Stellite

C

ceriksson

Joined
Feb 11, 2007
Messages
112
I'm interested in checking out a stellite knife. I don't know a whole lot about them aside from what i've read in wikipedia and such. I wouldn't mind picking one up somewhere to try out/use.

what are some good makers and are they really only made by custom makers and are there any decently priced knives out there in stellite?

thanks for the help
 
Since you HAVE read about stellite, you then know it is expensive. With that said, you will find stellite bladed knives on CUSTOMS. I would suggest that you get a Tom Mayo knife with a stellite blade. Mr. Mayo makes some of THE finest custom knives you will ever find.
 
Stellite is a cobalt based alloy. The best form used to make knives out of is Deloro Stellite 6K (higher carbon content than stellite 6b or talonite) and the person who has been making stellite knives the longest is Kit Carson. He loves to grind stellite 6K.


It is also denser than steel so the knife will be a bit heavier than an equivalent steel knife.
 
Very cool.. I checked out Mayo knives but couldn't find a stellite model available. I guess they come and go and don't get made on a regular level. I'll look into Carson's knives. Probably pricey though.

I was admiring a strider SLCC in stellite recently but didn't get to see a price on it, but knowing strider (I own several) I'd bet it was pretty damn high.

so no production stellite eh.

i'll keep my eyes peeled.
 
ceriksson said:
Very cool.. I checked out Mayo knives but couldn't find a stellite model available. I guess they come and go and don't get made on a regular level. I'll look into Carson's knives. Probably pricey though.

I was admiring a strider SLCC in stellite recently but didn't get to see a price on it, but knowing strider (I own several) I'd bet it was pretty damn high.

so no production stellite eh.

i'll keep my eyes peeled.
Click to expand...

the reason for no production stellite is that it wears belts out like a mother so production cost is high and time consumming. Hence it's use in custom or semi custom market only.
 
What were you planning on using the knife for?
Do you want a folder or fixed?

A have a Simonich fixed blade made of Talonite which is very similar to Stellite, [any version].

These alloys are pretty soft, 48-52, but extremely wear resistant, so they are kind of specialized.

Wikipedia mentioned that Stellite is very hard. It is not ROCKWELL hardness ‘hard’.
You can read their links on materials testing about the terminology.

Suffice to say, knife blades made of these cobalt alloys will roll the edge faster than harder steels. They have great wear resistance though and don’t chip. They will NEVER corrode. You can pour acid hydrochloric acid on them with no ill effects.

The material itself is fascinating. Is is ‘slick’. It just looks and feels different than steel, because it isn’t steel. Even titainium isn’t as weird as this stuff.

We use stellite internals on many of our valves here in the oilfield at Prudhoe Bay. That is a vary abusive environment for any metal. There is a lot of corrosive elements in crude. The internal parts just last and last.

You do realize that a stellite or talonite blade is going to be very expensive, right?

I just saw a Simonich talonite blade like mine, going for $600 the other day. This is a 4" blade! {You do the math}It was used!{Now mine really stays in the safe!} It sold quickly, so I guess you might be able to get your money out of one if you sold it.

For skinning, talonite/stellite is great, probably better than anything else. It just goes and goes and goes. As a slicer, it excels. I wouldn’t want to use it for bushcraft though, because of the softness.

If you just want something for an EDC, there are cheaper choices out there.
If you want something that very few other knifeknuts have, get one. Everyone will want to fondle it.
 
Yea I just heard from James Mcgowan on the topic. he said he has made a couple for people and he echoed what you say about hardness. stays sharp for slicing, not so much for chopping..

If anything I would be interested in the knife for simple slicing and probably prefer a fixed..

I hunt and skinning would definitely be an option.
 
Hey C..

I Think Tichbourne uses Stellite..

I've got a Diotte Tanto in Cobalt..
Pretty nice blade however I haven't sharpened it yet.. I understand it a bit of a chore...

ttyle

Eric
O/ST
 
Have you looked at Fallknivens? They make some great fixed blades.
A TK2 or TK6 make great hunting knives.
I have a TK2 and it's pretty nice.
The quality is excellent. The 3G steel is about as high tech as it gets. {Powdered steel, laminated}

Bark River makes some great knives too. They use D2 steel, which is a little lower tech, but they have the heat treat/ temper figured out to the n’th degree. These are very well made knives.

The Fallknivens are about as corrosion resistant as it gets, if that’s high on your importance list. {no, not as corrosion resistant as stellite/talonite, but NOTHING is, not even titanium}.

These knives, and many others, would be MUCH less expensive than a stellite/talonite blade. They might not have the snob appeal, but you would be very happy with them.

If you just want a super tough steel, check out blades made with CPM 3V. Fehrman and Hossom make blades from this stuff. It is a carbon steel so you give up some corrosion resistance compared to stainless though.
 
Normark said:
Hey C..

I Think Tichbourne uses Stellite..

I've got a Diotte Tanto in Cobalt..
Pretty nice blade however I haven't sharpened it yet.. I understand it a bit of a chore...

ttyle

Eric
O/ST
Click to expand...

I haven't found it to be that hard to sharpen. I have a pretty thin blade and edge though.

By the way, those two sheaths you made for my Fallkniven TK2 and Ritter Mk3 work great. You do really good work.
 
I'm not too interested in another steel blade, I have another busse on the way. i'm just curious about stellite in particular since it is so unique. My current skinner is a chris reeve and I love it and my EDC is a strider.. I want to try out stellite for something like skinning or just to examine and resell.. who knows.

I usually stick with s30v for most carry stuff, and A2 in the bush.. i'm new to INFI and haven't tested it out for myself yet. Stellite has the coolness factor to it that is mysterious as it is expensive.
 
Well sh*t, you didn't tell us you have tried some of the best already!

Keep us posted with your test results.:)
 
yea just traded off a Obenauf just before finding out he was closing up shop... DOH! But I am pretty happy with the sebenza and hinderer kubaton I got in exchange though.

i'm seeing if I can get a little 2"er fixed blade made up for me or something to check out.
 
Camillus used to make a production knife in Talonite. It was the CUDA that had the option of Talonite. I have one, and the model number is "TAL220". I don't know how many were made but I know some are out there and they will cost less than customs. I guess the old "try e-bay, and the postings here for used ones" is a good start. Joe
 
every once in a while one of the camillus cuda pops up on ebay or the for sale forums. Its a fixed blade and ive seen them go for a little over $200

Simonich midtech has some small necker style knives in talonite. I think they are called bitteroot. You might want to ask on the simonich forum. Its a little dead but you might eventually get an answer
 
Delkhouri, the CUDA knife I have in talonite is based on the EDC framelock design. It's fancied up with a gold colored Ti Nitride (?) coating on the screws, and clip etc. It came in a box with the sticker for talonite, but the box is stamped ATS34, which I don't think they ever brought out in that steel. I do have one in 154cm, and aus 8 too, the Talonite being the "crown jewel" of course.

It cost more than $200 new so if you can find one for $200 , I'd consider it a really good deal. Mines unused, unsharpened. I like tool, and HS steels better. Joe
 
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