stainless...edumacate me

C

Chewy1

Joined
Jun 5, 2006
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I'm wondering if you fine knife nuts wouldn't mind taking a moment to educate me on the finer points of stainless steels in traditionals.

Namely, I've got a Case Barlow in SS, so I'm familiar with theirs, but how does Schatt&Morgan stainless compare to Case SS or even Case CV. What about the other bigger brands: Boker, Moore Maker, etc.

Aren't some listed as 420 SS? Is that the same as Case SS?

As you can see, I'm short on knowledge here. Any help would...um...help.
 
Case uses 420HC at 55-57 RC, if AG Russell is to be believed on the matter. That's fairly standard. Boker is probably 440A- more common in Europe.

Mooremaker doesn't make knives and never has- theirs are made by Queen and Bear, and are also likely 420HC. Same in all likelihood for S&M- 420 is a really poor steel, it's probably 420HC.
 
Correct me if I'm wrong, but Boker Tree Brand are 440C as seen here.

I may be wrong, but I added one of those to my recent order of Fisher pens because of the 440C...
 
http://www.knifeart.com/steelfaqbyjo.html

Found this nice link to Joe's site. It goes a long way toward helping me out.

The next thing is what you guys were doing, which is to figure out what steel is actually being used by the different companies when they say "stainless".

So, Case is 420HC. I think Buck is 420HC, too, right? Boker is 440C. S&M is 420HC.

What about this "solingen" stuff that I see on the German knives?

And knowing that heat treat has a large play in the equation, whose stainless are worth the purchase?
 
Is Boker really 440C? I'm wondering if OutdoorPros are getting the right info. If so, I will have to start looking into Bokers more. I love 440C steel!
 
Chewy,

There are a couple of guys around here that know there steel, and they may eventually say something for you.

You are really asking two questions. What SS do manufactors use today and what have they used in the past.

As far as Buck goes, most early slipjoints were contracted, made by Schrade two years and Camillus till 1986. I always want to say every single one was 440C but I won't put money down on that. From 1986ish to 1990 Buck came back in-house and they were 425. After 1990 Buck switched to 420HC with Paul Bos heat treatment. Overseas Bucks are in the 440 family somewhere. Current Buck slipjoints are listed as 420HC with Bos heat treat. They have some new equipment in the factory and I have high hopes that some runs of slipjoints with high end steel will eventually happen.

From personal experience the Schrade made Bucks seem to sharpen slowly but hold a edge as do some early Camillus made ones. Later Camillus seem a lesser edge. Late-1980s are good as are the current 420HC/Bos. Current blades sharpen easily on diamonds and hold edge in a fair manner.

I have attachment to 440C for no good reason...

300Bucks
 
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300Bucks said:
I have attachment to 440C for no good reason...

300Bucks
Click to expand...

I'd argue that you have a very good reason. That reason being that 440C is very good (stainless) steel. :cool::thumbup:

(I know of several excellent makers who extoll the virtues of 440C.)
 
Fore better or worse, 440C is the standard to which all other stainless cutlery steel is compared.
 
300Bucks said:
Chewy,

Overseas Bucks are in the 440 family somewhere.

300Bucks
Click to expand...

Hi,

I've got a couple of China Bucks. A large stockman and a couple of mini-trappers, (have only one trapper left due to impromptu gifting). The blister packaging claimed 420HC steel. I've always wondered about comparing the China 420HC to a USA Bos H.T. version.

dalee
 
We can go to the moon and back on "super steels" I believe a few years ago
Ken Mcfall from knife and gun finishing supplies said 440c,and ats-34, are gonna
be around a long time. I'll second that, I've got some 440c personal knives that were
heat treated by Bob Scrimsher in tha 70's and to this day it impresses me with
how they hold an edge.
Ken.
 
Blues said:
I'd argue that you have a very good reason. That reason being that 440C is very good (stainless) steel. :cool::thumbup:

(I know of several excellent makers who extoll the virtues of 440C.)
Click to expand...

Concur with Judge Blues on the 440C verdict.

My China comment was meant to be tonge-in-cheek. I have never read or been told that USA steel is shipped overseas for use, slippies are listed as 420HC and others as 440A. I have a 371 china Buck in front of me now, I am sharpening for a friend. It is not bad, spring rivet indented on one side slightly, a small amount of round over on one edge on top of clip blade. Solid knife that is sharpening fast with diamonds, a user that you won't kick the dog if you 'misplace' it.

Didn't and don't want this to go off on a China thread. It's about SS steel.

300Bucks
 
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Hi,

I wasn't trying to go off the SS topic either. Sorry if it seemed that way. I guess what I'm wondering about is 420HC pretty much just a US cutlery steel? Or is it commonly used world wide?

I've had a couple of 440C blades over the years too. And I can't figure out why it has fallen by the wayside either.

dalee
 
Chewy1 said:
[URL="http://www.knifeart.com/steelfaqbyjo.ht

What about this "solingen" stuff that I see on the German knives?

Solingen is a city in Germany that has long connexions with cutlery and steel. Rather like Sheffield(used to be) or Seki or Gowanda.

I find German stainless rather better than their carbon steel,which seems soft.
Click to expand...
 
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