Schatt & Morgan 420 Steel?

[A.P.F.]

I am liking what I see in the Schatt & Morgan lineup. Now, I know that the File & Wire one's are ATS-34, which is fine, but is their 420 steel any good?

 

[Will Power]

It seems OK for pocket-knife use, light tasks. Similar to CASE's Trusharp, not as good as Buck but alright.

 

[A.P.F.]

OK, thanks willgoy, that gives me a good picture of where their 420HC falls.

 

[black mamba]

Supposed to be harder than Case, but not as hard as Buck.

 

[Peter Parker]

I prefer S&M's 420 to their D2; it's a good workable steel for my uses!

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

The more I mess around with 420HC (both Case & Buck), the more I find it's very good stuff. Takes a fine edge, and is easily maintained. I'm beginning to believe it's an excellent care-free steel for pocketknives, especially. I don't have any of the S&M knives but, if they are using 420HC, I wouldn't worry about it. :thumbup:

 

[Modoc ED]

One of the things I like about Schatt & Morgan's 420 HC is that you don't have to have diamond stones/sharpeners to sharpen it. Just like Case's TruSharp and Buck's 420 HC it can be sharpened easily on standard stones - Arkansas stones and Norton's India stones such as these combo fine/coarse stones - the same stones I use for CV, 1095, 01 and other carbon steels.

Of course diamond stones are nice to have and I have several.

I have a couple Schatt & Morgan Stockman knives that I have used heavily in the past with 420HC steel and they have held up just fine. Easy to sharpen and each holds a good edge.

 

[A.P.F.]

Many thanks for your input guys! Now I can feel at ease collecting Schatt & Morgan. :thumbup:

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

Regarding sharpening 420HC, I spent some time last night doing some edge-trailing (convex) sharpening on a stainless Case Copperlock, using wet/dry sandpaper. I've started using the sandpaper just on a hardwood (maple) backing, and I'm finding this method works Reeeal Gooood D), especially when followed with stropping on leather with either SiC compound or 1-micron diamond paste. Didn't seem to produce the usual large-ish wire edge I see from other sharpening methods, like edge-leading on ceramics or diamond. This is very encouraging. The wire edges were about the only real 'negative' I saw in 420HC, but with that aspect apparently minimized this time, I'm liking this steel even more than previously.

 

[A.P.F.]

Regarding sharpening 420HC, I spent some time last night doing some edge-trailing (convex) sharpening on a stainless Case Copperlock, using wet/dry sandpaper. I've started using the sandpaper just on a hardwood (maple) backing, and I'm finding this method works Reeeal Gooood D), especially when followed with stropping on leather with either SiC compound or 1-micron diamond paste. Didn't seem to produce the usual large-ish wire edge I see from other sharpening methods, like edge-leading on ceramics or diamond. This is very encouraging. The wire edges were about the only real 'negative' I saw in 420HC, but with that aspect apparently minimized this time, I'm liking this steel even more than previously.

That is good to know, David. My first foray into convex edges ended in disaster, but after reading your post, I realise that my backing was way too soft.

 

[knarfeng]

David,
I find that when using sandpaper, I find I have to pull the knife backwards with the edge trailing, instead of using a forward slicing motion as I do on stones. Is that just me being weird, or is that the way it is done? I've not used sandpaper often.

 

[neeman]

From my non scientific anecdotal evidence (oxymoron?)

S&M 420 are my main knives that I use, after Queen D2


I find the S&M 420 gets and holds a much better edge than the Case TruSharp
They are easy to sharpen and I do not get burrs
I can get them shaving sharp and they stay that way even after use
A simple couple of strops on white compound brings then right back

I can't compare to Buck as I do not use my Bucks enough
And the flat grind Vs the hollow grind is harder to compare
But similar

 

[puukkoman]

David,
I find that when using sandpaper, I find I have to pull the knife backwards with the edge trailing, instead of using a forward slicing motion as I do on stones. Is that just me being weird, or is that the way it is done? I've not used sandpaper often.

Nope, you're not weird. That's the way to do it, when using sandpaper (edge trailing).
In fact, I use an edge-trailing motion even when I use stones, not just on paper, until the very end when I'm removing the wire edge (at which point I just give a few VERY light edge-leading strokes on each side, at a slightly taller angle).

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

David,
I find that when using sandpaper, I find I have to pull the knife backwards with the edge trailing, instead of using a forward slicing motion as I do on stones. Is that just me being weird, or is that the way it is done? I've not used sandpaper often.

Nope. Not weird at all, that's how I'm doing it. Just like stropping (exactly), which is why I like this method so much. :thumbup:

It's possible to use sandpaper with an edge-leading stroke, as on a stone. But, if you do, it's best to take some measures to make sure the paper clings to your hard backing (glue, or wet the backing surface down). If the paper curls up at the edges, or otherwise gets pushed up in front of the blade, it's too easy to cut it. It does make one pay very close attention to maintaining proper angle and light pressure, though, for that very reason. It occurred to me a while back, practicing edge-leading strokes on sandpaper is a great way to train the hands to the technique, as the 'feedback' (cutting the paper) is much more obvious.

 

[knarfeng]

Thanks guys. Good to know.

 

[pinnah]

David, you might mention the need to finish the cutting shoulders. This trancormed, totally transformed my experience with my Bucks. I'm deeply in your debt because of this.

Giddy with the success, I've been attempting to sharpen fully convex and have been failing. I've primarily been going at it trailing the edge but with the paper backed on the strop. Ill try wood instead.

For now, it's the Lansky at 17 then at 20 then strop flat on wet dry to round down the shoulder and the strop on leather.

I would love to figure out full convex but I'll start a thread in the maintenance to prevent any further thread drift.

For the OP, I can't comment on S&Ms 420hc but I have several Bucks. As others have noted, I like the fact I can sharpen it!! But I did need to learn to round the shoulder of the edge. Y stropping on wet/dry. David can explain it better than I can

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

Pinnah, you're welcome. I'm still glad I was able to help. :thumbup:

If you do have more questions, I'll be watching for them in Maint.

Best regards.