TIGERSHARK.....carbon steel...guard

I

ichor

Joined
Aug 27, 2002
Messages
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I'm loving my newly acquired, carbon steel Tigershark. Question for you Tigershark experts. It seems to me that I once read that the Kraton material on the guard, covers steel or brass. If this is true, could one remove the Kraton coating and polish the metal underneath. I love the design of this 9" blade so much, that I'm thinking of having one of the BladeForums guys put a new handle material on it and polish the blade to a mirror finish (don't worry, it won't stop me from using it). So whadda ya' say, forumites, is there some good metal under the Kraton???
 
I have no idea on that.... but with zero knowledge I'll make a very SWAG that there is NO metal underneath the Kraton of the guard, and base it on another SWAG that the Kraton is sufficiently stiff to not require metal underneath to hold it's shape.

Polish the blade to a mirror ?? WOW, now that would be a sight to behold. SOG gun-blued a few and called 'em the Midnight Tiger.

So if you're going to mirror polish it, I would suggest a Name That Blade contest !!

Cheers,

Carl
 
Here's the scoop...yes, there's metal under the Kraton guard.

I'm trying to remember if I ever saw one stripped of the handle material. What I'm vaguely remembering is that the blade, guard, and handle are one continuous piece of steel (versus something being added on to make the guard).

Hope this helps.
 
Ron Andersen said:
Here's the scoop...yes, there's metal under the Kraton guard.

I'm trying to remember if I ever saw one stripped of the handle material. What I'm vaguely remembering is that the blade, guard, and handle are one continuous piece of steel (versus something being added on to make the guard).

Hope this helps.
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Yes, Ron, that's exactly what I remember reading when I was researching the Tigershark before buying this one. I can't, for the life of me, find the web page again. What's chances of finding a Kydex sheath for this big sucker? SOG have'em or is custom the only way?
 
Ichor, a custom handle would be really cool on a TigerShark. If you do it, please share pics when it's done. Pics durring the rehandling would also be cool. ;)

Heber
 
Don't know whats underneath, but love the kraton the way it is.
And "By the way", what's all the hub-bub about 440A anyway. I think it works great. I don't think I'll ever pound my Tigershark into a tree and make a diving board out of it!.....................What do you think?
 
wt4545 said:
Don't know whats underneath, but love the kraton the way it is.
And "By the way", what's all the hub-bub about 440A anyway. I think it works great. I don't think I'll ever pound my Tigershark into a tree and make a diving board out of it!.....................What do you think?
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Welcome to the forum. Stick around until you've made a couple hundred posts and you will get a good idea why folks here feel the way they do about certain steels (tune in on the General Discussion and Himalayan forums, too). Use the search feature and run some types of steel through the archives.

Many here are VERY pleased with their 440A and/or AUS6 Tigersharks (just ask glockman99). I happen to be a tool steel kinda guy so I waited until I found the old one in SK5 carbon steel. I also didn't want the serrations feature that's on the later models. I use my knives (most of'em) but I take care of them, so unless I were to move to a salt air town or take up diving again, I prefer the characteristics of high carbon steel over stainless)I want to get another.....one to beat the hell out of, in the field, and one to customize (fancy wood and mirror polish) because I just LOOOVE the blade size and shape.
 
my Tigershark is an old one with carbon steel (SK-5), which just happened to be that way when I bought it.... I didn't know the difference between the steels anyway and probably wouldn't have worried about it anyway.

my SOG Tech I and Tech II are 440A and I've got no complaints at all. Of course, I haven't used either of 'em as a diving board (yet) so I'll report back on that if/when it happens. Until then I'll just keep adding "sharp" and usin' 'em.

Cheers,

Carl
 
ichor said:
...Many here are VERY pleased with their 440A and/or AUS6 Tigersharks (just ask glockman99)...
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Yup, there's nothing at-all wrong with 440A/AUS-6 steel that has had a good heat-treatment...As in the case of the "new-style" Tigershark.
 
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