Stellite: What is your experience?

Z

Zach Chalmers

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Jan 8, 2002
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I just put a folder on order with Neil Blackwood. I decided on a Stellite blade. What has your experience been with Stellite blades?

Zach
 

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Zach,

I have not extensively used Stellite but have used Talonite and find it to be a very good blade steel. It holds a really nice edge and it is simple to sharpen. Unfortunately, I am told that Talonite/Stellite is not durable like CPM-3V, it will chip rather than roll.

On a different note, you can't go wrong with Neil Blackwood. I've got three of his fixed blades, will be picking up another one in person before Guild and should have two more nearing completion. And hopefully I've gotten far enough along in convincing him to do a couple of custom jobs for me. His work is amazing and I've had the good fortune to handle the Skirmish prototype and it is flawless! Not only is it a piece of art but it functions well and is lighter than you might guess making it a very usable HUGE folder.

-Jeff

P.S. I don't think Neil would use any materials that he was unsure of. Ask him what his thoughts are and tell him how you expect to use the knife. Stellite is wonderfully maintence free!
 
I talked to Neil about it and he said that Stellite is wonderfully maintence free. He said that it would chip if abused but that the d2 would do the same. I decided to go with the stellite. It add $200 to the price of the knife but I am never going to sell it. I love that folder and playing with it at the show sealed the deal.

I also have a Talonite TTKK on order. It ought to make a great kitchen knife.

I started this thread just to hear what other peoples thought on stellite.
 
Originally posted by Zach Chalmers

I also have a Talonite TTKK on order. It ought to make a great kitchen knife.
Click to expand...

It will!! I do not have the TTKK but I have been using another Talonite knife in kitchen for about 2 years.... Great material, you made the right decision.
 
It takes a strong acid or base to corrode Stellite (Neil probably used 6k. Talonite is equivalent to Stellite 6BH). Of the blade materials you see commonly, only ceramic is perhaps a bit more corrosion resistant, and titanium is excellent also. Everything else is waaay below.

Stellite is very abrasion resistant...will hold up well on animal hides, cardboard, rope, abrasive stuff. It doesn't take as toothy an edge it seems... has a slick, lubricious feel when you slice with it. And the initial "scary sharp" razor edge goes moderately quickly and yields a still very sharp and long lasting edge.

Stellite is a Cobalt Chrome alloy, not a steel. Stellite is fairly soft compared to blade steels, around Rc46-48. The edge will roll of suffer flattening/impaction more readily than most any steel simply based on Rockwell hardness. One approach would be to keep a more obtuse angle on the final edge (25 to 30 degrees say).

Stellite is very easy to steel back if you roll the edge... I have four Stellite 6K kitchen paring knives that are ground very thin for flexibility. Literally, two swipes on each side on a steel and they are back up and cutting. I find Stellite relatively easy to sharpen with diamond stones.

So:
1. about best for corrosion resistance, minimal maintenance after use required.
2. great abrasion resistance
3. soft, edge tends to roll
4. easily steeled or sharpened with diamonds
 
The fixed blade that I carry more than any other is a Neil Blackwood Small Tac/Utility in Stellite 6k. I find that the knife is one of the most worry free knives I've ever owned. Even though it's a bit softer than knife steels it still performs very well. For example, I used it to power through a lake trout's backbone on Thursday with no damage to the edge at all. I wouldn't use it to hack through a seasoned hardwood limb, but for 90% of what I typically use knives for, Stellite will work about as well as any steel - and with no fear of corrosion and much less work on a sharpening rod (I usually just strop on my belt and I'm good to go).

So yes, I wholeheartedly recommend Stellite 6k on just about anything but a hard-use bowie or camp-knife.
 
Originally posted by Wulf
So yes, I wholeheartedly recommend Stellite 6k on just about anything but a hard-use bowie or camp-knife.
Click to expand...

That's a good way to look at it. I agree for the most part.

Stellite is a very good choice for, IMHO:
1. small blades, up to 4.5", fixed or folders, that are unlikely to have to be pressed into really tough, impact/chopping type service.
2. blades where corrosion resistance is a key benefit (e.g., salt water use, out-in-the-boonies use on game where you may not get knife totally clean for days).
3. blades where you can and will be able to do a quick touchup in the field (i.e., you carry a small stone, or can strop edge back on a belt as prior poster indicated).

Stellite is not a good choice for:
1. large blades, say past 5" (price $$ & toughness are issues)
2. any blade that will see chopping or other impacting type work
 
stellite is really corrosion proof..........

anything that will affect this material is not something you want anywhere near a place where people live!!!! :(
 
It's also quite resistant to grinding belts, friction saw blades and carbide drills :rolleyes: :grumpy: :cool: :p

Wulf,
Let's see another FISH PICTURE?????



Neil
 
I'll try to get the picture up in a day or two... just got back from Northern Maine last night and I'll be lucky if I find 20 minutes of free time in the next 48 hours, but I'll do my best.

Meanwhile, for those who haven't yet seen it, here's a pic of the first saltwater fish I cleaned with my Stellite knife - an early season Bluefish caught on a fly-rod off the MA coast this past May

dick_bluefish.jpg


And here's the knife (which, by the way, is the ultimate fishing knife):

blackwood_side.jpg
 
Zach,

I have no experience with Stellite. Sorry. I'd like to ask you a question related to your post:

How did you put the folder on order with Neil Blackwood?

I went to his website, clicked on the link to his email address, and sent him a note that I was interested in purchasing one of his knives, asking him to please email me the about prices, options and availablity. No response. I emailed him again, a few days later. Again, no response.

How does one contact Mr. Blackwood to purchase a knife from him?

Thanks in advance.
 
Give him a call. The number is on the web site.

Wulf,

That is one big ugly Bastid but the fish looks good. :p

Zach
 
Could someone provide clarification, jyen said his talonite chips instead of rolling its edge, Zach reports that Mr. Blackwood says the same. However, this does not make sense to me, like RDanger points out it should be the exact opposite- because stellite, talonite, etc is so soft relative to steels it should ROLL or IMPACT/deform instead of chip. At least this is what would happen with 47-48 Rc steels.
Can some one clarify, perhaps Neil Blackwood can explain if stellite has peculiar quality, that is it is soft yet chips? (This would be WORST possible knife material then, no ?)
Martin
 
Please.............Let me clarify something here!!!

The response to the Skirmish has been overwhelming to say the least! This post has generated about 20 Email inquiries alone!!!

With my current projects and backlog for my Curr model folder, I'm not taking actual orders for the Skirmish, as in deposits, promised delivery dates, etc. I'm not even going to start working on the Skirmish's until mid to late August. What I have done is created a list, mostly made up of previous customers that have expressed an interrest and made a firm verbal commitment for one of this model. At this time, the list has grown to 20+ knives. I would like to at least satisfy most of this list before I commit to making any more. I have quite a few more designs on the drawing board I would like to produce :)

Mike,

I've just responded to all of my Emails from the 4th of July weekend. I did not have any from you. PLEASE Email me again, I would be glad to respond and provide you with as much information as possible.


Neil
 
Mr. Blackwood,

Email sent.

If, for some reason, it doesn't get to you this time, please know that I am interested in purchasing a Skirmish when you start producing them, and would like further information about price, availability and options. My email address is mikespinak@mac.com

Thank you.
 
Originally posted by jyen
My input was based on my experiences with Talonite. It's a great blade material and I use all my knives (and baby none of them). That said, I've taken very small chips out of both my Talonite blades. If you want to see some indepth discussion try here http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=90042 [/B]
Click to expand...
Jeff, Thank you for the link, I just spent the last 1-1/2 hours reading thru ALL 21 PAGES:eek:
Too much unproductive rhetoric bust still there is some excellent information there, thank you. However, in all that there is virtually consensus among those supportive and critical of talonite that its low RC and strength result in tendency to dent and roll, not chip. In all 21 pages I found only one reference to chipping, it is by Rob Simonich on page 7, he says he did not know how it chipped and he could not reporduce that damage:

"Jailhack, there are 2 drawbacks with Talonite in a big bladeed knife, first is cost. 2nd is the ever discussed property that Talonite takes a bend easier that a good steel knife. I had one blade come back that had a badly chipped edge, (not dented) I am not sure how the edge was chipped. I took that blade and chopped through an oak 2X4 off an old pallet, chopped through a Hickory shovel handle, all kinds of Pine and Fir boards with swings as hard as I could go and no damage. Then it failed on a frozen elk bone, but so have many other blades. Something about bone that is sure hard on a knife....."

So this raises interesting question that you can answer perhaps- In what activities did you result in chipping? (Perhaps Mr. Simonich is referring to a knife he made for you?)
Again, I am genuinely curious-
Martin
 
Martin J,

I took the chip out with sharpening on x-fine diamond. It is possible it was a sheared off piece of rolled Talonite (in a move from gardening to deboning). Not entirely sure, if I had known about this line of questioning I wouldn't have taken out the flaw in the edge:p

Regards,

Jeff
 
Camillus Talon popped out of original(since replaced by Camillus) sheath & fell on concrete sidewalk(Cliff Stamp specialty :D ) and had number of tiny chips on edge. Less than 5 minutes with fine diamond hone & Sharpmaker it was good as new - use knife daily with no signs of chips now.

Bill
 
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