Reformed ...back on the porch though.

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YellowSwiss

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Sep 28, 2015
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Man, let me tell you, I used to be the biggest super steel psycho in years past. Space age steels...check. Rockwell hardness of 2356 (ok that is exaggerating)...check. Thumb stud or flipper...gotta have it.

Nowadays...not so much. I am back to my roots, and happier for it. The almighty Swiss Army Knife started me back toward traditional years ago when I woke up to the fact that utility was more common than the need to stab stuff. I love my Queen knives, AG Russell, and Case too. Nice to be back.

But hey, don't get me wrong...I still have my tactical super steel knives...they just don't get the same pocket time.

Any others out there who came full circle?
 
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I'm still a steel snob, but like you said, there just isn't a lot of need for it, so they don't get carried a lot. Now that it's gotten more common, I'd love to see some traditionals in S35VN or Elmax, or even AEB-L at higher hardness, but there just doesn't seem to be the demand for it. For now, D2 and ATS-34 seem to be about as good as it gets for traditionals.
 
I used to think it had to be one of the other. Now I have stopped seeing it as a circle. Instead, I see it as the inability to focus on both at the same time. I go where my focus is with no need to let go of the other. I like them all and no circle struggle here 🙂

Oh. Have you seen the new Round Head Barlow SFO Mike is doing through Lionsteel? Barlow with M390 😁
 
I was never a steel snob but I did have thing for OHO knives with pocket clips like my Benchmade AFCK and others, but over time I realized that I used my SAKs and other tradtionals much more and that basically the AFCK was just along for the ride. So now they mostly sit in drawers.
 
I went through a steel snob phase, and then figured out that those steels didn't help much in real world use and were difficult to sharpen. I got rid of most of my "super steel" knives and kept the ones that got the most pocket time- my traditionals and my Sebenza.
 
I'm guilty of steel snobbery. I remain unapologetic too. I don't need the latest and greatest, but I won't bother with 420 HC or 440A.
 
People in this hobby are Knife nuts. Some are nuts for steel. Others style. Some nuts prefer only USA made while other nuts champion "it has to be like it was in 1930 to be a true traditional." Some nuts are users, some are collectors, and some just don't care they just like knives. Then there is of course the stainless vs carbon only nuts. We all fall in a knife nut category.

On the topic of steel: The S110v nut is rolling over lol and fighting the urge to post in disagreement that someone just posted "you won't be able to tell the difference."
 
As a kid my first knife was some sort of SAK or another. My first single blade knife that I remember buying for myself was an ALOX that I bought in Switzerland on a family trip (and then forgot was in my pocket when I tried to fly home...it didnt make the flight back) After that I started carrying and enjoying random cheap pocket knives with clips and thumbstuds. I didnt care much for the traditionals, but also didnt get caught up in spending too much money on anything I would carry and potentially lose or have taken from me. I bought a Opinel a while back and use it for random crafts but not much for carry and went back to a Kershaw Cryo with assist (alot of fun seein that Ide never had an assisted knife before). I cant keep it sharp to save my life tho it does stand up to abuse quite well otherwise...it just didnt...matter to me. I then stumbled back into the traditional section of the forum and found what I was missing. BEAUTIFUL knives that you can slip in your pocket, dont freak people out when you open them, are often super thin and super sharp and make me excited to grab from my pocket every time I encounter something in need of slicing. Took me a bit to get around it not hanging on the edge of my pocket and being able to open quickly with one hand but now, frankly, I dont even notice. I can now put my hands in my pockets without my knife being in the way, noone around me knows I have it on and with a simple fob, I can grab it and pull the knife out easy. Oddly enough, I love simple carbon steel so thats another plus for me. Im pretty hooked...for now at least!!!

Matt
 
KBA said:
I used to think it had to be one of the other. Now I have stopped seeing it as a circle. Instead, I see it as the inability to focus on both at the same time. I go where my focus is with no need to let go of the other. I like them all and no circle struggle here
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Well said! This matches my experience.

I was all modern, then all traditional, then realized I missed modern folders -- but had the sense to realize I wasn't done with traditionals, just not focused on them at the time -- and now I'm finding myself enjoying both, but with one or the other in the foreground.
 
I have to confess, I like 420HC, at least the way Buck does it (Case is another matter). Good, tough, stain resistant easy-to-sharpen steel that suits most folks. And whatever steel it is that Swiss Army uses. That said, I prefer today's super steels: CTS-XHP, S30V, S35Vn for their superior edge holding qualities. I'd throw in D2 as well although it's not a new steel. I like most high carbon steels too for their toughness and ease of sharpening: 1070, 1095, Carbon V/50100, 51200, etc.
 
Look for an Enigma to pop up from Moletta - those have Z-Wear, which is very similar to CPM3V or Cruwear. Also, Lionsteel is putting out a barlow in M390 this summer. Cold Steel has done some S35VN, one stockman (I think), and a small slipjoint called The Lucky, and The Lucky One. Manly makes a sodbuster-ish knife that comes in a D2 equivalent, but you can also have it in CPM154. There are some Northwoods knives floating around on the secondary market in CPM154. Customs all the time in CPM154 from Todd Davison, guys like Manny Saldana, a couple others, and even S35VN from Esnyx.

Edited - although, an Alox SAK with an 154 or S35VN blade would be super cool...
 
I have a manix 2 with s110v, impressive steel? sure. however, I don't need a knife that has "lightning deployment" I don't care if it has a flipper, I just need my knife to stay with me, and be there to cut a zip tie or some rope or open a box. most blade steel will do.
 
I actually just got a VG10 and a s30v as most of my stuff is M390, S90V or 3V. I'm a steel snob.
 
I don't spend much time in the traditional forum so I'm kind of just dropping by, but in addition to my normal locking folder I've found myself carrying a cheap slipjoint more often and am becoming more interested in a nicer one. I had a few knives with good steels and the intent to buy more, but then I had my aha moment. I realized accidents happen, and they all dull if you hit something harder than the steel you're using. When you have a chip or a roll it's a lot harder to work it out with higher end steels, so I've found myself lately going with more reasonable quality steels like VG10 and S30V at a maximum.

In addition to a slipjoint I either carry a Tenacious or a Buck Vantage in 420hc. It's a lot easier to resharpen and it's a lot easier on the wallet.
 
I give most traditionals a pass when it comes to steel. I'd love to see some Elmax traditionals though.

That said the thin grind and geometry usually makes it the superior tool for my needs.

That said I just got in a mnandi, as I've been on a grail hunt for a while looking for a modern thst edc's as well as a slippie.

Not to lose faith in traditionals though I got a used ultra thin le thiers parts le fidele coming too!

The steel is basic sandvik but who cares when the blade is ground so thin! Makes for a nasty slicer.
 
I have tried but never got enamored with fancy steels. I have had some high end modern folders, not anymore. It's not ideological . I am just not great at sharpening and I love a very sharp blade. Because of that, very thin 1095 makes me happy. I can put an amazing edge on with little effort. That and some other things make me a traditional only guy.
 
I have found the real advantage for ME with the super steels is in the hunting fields. We usually have 5-6 guys in whitetail camp, and with doe tags, etc. we can be skinning and cleaning 4 or 5 deer a day, and for several days in a row. I used to use an L6 hunter which did great, but had to be resharpened several times during the weekend. Since then I have used S90V @ 61, and both CPM-M4 and S110V @ 64-65 hardness. These last three will do as many deer as we can get, and won't need to be touched up until I get home. That kind of abrasive cutting just isn't encountered with my EDCs. I like my supers and my traditionals equally, but the supers only come out a few times a year. Always choose the right tool for the job.
 
I wouldnt call myself a snob but I definitely like knives in the latest and greatest steel. I'm looking forward to the lionsteel m390 Barlow. I love my buck 301 in BG42 and have several Queen knives in ATS-34.

Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk
 
I was raised to love good carbon steel. I like Case, Buck and Uncle Henry STAINLESS STEEL. All the rest it seems to be hard to sharpen. But that's just me.
 
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I was very interested in the latest and greatest steels. I was carrying Benchmades and Spydercos when I tried my first traditional. It was a Northwoods Everyday Barlow with CPM-154. It is a really good modern steel that is still easy to sharpen. But then I tried a few GEC's with 1095 and realized I didn't really need stainless and that 1095 is all I really need. It is a joy to sharpen, can be made sharper than I need it to be, and it holds that edge pretty darn well.

Also, the highest level steels happen to be on knives that I deem too expensive to carry.
 
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