uncle henry, could be 440 or 420. One of the things about carbon some guys like is the fact that it is not 'stainless' and by that, meaning it will stain, discolor, develop a 'patina' that in some people's eyes spell out the history of the knife. The patina can also serve to stop rust, or slow it down.

Good luck finding the Schrades you are looking for. Shouldn't be too difficult, plenty still on eBay, even a few still tucked away in old hardware stores, as some of us stumble across relatively often.

Again, Welcome!

Phil