So how long till steel quality plateaus?

...and to answer the op question, yes I think it'll plateau...pretty much until someone decides to top Bohler Uddleholm. Right now their products are M390, K390, Elmax, S690, Vanadis4E....3rd gen particle metallurgy is amazing. Cpm is a farce compared to these steels.
 
OTK said:
Fellas, heat treating is much more important than steel. Befor HT all this steel is worthless as a knife. 1070 heat treated by a master will kill 110v heat treated incorrectly.

Heat treating something properly is a minimum condition. This is of paramount importance. Guys...I've made and tested lots out of the best of new steels. I usually use Peters... They vacuum harden and cryo treat, and test every piece.
Click to expand...

Of course when we mention steel, we always assume optimum heat treat. Why should we even contemplate steels before assuming that their heat treat is optimum. Only when a steel fails to live up to it's potential composition-wise, do we ask if heat treat on that is optimum. It's like asking which car goes faster, we assume that they are in good repair. We don't say a beetle can go faster than a broken lambo.
 
Sharpening is a huge issue for me. I think this is why someone like Emerson does well with
154 cm on all his products is because the average guy can get a great edge without grief
or expensive equipment; great design with a steel everyone can manage....
 
CARRERA50 said:
Sharpening is a huge issue for me. I think this is why someone like Emerson does well with
154 cm on all his products is because the average guy can get a great edge without grief
or expensive equipment; great design with a steel everyone can manage....
Click to expand...

I use basic Spyderco ceramics and a 400 grit silicon carbide stone. I have not had any issues with super steels yet. Keep practicing, and reading on sharpening. It will get better.
 
singularity35 said:
Of course when we mention steel, we always assume optimum heat treat. Why should we even contemplate steels before assuming that their heat treat is optimum. Only when a steel fails to live up to it's potential composition-wise, do we ask if heat treat on that is optimum. It's like asking which car goes faster, we assume that they are in good repair. We don't say a beetle can go faster than a broken lambo.
Click to expand...

I'm with you. Lots of guys may buy a production folder made from Elmax or m390 and not even realize they are not hardened to the optimum level and form an opinion based on only the specs they are sold.
 
OTK said:
I'm with you. Lots of guys may buy a production folder made from Elmax or m390 and not even realize they are not hardened to the optimum level and form an opinion based on only the specs they are sold.
Click to expand...

True, but production folders should also only be compared to production folders, not customs.
 
TriviaMonster said:
Whoa, whoa, whoa. Mid techs are triple the cost and half as good? How much are those new ZT's gonna be?

Hinderer would be surprised to learn his mid techs are half as good as his ZT designs.

And what knife exists for 1/3 the cost of a Sebenza that is twice as good? Anyone smell popcorn?
Click to expand...

People might not agree, but that's half the fun. IMO all Taiwan spyderco models possess f&f comparable to CRK and cost a fraction as much. And the HT is incomparably better on the spydercos. Long story short, ill choose my chaparral 2 over any CRK and I have no plans to revisit CRK anytime soon. YMMV :)
 
Maybe we'll someday see a carbon nanotube steel matrix blade with a monomolecular edge :D

I think traditional steel composition will plateau, but with nano technology hurdling forward we very well might see a new generation of "super" steels.
 
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