shift in how i view knives

R

rhosk

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Aug 28, 2012
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150
So recently I had a shift in how I view knives I had been buying medium folders in premium stainless steels s30v 154cm etc. I spent lots of time on crappy knives learning to sharpen well and I've gotten decent,not good but decent. The other day my boss showed me his favorite skinning knife a well patinaed old hickory 7" butcher knife he says he loves it but its getting dull and asks me to sharpen it. I took the knife home and took it through a rough then medium then fine Arkansas stone then extra fine DMT to finish it ( my attempt at micro bevel) that thing got scary sharp. Since this experience I've been obsessed with carbon steel. The stuff seems magical to me. I guess my question is are there any more paradigm shift such as this that people have found pertaining to knives that I should know about. ?
 
i've yet to hear about a super steel large bowie or machete or sword that outperforms one in carbon steel. well, i've heard of 3v but that's it.
 
I just keep returning to the same thing over and over again: if all that cheap but essentially decent knives manufactured in some crappy stainless were done in an old good !cheap! carbon steel instead... I would probably have less money and more knives!
 
To be clear, over all I prefer my fancy steels (S30V 154-CM and the like) but one thing I will give to the simpler carbon steels...it hardly takes any effort to make them amazingly sharp, my old case sod buster will shave/whittle hair easily !
 
I don't have much of the higher-end steels, but my experience with sharpening M4 makes me not like it. I haven't used my carbon steel blades enough to give an opinion, but so far my favorite steel is VG-10
 
You have seen the light...

Carbon steel has been used for many years, and is still popular. Especially for those that honestly use their knives, and don't spend every waking hour splitting hairs over the latest, greatest blade steel....
Some people worry about Carbon blades rusting. If a person takes reasonable care of their knives, it won't be an issue. Many of the old Carbon bladed knives have been around for 50+ years, and still look great.
 
I found so much hope in this thread, I got a peaceful easy feeling. USA Schrade Old Timer carbon steel is that magic metallurgy that you speak of.
 
Carbon just works.... especially when....

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:D
 
Carbon steel is very likable. All of my tools (axes, machetes, shovel, sheath knives) are carbon. Most of my pocket knives are stainless. Maybe when it's time to work, it's hard to beat good ol' time tested carbon steel.
 
I love me some good ole Case CV. All of my "go to" fixed blades are carbon steel. (1095, Carbon V, SR-101). High carbon steels take a scary sharp edge, Holds it well and it's not too difficult to sharpen when needed.
 
Carbon steel is magic and works well. It can be easier to sharpen than the harder stainless steels and maybe that is what you were experiencing. IMO the magic of carbon steel is its greater toughness over stainless steel. If you read on sub-forums here such as the Becker forum you can read about people doing things with knives that you shouldn't do to most stainless steel knives, and the carbon steel knives do well at it.
 
You should try some of Spyderco's Super Blue knives. Some sprints coming up.
 
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Hmm. Sounds like more of a new view on steel than knives. But then again the two are one.

I am still in the midst of a similar process. Trying relatively inexpensive knives from various manufacturers to see what I like. Then maybe buy a higher end knife or two from that manufacturer.

There are always new and innovative design features and materials coming along. Eventually, if the innovations prove themselves in use, they make their way up to the higher end knives. But that could easily take 10 years or more - perhaps generations. As you observed, there are lots of new steels, but carbon steel has been around for generations for a reason.

There is always something to learn about the steels and the knife designs. So much history - and more coming all the time!
 
Here is my personal opinion on 1095 etc.
The stuff gets very sharp. However when in the woods I usually, if not always have chips taken out of the edge.
Now before we start talking about edge angles etc. Blade thickness is the same, so are the edges. I then use a high grade stainless, and no problems with it chipping. (Or breaking.)

I had a Becker Patrol Machete about a decade ago.
On my first very light chop into a 2x4 I yelled crap!

My friend thought I cut myself, but didn't. The blade snapped into. Becker replaced that knife and to this day it stays in the truck. The first one had to have had steel defect and it let go on the fissure line.

CPM 3V. To me is on another level, and yes better than INFI in my opinion. I have owned dozens of INFI blades. So I'm not a fanboy for CPM 3V.

Now make some CPM3V 1095 and I am all over o
 
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I absolutely love my carbon knives, almost all of my traditionals and fixed blades are carbon steel. In response to the question of another paradigm shift, I would suggest giving H1 a shot. I find it's just as quick and easy to get a razor edge as carbon but with the added benefit of being completely stainless.
 
If you're are that impressed by a simple (10XX) carbon steel, try to find a knife in 52100,

...that slightly alloyed carbon steel easily takes a scary sharp edge and holds it well.





Big Mike
 
jimmyd1982 said:
I absolutely love my carbon knives, almost all of my traditionals and fixed blades are carbon steel. In response to the question of another paradigm shift, I would suggest giving H1 a shot. I find it's just as quick and easy to get a razor edge as carbon but with the added benefit of being completely stainless.
Click to expand...

Not entirely my experience. H1 is great in serrated edge, not so good in Plain Edge, particularly mirror polished edge. It takes a plain edge easy enough but doesn't seem to hold it well. But give it a few strokes on a DMT coarse or medium (no stropping) and it cuts like a demon and the edge lasts for ages.
 
This is a really good question! All of my chef knives (my parents were chefs) are high carbon steel. Needs a weekly touch up for about 20 seconds a side on a fine stone after a good sharpening and that's it. I've been trying to learn how to improve my sharpening abilities on a whetstone and the softer steels are just that much easier. It begs the question why I am hankering for more and more pricier pocket folders even though I don't use them that often.
 
How about good old cheap AUS-8? CS shows that it can take a scary edge with modest sharpening effort.
 
Yes, the revelation you're looking for is that what steel you choose depends on what tasks you want. Carbon steels generally get the job done, especially if you're just looking at smaller blades and looking to cut. The major advantage to stainless is that you don't have to sweat the finish as much. Carbon steel blades WILL develop a patina. If you want your knife looking more or less like it did when you bought it new, stainless is going to accomplish that much better than carbon steel does. But carbon steels can still get the job done. A good 1095 or 52100 or W2, O1, etc, really does a good job, especially in the hands of a skilled smith (http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/765305-Hey-why-is-your-clay-hardened-blade-so-much)

5160 is still one of the best steels for a hard use chopper.

But the more expensive steels have their place. I consider S30V or S35VN and CPM154 to be decent steels, but not up to par with, say, M390. It's not just how good of an edge it can take. How long will it hold that edge? How easy is it to sharpen? How strong is it? And, most importantly, what are you going to do with it? Carbon steels aren't going to do that well as a fisherman's knife, for instance. By and large, if you are only in it for cutting, carbon steels are plenty good enough.

However, 3V is, as previously mentioned, amazing stuff. It can take up to 60-62 RC without losing any toughness, and it's a TOUGH steel. That means you can get a sword or big chopper that will keep an amazing edge, but stay very tough, assuming the HT is done correctly. Most carbon steels, you have to temper to 54ish RC to keep them tough enough to not break, which means you'll lose some edge retention. This stuff is a lot more complicated than most people seem to think. I've seen people who wouldn't buy a sword because they thought it was tempered too hard. That's fine for some kinds of steel, but show a bit of ignorance when it comes to others.
 
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