Tops el chete steel

[Sparky22]

Is the tops el chete any good? I love the design and it would be sweet in 3v but 1095 bothers me a little. Exactly how good is tops heat treat of 1095 high carbon?

 

[NJBillK]

What is it about 1095 that bothers you?

I would think that their HT should be decent. Just about all of their knives are made with it and they're still around.

 

[Sparky22]

What is it about 1095 that bothers you?

I would think that their HT should be decent. Just about all of their knives are made with it and they're still around.

I don't really have a problem with the steel it's just that the rockwell hardness is relatively soft and the blade is designed to be a chopper.

 

[coinbuysell]

Rowen, the guys that HT for Esee, used to do it for TOPS but that may have changed since it has been a couple of years since I bought a TOPS knife. I used to have quite a few and never had a problem with any of them, just moved on to folders instead of adding any more fixed blades.

 

[Insipid Moniker]

I don't really have a problem with the steel it's just that the rockwell hardness is relatively soft and the blade is designed to be a chopper.

Typically, you want something a bit softer for a big chopper. Heavy impact dictates toughness (resistance to chipping or cracking) over strength (resistance to plastic deformation, edge rolling) and a lower Rockwell will generally give you more toughness, assuming a solid heat treat.

 

[ATJ999]

I really like 1095 with a good HT. Sadly the only TOPS knife I have has an awful 1095 HT!! I spend more time sharpening then I do chopping or cutting. Luckily I have other knives and will probably never use it again.

 

[GrReaper]

Is the tops el chete any good? I love the design and it would be sweet in 3v but 1095 bothers me a little. Exactly how good is tops heat treat of 1095 high carbon?

I don't know about the el chete but Tops has really good heat treat. They do a differential heat treat, softer for the spine, harder for the edge. They have a video on their website.

 

[DJC72]

I picked up an El Chete and I think 1095 is perfect for this blade. Ease of sharpness in a blade this size (for me) is paramount and 1095 is a breeze to work with. Not to mention, a 3v El Chete would probably cost a pretty penny.

 

[DJC72]

 

[TheEdge01]

Is the tops el chete any good? I love the design and it would be sweet in 3v but 1095 bothers me a little. Exactly how good is tops heat treat of 1095 high carbon?

I only have one Tops knife and the ht seems to be really good.

 

[Wolverine666]

Typically, you want something a bit softer for a big chopper. Heavy impact dictates toughness (resistance to chipping or cracking) over strength (resistance to plastic deformation, edge rolling) and a lower Rockwell will generally give you more toughness, assuming a solid heat treat.

Nailed it.

I've put my SXB (1095) through it's paces and it is one tough work horse.