I want to buy a new hunting/general purpose fixed blade knife. I have limited my choice to a Puma White Hunter/Skinmaster or the Benchmade Nimravus Cub M2. Should I go for the looks of a Puma or the steel quality of a Benchmade? Over here in The Netherlands they cost about the same.
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Steel quality or looks
- Thread starter kjmeijer
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The looks of the Puma are very good, but they are quit functional too. They may not use american top-quality steel, but they still cut quit good for a long time.
Besides, since you live in Europe, the BM will be quit ovepriced for what it's worth.
The M-2 will cut much better, but in working, you'll scratch the coating and it'll start rusting and looking ugly. I think coating can only become uglier, unless you remove 'm.
I would go for the PUMA white hunter, or you can hammer your own for free at my place. I am not that far away, and my steel is better then both BM or Puma's....5160, 190KPM or 52100.
greetz, Bart.
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Besides, since you live in Europe, the BM will be quit ovepriced for what it's worth.
The M-2 will cut much better, but in working, you'll scratch the coating and it'll start rusting and looking ugly. I think coating can only become uglier, unless you remove 'm.
I would go for the PUMA white hunter, or you can hammer your own for free at my place. I am not that far away, and my steel is better then both BM or Puma's....5160, 190KPM or 52100.
greetz, Bart.
------------------
"If the world wouldn't SUCK, we'd all fall off !"
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I'm not sure on the exact type of steel used for puma knives. But I don't remember hearing any complaints about it. It proabbly owon't hold an edge as long as the M2 that the nimravus is made with but it should be easier to sharpen and resist corrosion much better. If your using it as a field knife for heavy cutting, you might be better off to go with the puma. M2 is tough and holds an edge, but its usually hardened to about 62 Rc which would make it hard to sharpen without a good set of stones. The somewhat softer alloy in the puma might respond better to occasional steeling and would take less time to resharpen.
I liked Bart's suggestion of making your own too. I'm just starting out at making knives and its a great hobby, I think everyone should try it at least once. Especially if you have an opportunity to make a knife with someone who knows what they're doing and can show you the ropes.
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I may not be the sharpest knife in the drawer... but I've got the sharpest knife in the room.
I liked Bart's suggestion of making your own too. I'm just starting out at making knives and its a great hobby, I think everyone should try it at least once. Especially if you have an opportunity to make a knife with someone who knows what they're doing and can show you the ropes.
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I may not be the sharpest knife in the drawer... but I've got the sharpest knife in the room.
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Puma uses a german steel called 1.4110. This is the same thing as 440A. Walt
Old Knife Guy
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To kjmeijer: Now that you have read a few of the responses, why do you feel you have to limit yourself to just these two knives? I'm assuming that now you're one of us 'knuts' you could have us smuggle you over any knife mixed in with Monica's cigars! Are knife laws there the reason for the narrowing of your decision, or do you just like the looks of these products? (I did the same thing myself; I bought my first Microtech because of the way it looked in the catalog. I buy them now for the quality.)--OKG
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Walt, I'm not sure you're right. 1.4110 is not necesairy the same as 440A. American terms are quit vague compared to German Workstofnumbers. We have about 3 terms for each of the 440 series, so nine terms to describe 440A, B and C. You can say comparable to 440A, but I'd like to add pretty good 440A. Puma does not harden their pieces in series. the bigger the knife, the lower the HRC. All knives which are precisley the same recieve the same heat-treath. This often makes you americans think they use different steels or screw up the heat-treath often.
Puma recieves their steel from Bonpertus and Böhler, and they are frequent buyers of about 12 different steels, all similar to 440 stuff, but with small differences in like tungsten, chrome, vanadium. They use the best steel in their eyes for that moment, including price consideration, so you need a little luck when buying their knives. They can be excellent , but also mediocre.
They've been known to use 440 A, B and C, D-2, D-3, AUS-8 and AUS-6.
I have one from the D-3 series, and it cuts like crazy. It's an older thing, a skinner.
If you have to choose betwee, those two, I'd go with the Puma, but usually it should be a lot cheaper then a BM nimravus cub in M-2.
And, if you have an American smuggle a knife over, it about decreases 1/3 in price. Worth the effort, trust me. Reward the dude with some chocolate or something, they seem to love it !
------------------
"If the world wouldn't SUCK, we'd all fall off !"
You can E-mail me at any time....guaranteed reply !
member of the BKS
http://www.expage.com/belgianknives
Puma recieves their steel from Bonpertus and Böhler, and they are frequent buyers of about 12 different steels, all similar to 440 stuff, but with small differences in like tungsten, chrome, vanadium. They use the best steel in their eyes for that moment, including price consideration, so you need a little luck when buying their knives. They can be excellent , but also mediocre.
They've been known to use 440 A, B and C, D-2, D-3, AUS-8 and AUS-6.
I have one from the D-3 series, and it cuts like crazy. It's an older thing, a skinner.
If you have to choose betwee, those two, I'd go with the Puma, but usually it should be a lot cheaper then a BM nimravus cub in M-2.
And, if you have an American smuggle a knife over, it about decreases 1/3 in price. Worth the effort, trust me. Reward the dude with some chocolate or something, they seem to love it !
------------------
"If the world wouldn't SUCK, we'd all fall off !"
You can E-mail me at any time....guaranteed reply !
member of the BKS
http://www.expage.com/belgianknives