Talonite vs Stellite

abo4ster

abo4ster

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Aug 24, 2003
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I did a search and didn't find exactly what I was looking for. I know the production of Talonite and Stellite are slightly different. My curiosity is regarding the difference in performance if there is any. Particularly Strength, Toughness and Edgeholding. If someone could enlighten me, I would be greatful. In advance, thanks. Chris
 
Thanks. I have actually gone throught that website several times to no avail. The only thing I have seen in terms of a performance comparison between the two was in an article I found by Chuck Bybee:

"Talonite® is much slicker than steels so it wears much longer. Talonite® has outlasted 6K by 35% in wear tests. These were wear tests in a cereal manufacturing plant. The abrasive substance was organic fibers in corn and wheat. Talonite® rates much higher than steel and much closer to diamond or Teflon in slickness. Talonite® is slicker so it also cuts faster and easier. Machinery's Handbook, 24th Edition says that these alloys can be run 20% to 50% faster than high-speed steels when cutting."

I am still curious if there is any difference in toughness and strength.
 
Talonite has tensite and ultimate points of 121 and 195 kpsi, 6K is 108 and 146, the ductility is quite low, 1% elongation for 6K specifically. Neither responds well to impacts either. I have used several stellite alloys for blades, none of them were impressive unless the corrosion resistance is a strong requirement. They are all much softer, weaker and more brittle than decent tool steels.

-Cliff
 
Quiet Bear said:
I am still curious if there is any difference in toughness and strength.
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Are you asking if there is a difference between steel and Talonite in toughness and strength?
 
Talonite IS Stellite

Stellite 6BH.........what people call Stellite is Stellite 6K

There is very little difference between the two!
 
I have found they are best when cutting meat & cutting up game. i used a talonite edc for a while & the second you hit metal or anything real hard, the edge seems to roll.as tough as the blades are,the finer the blade edges are,the more they seem fragile.....
 
Chuck Bybee said:
Are you asking if there is a difference between steel and Talonite in toughness and strength?
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No, between Talonite and Stellite 6K. It sounds like there is no discernable difference.

To use an analogy, I new they were from the same genus. Apparently they are the same species too, just a different variety. I am thinking about getting a custom made and was told they were about the same price right now.
 
The primary differneces between Talonite and Stellite 6K are:

Stellite 6K has more carbon
Talonite is hot rolled and age hardened

Tom mayo said:
There is very little difference between the two!
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Tom uses more Talonite and Stellite than any knifemaker I know. When he says there is very little difference, I believe him.
 
Neck knife that will see a lot of sweat and occasionally salt water. It will be used occasionally for fine detail work when I am out practicing primitive skills, but for the most part a back-up. It will be small, so it won't really see any abuse unless I got into real bind and lost my primary knife. I have a Bitterroot in Talonite which I love, but would like to put it up just because. Was talking to a maker two days ago and he offered either material so I wanted to do a little research.
 
offtopic but still.. is there any nickelbased superalloys that can be used for knives? ive been looking at matweb and there seems to be alot of different nickel alloys out there, some have a hardness of 42hrc, havent looked at them all so there may be some harder ones. i know talonite gets quite low readings when you test the hardness, but its still on par with steel. is it the same with nickel alloys too, low hrc but still almost the same as steel? can these alloys produce a fine cutting edge?
 
M Wadel said:
.. is there any nickelbased superalloys that can be used for knives?
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The reason Talonite and Stellite cut so well is they contain carbides. The carbon combines with chromium, molybdenum and tungsten to make the carbides. The carbides are much harder than the cobalt that contain them. As the cobalt wears away more carbides are exposed and cutting continues.

High nickel super-alloys like Monel, Inconel, and Hastelloy have much smaller amounts of carbon so they do not have the carbides. All the cutting must be accomplished by the alloy itself. The alloy wears away and must be resharpened. The same situation exists with titanium.
 
Chuck Bybee said:
The carbides are much harder than the cobalt that contain them. As the cobalt wears away more carbides are exposed and cutting continues.
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The same thing can be said about annealed steel, thus it should make excellent knives as well.

-Cliff
 
so you could say that nicklbased alloys are unsuitable for knives or atleast steel is better? (edgeholding wise) oh yeah i found som nickelalloys with 2.6C could those be used maybe?
 
Is cobalt same as talonite and stellite? I have a large carbon fiber REKAT talonite folder( Simonich?) and also a cobalt Boye folder and they are both great cutters.
 
Chuck Bybee said:
The primary differneces between Talonite and Stellite 6K are:

Stellite 6K has more carbon
Talonite is hot rolled and age hardened

Tom uses more Talonite and Stellite than any knifemaker I know. When he says there is very little difference, I believe him.
Click to expand...
Post #9 in this thread.
 
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