SRK, info please!

X

xX_Blade_Xx

Joined
Aug 2, 2013
Messages
132
What steels are used for the san mai SRK? Can someone please tell me about san mai and also more about this knife in particular?
 
Alot of different steels have been used in SRK construction in the past, but current San Mai 3 Laminated steel is a VG1 "core" welded by ungodly heat and pressures to a softer 420J variant on the outside, the last time I checked. The VG1 core provides the hard yet easy to sharpen cutting edge, and the outside steel supports the VG1, and absorbs most of the stressors the knife will encounter in its role as a Survival Rescue Knife...SRK. The resulting "steel sandwich" is 25 to 27% stronger, per CS, than their Aus8 variant. I can tell you that Ive seen folks beat on San Mai 3 knives w/ 3lb. mallet steel sledgehammers in vices, and it took all a man over 6ft. tall could do to cause seperation of said laminate, let alone snap the blade. San Mai is made from Carbon steels in Japan as well, the name referring to the process as well as the resulting steel.

I have collected SRKs since 1987, my first one was made of Carbon V, w/ a grey parkerized finish, much like very old KBARs. The SRK has also been made in Solid Aus8. Probably others I cannot yet recall...but...one things for sure...Lynn Thompson and CS stand behind the SRK for use by LEOs, Military personnel, Paramedical, Search and Rescue Squads. They wholehartedly support those who assist others who are in harms way. Go to the CS website and checkout "For the want of a knife..." by Lynn Thompson.

My SRKs have served me well and never broken or let me down in 20+yrs. But I'm "just" a civilian.
 
Last edited:
tikkidaddy said:
Alot of different steels have been used in SRK construction in the past, but current San Mai 3 Laminated steel is a VG1 "core" welded by ungodly heat and pressures to a softer 440 variant on the outside, the last time I checked. The VG1 core provides the hard yet easy to sharpen cutting edge, and the outside steel supports the VG1, and absorbs most of the stressors the knife will encounter in its role as a Survival Rescue Knife...SRK. The resulting "steel sandwich" is 25 to 27% stronger, per CS, than their Aus8 variant. I can tell you that Ive seen folks beat on San Mai 3 knives w/ 3lb. mallet steel sledgehammers in vices, and it took all a man over 6ft. tall could do to cause seperation of said laminate, let alone snap the blade. San Mai is made from Carbon steels in Japan as well, the name referring to the process as well as the resulting steel.

I have collected SRKs since 1987, my first one was made of Carbon V, w/ a grey parkerized finish, much like very old KBARs. The SRK has also been made in Solid Aus8, and SK-5. Probably others I cannot yet recall...but...one things for sure...Lynn Thompson and CS stand behind the SRK for use by LEOs, Military personnel, Paramedical, Search and Rescue Squads. They wholehartedly support those who assist others who are in harms way. Go to the CS website and checkout "For the want of a knife..." by Lynn Thompson.

My SRKs have served me well and never broken or let me down in 20+yrs. But I'm "just" a civilian.
Click to expand...

:thumbup: Great post!
 
Thanks alot musicman...personally, Im really interested to see the CSSRK in SM3 go up in a one-on-one CS style "torture test" against the Fallkniven thats the same size. I can't remember the model name, but none-the-less, it would be a great matchup.

Unfortunately, I don't yet own the SRK in SM3, believe it or not. I do have the Recon Scout and Trailmaster in SM3. I can tell you that "tough" an understatement w/ SM3, although my GK's "slabsides" seem far too easy to scratch. I don't mean little scratches you can remove w/ 600 grit w/d paper, hell, I'm talkin' about grooves!---from the sheath!

Now, from what Ive seen, lets say your SM3 blade develops a "diviot", like a major ding along the spine slabs...if that knife is then put through ALOT of prying torque, that ding will *usually* be the first place that de-lamination occurs, eventually resulting in catastrophic failure.

If youre trying to "pry" something away from a victims' limb or extremity in a rescue attempt *it could* present a problem, I don't know.
 
tikkidaddy said:
Alot of different steels have been used in SRK construction in the past, but current San Mai 3 Laminated steel is a VG1 "core" welded by ungodly heat and pressures to a softer 440 variant on the outside, the last time I checked. The VG1 core provides the hard yet easy to sharpen cutting edge, and the outside steel supports the VG1, and absorbs most of the stressors the knife will encounter in its role as a Survival Rescue Knife...SRK. The resulting "steel sandwich" is 25 to 27% stronger, per CS, than their Aus8 variant. I can tell you that Ive seen folks beat on San Mai 3 knives w/ 3lb. mallet steel sledgehammers in vices, and it took all a man over 6ft. tall could do to cause seperation of said laminate, let alone snap the blade. San Mai is made from Carbon steels in Japan as well, the name referring to the process as well as the resulting steel.

I have collected SRKs since 1987, my first one was made of Carbon V, w/ a grey parkerized finish, much like very old KBARs. The SRK has also been made in Solid Aus8, and SK-5. Probably others I cannot yet recall...but...one things for sure...Lynn Thompson and CS stand behind the SRK for use by LEOs, Military personnel, Paramedical, Search and Rescue Squads. They wholehartedly support those who assist others who are in harms way. Go to the CS website and checkout "For the want of a knife..." by Lynn Thompson.

My SRKs have served me well and never broken or let me down in 20+yrs. But I'm "just" a civilian.
Click to expand...

some minor corrections, if i may.

the sides are 420J which has less than .4% carbon, so theyre very stain resistant but bent easily.. vg-1 is not a very hard stainless. it doesnt really chip. and my r-1 mc in san mai, it bent, it did not break the vg 1 portionof the tip.
since following cs since 05, the srk was made in carbon V, aus 8, and now san mai three, i dont believe it came in sk-5, which i constantly complained about a coated fixed blade being offered in stainless.
 
IMG_20130926_081302_053_zps38be168a.jpg


my carbon v first i bought at a pawn shop, and a second im probably going to polish. i re ground it thinner to slice
 
Thanks guys...I thought for sure they had made an SK-5 version, but solid aus-8 isn't bad.

The thing w/ SRKs is you have to KEEP it sharp, as in STAY "steady" honing and adjusting the Primary edge bevel early.

I do my best to keep my Carbon V version at about 24 degrees/50/50 sabre ground. It can take a lick, but if you need to shave, its far easier.

If the blade aint "frog-hair sharp" as in shaves the hair off a frogs back, to me, it aint sharp! But a razors edge is really un-necessary for *most* outdoor applications.
 
goodshepherdknives said:
some minor corrections, if i may.

the sides are 420J which has less than .4% carbon, so theyre very stain resistant but bent easily.. vg-1 is not a very hard stainless. it doesnt really chip. and my r-1 mc in san mai, it bent, it did not break the vg 1 portionof the tip.
since following cs since 05, the srk was made in carbon V, aus 8, and now san mai three, i dont believe it came in sk-5, which i constantly complained about a coated fixed blade being offered in stainless.
Click to expand...

I have corrected my mistakes for the benefit of those on the forums, and appreciate you "calling me out" so to speak, LOL...

Vg1 while not the hardest stainless in the universe, is most assuredly harder than the 420J, obviously, which is the idea we are all trying to convey to the OP. Forgive my lack of metallurgical info when it comes to stainless. I shall have to study more!

I would LOVE the SRK in satin-finish 01! To me, HCS is the ticket.
 
Say Heah Guys, I have a CarbonV S.R.K. and I got the San Mai 3 version also, The new S.R.K. has such a thin tip compare to my CarbonV model that it scares me to baton with it, Chopping and batoning are survival norms, Do I have a defective S.R.K. or are all the San Mai 3 S.R.K. have that thin of a tip and has anyone broke their tip from normal use. I find it hard to believe that a San Mai 3 with such a thin tip would be hard used.
 
The Kinryu factory in Seki Japan which makes the SRKs and Recon Tantos has said that they will end all knife production.
This is why CS has put 3V versions of these two models on their new products list. These will be made in Taiwan like the other
3V models. So the Aus8, solid VG1 and Sanmai models will soon become extinct.
 
WoW, Just by eye balling my CarbonV S.R.K. and my San Mai 3 S.R.K. I just find it hard to believe it's 25% stronger, Nah, infact I don't believe it, My tip on my new San Mai 3 is so Ooops thin I feel I can break it off barehanded, I hope C S is right and that tge San Mai even though it's that thin is actually a pretty strong tip. I pray it is.
 
tikkidaddy said:
The resulting "steel sandwich" is 25 to 27% stronger, per CS, than their Aus8 variant. I can tell you that Ive seen folks beat on San Mai 3 knives w/ 3lb. mallet steel sledgehammers in vices, and it took all a man over 6ft. tall could do to cause seperation of said laminate, let alone snap the blade. San Mai is made from Carbon steels in Japan as well, the name referring to the process as well as the resulting steel.
Click to expand...

Can you elaborate on this "25-27% stronger"? Do you have a link? One of Cold Steel's competitors who uses VG10 laminate claims a 20% strength
increase from the lamination process. But I am unaware of any Cold Steel site that makes a similar statement.

"Sanmai" is a term coined by Lynn Thomspson. originating from "Hon Sanmai" (meaning true 3 layers) which is one of 16 lamination and steel combination methods that have been and are used in Japanese swordmaking. While in today's world a term like "VG1 Laminate" would be easier
and accurate, back in the early 1980s it was a new concept to the US knife buying public and it sounded very cool. In Japan a laminated or comined steel blade on a knife has historically been called "Kasumi" or Warikomi", although the term "Sansou Hagane" (3 layer blade) has become common
in recent times.
 

Attachments

  • katana-laminations.jpg
    katana-laminations.jpg
    16 KB · Views: 14
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top