prototype

jdm61

jdm61

itinerant metal pounder
Joined
Aug 12, 2005
Messages
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P1000087.jpg
bad pic of a prototype that i am working on for a possible mid-tech/small production run knife. The prototype is CruForgeV and will have micarta scales. It has a 5 1/2 inch blade and is a bit around 3/16 thick. A production model would be made from .200-.210 stock. The current leading candidates for steel are 52100, 3V and 4V (the new stuff, not M4) S35VN is also a possibility. It needs some cleaning up, drilling, skeletonizing of the tang and heat treating, but you get that basic idea. The scales will be sculpted and will cover the "guard" so no pokey, point bits anywhere other than out front where they are supposed to be.:D
 
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Looks like 20% more impact resistance than A2 at 60RC and 3 times the abrasion resistance. Worth taking a look at although for big chopper blades in the 9-10 inch range, i might still be inclined to go with 3V or L6. IN a knife this size, you might get a bit more mileage out of more abrasion resistance, assuming that the stuff isn't a complete bear to sharpen.
james terrio said:
I like it. What is this new 4V of which you speak?

Aha, I found a link to the datasheet for 4V. Looks interesting!
Click to expand...
 
Agreed, just from comparing the datasheets, I think I would stick with 3V for bigger knives (higher toughness) and maybe try the 4V on small/medium ones where, as you say, one would think it would hold an edge even longer than 3V (which holds an edge pretty darn well). I'd be willing to bet it's a bear to sharpen indeed. But if it's that tough, that means you should be able to grind the edge pretty thin without chipping trouble... which IMHO offsets a lot of the difficult-to-sharpen stuff. FWIW there are lots of big bowies and comp cutters made from 1084 and M4, and they seem to do just fine, so the 4V would probably be more than tough enough.

Anyway I do like your design. What are your thoughts on balance/weight, removing some steel from the tang etc?
 
james terrio said:
Agreed, just from comparing the datasheets, I think I would stick with 3V for bigger knives (higher toughness) and maybe try the 4V on small/medium ones where, as you say, one would think it would hold an edge even longer than 3V (which holds an edge pretty darn well). I'd be willing to bet it's a bear to sharpen indeed. But if it's that tough, that means you should be able to grind the edge pretty thin without chipping trouble... which IMHO offsets a lot of the difficult-to-sharpen stuff. FWIW there are lots of big bowies and comp cutters made from 1084 and M4, and they seem to do just fine, so the 4V would probably be more than tough enough.

Anyway I do like your design. What are your thoughts on balance/weight, removing some steel from the tang etc?
Click to expand...
The tang is going to be skeltonized to some degree. The bevels have been ground to heat treat thickness and it still balances about 1/4 inch behind the guard, so once some of that steel gets cut away, it should still balance out pretty well with the micarta scales.
 
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