Question about Cold Steel's Carbon V

mnblade

mnblade

Joined
Feb 7, 2000
Messages
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On Cold Steel's web site, they're touting their new Trail Guide line of knives with "broad, extra sturdy blades made from our exclusive Carbon V® Steel."

Question: Is this "Carbon V® Steel" an actual, honest-to-goodness carbon steel, the kind that takes a wicked edge and gets a funky, dark patina? Or is it some kind of high-carbon stainless?
 
It is a very good non-stainless. To call it "carbon steel" actually underrates it. It is closer to a tool steel. It has vanadium in it and takes and holds an excellent edge.
 
>"It is a very good non-stainless. To call it 'carbon steel' actually underrates it. It is closer to a tool steel. It has vanadium in it and takes and holds an excellent edge.

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That's good news. For the record, I actually meant the terms "honest-to-goodness carbon steel" and "the kind that takes a wicked edge and gets a funky, dark patina" as positives! But if tool steel's the hipper term, tool steel it is. ;) Nice looking knives. I'm intrigued.
 
mnblade,
I got a cold steel recon, has black parkerize blade and is that carbon steel. Holds a real tough edge,a real long time.Also, I use diamonds sharpeners to sharpen it. Also, the black has scratched off quite a bit. I use the knife for a lot of chopping, close to the ground, so I am not surprised.But I did hope it would of lasted longer.
Good Luck
Jack
 
"Tool steel" and carbon steel are not synonymous. A simple carbon steel has minimal alloying elements added to the iron except for carbon. So for example 1095 carbon steel is known for simply having .95% carbon. A tool steel has elements added to make it harder, tougher, more abrasion resistant or stronger at elevated temperatures. A cutlery grade of stainless steel may or may not have extra alloying elements, but it is stainless because it has around 15% chrome and it is hard because it has over .5% carbon.

Common tool steels like A2, W2, M2, and O1 will form a patina like 1095, but are more abrasion resistant. Carbon-V is sort of like a cross between O1 and 1095. The primary alloying element is Vanadium which actually helps it to take a finer edge than 1095 (slightly). Vanadium also helps it to hold that edge longer.

I don't remember about the Trail Guide, but Cold Steel frequently coats their Carbon-V blades with a black finish so you don't see the patina. By the way, I'm planning on getting a Trail Guide because of the design and the Carbon-V. I think it is wonderful bang for the buck.
 
Jeff, you will not be disappointed. My small trail guide quickly became one of my favorite carrying folders. I love the blade geometry, and it is not coated. I thinned mine out even further, and it really cuts well, holds a great edge, and is very easy and quick to sharpen.

My sister tried it and fell in love with it. I am sending her one, she needs one for her labs - she's a biology teacher in Washington, DC. Something about a liberal teacher using a cold steel knife in a school just hits my funnybone! :D
 
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