Q on Cold Steel SRK & others

J

James Y

Joined
Feb 18, 1999
Messages
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How does the Carbon V steel hold up, and does the baked-on epoxy scratch off very easily? How well does it protect the blade from corrosion? (I assume it's best to apply Tuf-cloth anyway).

Also, what approximate angle is the SRK's edge geometry, and will its Carbon V edge sharpen easily enough on a Spyderco Sharpmaker?

Thanks,
Jim
 
The black epoxy coating on the SRK does hold up pretty well but eventually it will wear away, I suppose. I re-profiled the edge on mine to a steeper angle than it came iwth and ended up with a convex edge (I used a small hand file). It takes a hair popping edge. The steel is excellent but I protect the exposed edge with a light coat of petroleum jelly. Carbon V is excelent steel, at least with CS's heat treatment.
 
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It should sharpen okay on the Sharpemaker. I have never had one, so can't speak on it for sure.

I done much what Ed did and put a steeper angle on mine as well.
The edge they come with albeit sharp is too obtuse to be a good cutter.
You can check on one of Cliff Stamp's page's and get a performance review. I agree with him that the steel does chip and rust easily, of course that was on a Trailmaster without coating.
A convex edge goes a long way to help prevent the chipping.
The SRK is a great little beater knife that holds up quite well though. I have had mine for a good many years and once I got the edge thinned down and convexed have been very satisfied with it's performance.


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>>>>---¥vsa---->®

"I would rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy."

........unknown, to me anyway........

Khukuri FAQ
Himalayan Imports Website
 
YVSA, are you saying that the factory edge was too fat and that it lent itself to chipping?
 
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No Nimrod.
I said that the edge on the Trailmaster was prone to chipping.
The edge on the SRK is too obtuse to be a good cutter for me until it's thinned and/or convexed. The convex edge I have put on my SRK does just fine for me. It's thinner, yet has the support under the edge to help prevent chipping.

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>>>>---¥vsa---->®

"I would rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy."

........unknown, to me anyway........

Khukuri FAQ
Himalayan Imports Website
 
I must agree with the general comments. I have found the epoxy powder coat to be fairly tough although it does wear off eventually. The knife is reasonably rust resistant for a carbon steel knife.
In point of fact, I recently got a sharpmaker and the RS is one of the knives I have sharpened on it. It did a good job, but I must confess that I had already re-profiled the edge with a diamond hone. I don't know how well the sharpmaker would do after the knife had been used hard for a while.
 
I was realy confused with the blade angle on your SRK I have one and the edge is no where near 90 degrees (obtuse) so go figure. I like a heavy edge on a working knife it just seems to last a long time for me but it depends on what you are going to be cutting with it. I carry a larrge folder for finner cutting work.
 
Thanks for all the comments.
It sounds like the SRK is a great knife, but one what has a bit of a course(?) edge to it. It probably won't be such a big problem if one has a diamond sharpener to adjust the bevels if necessary.

I always wonder on fixed blades, though, about how well does the sheath hold up? Does Cold Steel or even other fixed blade manufacturers sell replacement sheaths when the sheaths on their knives begin to wear out?
Jim
 
James, I am currently sharpening an SRK for a friend of mine who uses it for his nat'l guard duty. He doesn't know much about knives but he sure knows how to abuse them. This one looks like it was sharpened by a drunken monkey using a cinder block as a hone. So, I'm filing it down and figured I'd check things here for tips and found your post. Seems I'm already following the standard practice for the SRK by filing it
smile.gif


As for the coating: my friend has used this knife to open oil cans (often!) and the coating is a little marred, but still intact. The sheath is in excellent condition.

As for CS replacing sheaths, I know that for some of their knives they sell the sheath seperately. I busted the cheap plastic sheath on a readyedge a while back and they replaced it. My CS Tanto sheath started to tear a bit and I managed to stitch it up myself.

Anyway, I like the SRK well enough, but I have to recommend that if you don't have at least a smooth file that you pick one up and not try to hone it down -- I'm already getting worn out filing!
smile.gif


I'm thinking I'll put a fairly good edge on it, not hair-shaving sharp but close to it, for the kind of abuse he gives this knife. I'm wondering whether it might be good for him to pick up a butcher's steel to touch up the edge, rather than using a cinder block. Think this will work on the Carbon V?


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Eric Sakowski
Signal Post, Inc.
http://www.signalpost.com
 
The SRK is one hell of a knife. The coating has held up here in the humid climate. It has seen a lot of use in the jungle.

It is very easy to sharpen.
I use a spyderco benchstone to keep the edge razor sharp.

I'm pretty sure COLD STEEL will replace a broken sheath. The newer SRK comes now with a kydex sheath. Which I believe is a definite plus in my book
 
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