RHC's Revealed!

Can we get a picture of the dimple the test leaves? I might want to send you a could blades to test, and probably wouldn't mind the "damage"
 
jbmonkey said:
Besides being curious...do you have a gut feel of them being too soft or hard or......?
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Not particularly--I just haven't seen any verifiable stats on what the hardness is run at. I'd be interested in seeing the info for Cold Steel and Ontario as well. Imacasa/Condor specs their machetes at 52-54 and they seem to perform at around the range they say they are, so it'd be neat to see where the others fall. Ontario, for instance, is a little harder than I like while Cold Steel is a little softer than I'd like. Tramontina and Imacasa/Condor both hit the nail on the head for me in terms of hardness, with Imacasa/Condor beating out Tramontina by a smidgin. This is all based on experience rather than quantitative testing, though, and I like finding out how close (or far) from the mark my assessments are. :)
 
as requested. Here is a blade that I tested this afternoon... it came out 62RC... so the dimple will be a bit deeper on softer metals, less prominent on harder.... but not much.

The dimple is pretty much in the center of the picture.

Per the previous discussion on bevels and readings.
You will notice that this reading was taken off the flat ground section near the edge... I also tested below the plunge where it is flat and got the same reading... as I said before, on flat ground blades the minor bevel does not appear to make a difference. I don't even try steep bevels.
 

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FortyTwoBlades said:
Not particularly--I just haven't seen any verifiable stats on what the hardness is run at. I'd be interested in seeing the info for Cold Steel and Ontario as well. Imacasa/Condor specs their machetes at 52-54 and they seem to perform at around the range they say they are, so it'd be neat to see where the others fall. Ontario, for instance, is a little harder than I like while Cold Steel is a little softer than I'd like. Tramontina and Imacasa/Condor both hit the nail on the head for me in terms of hardness, with Imacasa/Condor beating out Tramontina by a smidgin. This is all based on experience rather than quantitative testing, though, and I like finding out how close (or far) from the mark my assessments are. :)
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was just thinking earlier today I'd like to get a hold of some of the Cold Steel swords... they have a lot of spring in them... just a spit ball guess I'd say no higher than 50rc.... someone should send me one to test :)
 
Today's test batch.
Thought I'd throw in a picture in case anyone is not familiar with the knives by name only.

From top to botton in picture:

Wilderness Explorer (this is one of those survival knives with the hollow handle with a compass and fish hooks) Blade says 440 Stainless Japan: 54RC.

Buck 120 (a classic): 60RC.

Winchester skinner ($15 at walmart): 60rc ... not bad for the price.

no name Stainless China dive knife (picked it up for a couple of bucks at a gun show out of curiosity): 50RC

M10 Bayonet: 52RC... found this the other day when going through some of my old military stuff... this knife never held any kind of edge, but she's tough, the type you could pry and dig in rocks with and not have to worry about breaking.
 

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atavist said:
was just thinking earlier today I'd like to get a hold of some of the Cold Steel swords... they have a lot of spring in them... just a spit ball guess I'd say no higher than 50rc.... someone should send me one to test :)
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Given that most of their swords are made by Windlass Steelcrafts in India, I'd reckon you're right.
 
Very cool. I hope someone submits a beater CRK. I sent mine in for a re-HT, the paperwork came back as 56 before, 61 (or maybe 60.1, it's been a couple of years) after. Night and day difference in edge retention.
 
NeverMore1701 said:
Very cool. I hope someone submits a beater CRK. I sent mine in for a re-HT, the paperwork came back as 56 before, 61 (or maybe 60.1, it's been a couple of years) after. Night and day difference in edge retention.
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Did CRK re HT or was it somewhere else?
 
atavist said:
In a differential HT I take the first reading on the forward edge of the ricasso just below the plunge (as this area is generally also hardened in an edge quench) ... comparing this reading to readings taken near the edge higher up (on full flat ground blades, I would not try to take an edge reading on a steep saber grind) the results are consistently the same or a couple points higher than the reading at the ricasso.
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This seems like a rather large assumption to make when you are throwing brands under the bus. I would not say that the majority of differentially heat treated blades are hard that far back, or hard really anywhere you can get an accurate reading.

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kniferbro said:
Did CRK re HT or was it somewhere else?
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Paul Bos. It was around $30 including shipping, IIRC. So well worth it it's not even funny.

The only caveat is it did slightly discolor the blade, but I had plans to deal with that already in place:

IMG_0700.JPG
 
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