Production Heat Treat Question

[Spey]

Over thinking what? The most important thing in making a knife?

Over thinking, under thinking, etc.
I would guess the "sarcasm" may have been related to putting too much focus on but one aspect of construction.
Example: Is heat treating more important than tempering, grind geometry, etc., etc. ...?

What level of cutting performance is the average buyer really looking for when choosing a ZT anyway ... :-o
And, comparatively how many have have been disappointed (very few I would suspect).

regards,

 

[Gavin S.]

Gavin, optimal hardness wouldn't be that high for a knife expecting much harder use than a Phil Wilson skinning knife. Different heat treats, different geometries for different expected uses. There is really no "optimal" unless you are being extremely specific in uses. Much more specific than in a hard use knife like the SNG can see. Anything from opening letters to prying.

joe

Perhaps, but if edge retention is the ultimate goal of using a steel like s110v, then why not harden to the point where it performs best at that task. Ankerson said this of 110v, so that's what I'm basing my opinion on.

"Around 63 HRC (62-63) would be optimal for a production knife due to compressive yield strength, that's something that is very important.
I wouldn't expect them to hit the 63-64 range in a production knife realistically so the 62-63 range would provide a good balance. That 58-60 range is like running a race car with 4 flat tires......."

 

[Charr]

Perhaps, but if edge retention is the ultimate goal of using a steel like s110v, then why not harden to the point where it performs best at that task. Ankerson said this of 110v, so that's what I'm basing my opinion on.

"Around 63 HRC (62-63) would be optimal for a production knife due to compressive yield strength, that's something that is very important.
I wouldn't expect them to hit the 63-64 range in a production knife realistically so the 62-63 range would provide a good balance. That 58-60 range is like running a race car with 4 flat tires......."

Ankerson also tests primarily edge retention, and that is what he's going to be speaking from the perspective of. Like I said before, I find that generally blades in S110V in the 60-62rc range don't chip, but will hold their edge extremely well. Maybe not enough for Ankerson, but for the rest of us, we can cut a lager variety of materials, and it will be much easier to sharpen as well when it finally does lose that edge, or when a touch-up becomes needed.

I love Ankerson's tests, and they do great at showing us extremely useful information, but keep in mind they can only test one variable at a time, and there are a lot of vairables in making a knife steel efficient and useful for a large group of people.

 

[rodriguez7]

Over thinking, under thinking, etc.
I would guess the "sarcasm" may have been related to putting too much focus on but one aspect of construction.
Example: Is heat treating more important than tempering, grind geometry, etc., etc. ...?

What level of cutting performance is the average buyer really looking for when choosing a ZT anyway ... :-o
And, comparatively how many have have been disappointed (very few I would suspect).

regards,

I have always heard, and I would agree, that heat treating is extremely important, it only makes sense. I know its not the only thing that goes into making a knife, but I would consider it part of the tempering process and one of the most important things that goes into the knife. "the soul of a blade". Of course grid geometry and everthing else, but what I was asking was heat treat. I understand the use of different materials, G10 and vanadis 4e. The knife is built very well, and everything I have bought from Zt seems great. I have switched from carrying benchmade and spyderco folders to my zt 0550 and 0560 due to their construction and emphasis on toughness, and they cut dam good too, I use my knives for things other than slicing apples and opening letters. Lol. Im concerned about the quality of this knife, it will be used on horse back pack in trips, hunting elk, and used as my only blade, making fire, battoning, skinning, gutting, and various things. Thanks for all who weighed in!!