Question re: the "new" Queen Cutlery

B

billg1949

Joined
Sep 29, 2011
Messages
27
Has anyone received a Queen knife (from them directly) since the new ownership? I have been tempted in the past to buy from them. But I didn't want to be stuck with a dull knife (esp. for $90!).

Are they starting to come in now sharpened....or is it still too early to judge the new owners?

thanks.............Bill
 
billg1949 said:
Uh....it's about 5 hours away. This is a BIG state.:D
Click to expand...

:D
To answer your question, out of the two Queen knives i've purchased (1 Queen/1 S&M), they both arrived sharp enough to cut paper. This may not be the case for everyone after seeing a few threads in the past.
 
I've purchased several Queen folders recently, one in D2 and the others in high carbon Steel. They all were sharp as new knives go. The D2 folding hunter was stropped and it's very sharp now.
 
I'll be watching this thread. That's what's been keeping me from doing it so far. I got my GEC out of the box dull as a door knob, but in about an hour I had it shaving. I'm afraid that I'll take much more than an hour sharpening up some D2 if I try a Queen.
 
IMightBeWrong said:
I'll be watching this thread. That's what's been keeping me from doing it so far. I got my GEC out of the box dull as a door knob, but in about an hour I had it shaving. I'm afraid that I'll take much more than an hour sharpening up some D2 if I try a Queen.
Click to expand...

IMightBeWrong, I think you are. I don't know why so many here are intimidated or even wary of D2. I have D2 in Queen knives, a couple of Ontario knives, and three different Kershaw knives. IT ISN'T HARD TO SHARPEN...

It isn't butter soft like so many carbon bladed domestic knives, and might take a bit more effort than 1095 (especially the butter soft +/-55 Rockell preferred by one large factory) but it doesn't take any special equipment, no special techniques or training.

I have reprofiled all of my Queen traditional patterns and Kershaws using my Lansky with the regular stones! No diamond set needed. You can polish the blades with the Lansky till the edges are literally mirrored (yellow stone) and then finish on a strop. Shaving sharp isn't a problem.

I don't know who started all the trepidation that comes when D2 is brought up, but to me it is baseless. If you are a competent sharpener, D2 won't be a challenge unless you have an unusual blade shape. But then, unusual blade shapes (recurves, super deep bellies, very blunt points) are their own challenge anyway, and have nothing to do with the steel.

If you try D2, you will probably be scratching your head wondering what all the fuss was about.

Robert
 
Robert.....

I'm with you......they're probably listening to that old adage "harder steel harder to sharpen" or some neophyte used a garden variety rock thinking Ahh sharpening stone....D2 is no different to sharpen...............


And to the OP point....these two would be the only ones that you can be sure of that were built by the new ownership anything else could have been on the retailers shelves....

ece09e10afca41b13d067a329e5411a9.jpg


29ee31778c7069ca57ebb9163d438a43.jpg
 
midnight flyer said:
IMightBeWrong, I think you are. I don't know why so many here are intimidated or even wary of D2. I have D2 in Queen knives, a couple of Ontario knives, and three different Kershaw knives. IT ISN'T HARD TO SHARPEN...

It isn't butter soft like so many carbon bladed domestic knives, and might take a bit more effort than 1095 (especially the butter soft +/-55 Rockell preferred by one large factory) but it doesn't take any special equipment, no special techniques or training.

I have reprofiled all of my Queen traditional patterns and Kershaws using my Lansky with the regular stones! No diamond set needed. You can polish the blades with the Lansky till the edges are literally mirrored (yellow stone) and then finish on a strop. Shaving sharp isn't a problem.

I don't know who started all the trepidation that comes when D2 is brought up, but to me it is baseless. If you are a competent sharpener, D2 won't be a challenge unless you have an unusual blade shape. But then, unusual blade shapes (recurves, super deep bellies, very blunt points) are their own challenge anyway, and have nothing to do with the steel.

If you try D2, you will probably be scratching your head wondering what all the fuss was about.

Robert
Click to expand...

I'm glad to hear that. I have actually tried D2. I'm a big fan of the Brous Silent Soldier knives and I can always get them CRAZY sharp. I actually love D2. However, I've never had to re-profile D2 before. If it's really no big deal, just as sharpening my Brous knives isn't, then I appreciate that input!
 
Yep, the D2 that Queen uses is really not that tough to sharpen. The issue has gotten blown way out of proportion, due to the bandwagon effect. It's an excellent steel, and even many custom pocket knife makers use it frequently.
In fact, it might be my favorite steel. Well, maybe it's a tie... 1095, ATS-34, 440C, A2 and O1 are pretty good, too... ;)
 
420 ss ,not sure how that is going to over no matter what country you make it in.
 
I beg to differ. With Queen it is not the alloy, it is the amount of steel to be removed in order to get a reasonable edge angle.

I run most of my traditional blades at a 20° per side angle. Queen runs theirs at anywhere from 25° per side on North. I've had Queen blades where the two bevels didn't even meet. The entire frickin edge was flat. That means a lot of steel to remove and I don't care what system you use, that is a lot of work.
 
knarfeng said:
I beg to differ. With Queen it is not the alloy, it is the amount of steel to be removed in order to get a reasonable edge angle.

I run most of my traditional blades at a 20° per side angle. Queen runs theirs at anywhere from 25° per side on North. I've had Queen blades where the two bevels didn't even meet. The entire frickin edge was flat. That means a lot of steel to remove and I don't care what system you use, that is a lot of work.
Click to expand...

This has been my experience with Queen as well.
 
knarfeng said:
I beg to differ. With Queen it is not the alloy, it is the amount of steel to be removed in order to get a reasonable edge angle.

I run most of my traditional blades at a 20° per side angle. Queen runs theirs at anywhere from 25° per side on North. I've had Queen blades where the two bevels didn't even meet. The entire frickin edge was flat. That means a lot of steel to remove and I don't care what system you use, that is a lot of work.
Click to expand...

I agree that it is an unnecessary chore, no doubt. My only beef with the Queen knives I have purchased has been the grinds as has been with so many others.

However, I don't worry much about that any more. I bought a COARSE stone (think driveways, sidewalks, curbs) for the Lansky when I spent a lot of time sharpening S110V and wasn't getting anywhere. It took care of that pretty easily, and handles D2 like it is butter no matter how much correcting I need to do.

I start out with the coarse stone, then work my way through the grits like I always do. A nasty grind does add to the process, but as pointed out, it isn't the D2 that is the problem. My Kershaw knives in D2 came very sharp, as did my Ontarios.

As a sidebar, I am hoping the new Queen management makes sharpening/profiling a priority. It is too easy to get spoiled by a manufacturer that makes a knife that is sharp out of the box, has a good angle ground on them from the factory, and when it gets its initial sharpening it is more of a touchup.

Robert
 
Last edited:
How would someone even know if a recently purchased Queen knife was from the 'new' Queen, or something that had been sitting on a store or warehouse shelf for a couple of months?

I've bought two Queen knives recently, both fixed blades with the ACSB. They are for collecting so I haven't done any edge testing, however I can say the fit and finish is very nice. Smooth clean edges, even grinds, no gaps or loose parts. I wouldn't hesitate to purchase them again.
 
Bob W said:
How would someone even know if a recently purchased Queen knife was from the 'new' Queen, or something that had been sitting on a store or warehouse shelf for a couple of months?
Click to expand...

Just take a short minute and read this thread. Question answered on this page.

Robert
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top