RC hardnesses for blade steels?

R

rlinger

Joined
Mar 29, 2002
Messages
4,591
Recently, I have had a couple people that I thought might know something more about knives than I have indicated a desire for less than RC 58 in blade steel. Both said they prefered RC of about 54 - 55. I can only imagine for better toughness and in asking they confirmed that. Without asking further, I guess tool steels would be best for that RC range - but only an assumption of mine.

Can you old time makers give me advise on this. I am concerned about edge retention at these lower RC levels.

Roger
 
the ease of touching up the edge seems to be the biggest reason in my expereance. a couple of clients like stainless steels like this. one is a caterer and does alot of the steamer roast's of beef. he likes to be able to sharpen on a smooth butchers steel.i feel this is habit myself. more than the tecnology.
 
If people want those types of rockwells, give them the steels that work well at those hardness levels, like 440A. To use a good steel and heat treat it to way less than it's optimal working hardness just doesn't make sense.
It's like buying a Ferrari and putting a 25 MPH governor on it. JMO :confused:
 
I could be wrong, but I could have sworn reading that Jerry Fisk likes his personal carbon steel blades to be on the lower side of the Rockwell scale. Something about it giving the steel a toothier edge or something. Hopefully, when Jerry gets back from the hammer in he will fill us in.
 
Hi Roger, TURKEY MAN,
I think Mike has it right, however any one can have his or her own
preferences as to how a knife should function and behave. Personally
you couldn't give me a knife with an HRC of 54 to 55. In fact, I believe that the tendency of knife manufacturers to sell soft knives
prompted me to start making knives in the first place. There too many
choices in steel that offers toughness, to settle for poor edge holding in a soft blade. I'm talking steel here, not Cobalt alloys.
 
That's just what I was hoping to hear. It didn't sound good to me and I don't think I want to make one that low in RC either.

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