- Joined
- May 27, 2007
- Messages
- 4,210
As a part of my Saturday evening feast I've decided to put the Ratmandu through its paces and see if it could hang with INFI and CPM 3V that I've tested.
The batoning caused no noticeable difference in the edge. There were no rolls or other damage whatsoever. SR101 is tough stuff. Many times, the 5 3/8" blade is a bit shorter than the diameter of some of the wood and I found myself striking the weakest part of the blade, the tip very hard with my 4' baton made of cedar and thicker than a baseball bat. This was done with some trepidation but the lifetime warranty of the Swamprat reassured me, and the beatings continued. Afterwards the RMD still shaved arm hair easily.
Conclusion: SR101 will hang with anything I've used. The wear resistance is amazing and the edge-retention is the same. Perhaps the only downfall of this steel, through past experience, is that it does tend to gather some surface rust if neglected. For the price ($138), it is an amazing performer and will regularly outperform knives at a much higher price point.
Note the knots and twists of this 'aged' wood below.
OH... and by the way... it's a good idea to wear gloves when you baton... the web of the hand is fairly vulnerable. Just a flesh wound.
The SR101 (Busse heat-treated 52100) did not disappoint. After batoning plenty of very hard dried and knotty mesquite wood, I veined several serrano peppers and sliced up a 1015 onion as my side dish to the prime beef fillet cooked over mesquite that I'll be enjoying tonight. :thumbup: Hope you bastids are jeolous!
It's good livin' in the Lone Star State.
Buy one... beat one. :thumbup:
The batoning caused no noticeable difference in the edge. There were no rolls or other damage whatsoever. SR101 is tough stuff. Many times, the 5 3/8" blade is a bit shorter than the diameter of some of the wood and I found myself striking the weakest part of the blade, the tip very hard with my 4' baton made of cedar and thicker than a baseball bat. This was done with some trepidation but the lifetime warranty of the Swamprat reassured me, and the beatings continued. Afterwards the RMD still shaved arm hair easily.
Conclusion: SR101 will hang with anything I've used. The wear resistance is amazing and the edge-retention is the same. Perhaps the only downfall of this steel, through past experience, is that it does tend to gather some surface rust if neglected. For the price ($138), it is an amazing performer and will regularly outperform knives at a much higher price point.
Note the knots and twists of this 'aged' wood below.
OH... and by the way... it's a good idea to wear gloves when you baton... the web of the hand is fairly vulnerable. Just a flesh wound.
The SR101 (Busse heat-treated 52100) did not disappoint. After batoning plenty of very hard dried and knotty mesquite wood, I veined several serrano peppers and sliced up a 1015 onion as my side dish to the prime beef fillet cooked over mesquite that I'll be enjoying tonight. :thumbup: Hope you bastids are jeolous!
It's good livin' in the Lone Star State.
Buy one... beat one. :thumbup:
