Toughest knife you own

K

Kurdy

Joined
Jun 4, 1999
Messages
143
What is the toughest knife in your collection ?

I have few pocket and big knives and every chip after usual use - not abuse.
I would like to hear which knife you use or used is strongest (specially blade).

Thanks.

Kurdy
 
In terms of the blade resisting fracture at the edge, the Uluchet, A1 and a village khukuri from HI all showed the same levels of performance which was total ignorance of stress. The only way I could indent the Uluchet blade was to chop into a nail which left a very small indent (maybe .1 to .2 of a mm). The A1 showed similar levels of resistance and only a hardened steel plate could indent it .2 of a mm. The village khukuri was similarly not concerned about edge deformation and would happily chop through just about anything.

There are some knives that are very resistant to direct impacts but are not what I would call tough because resisting direct impacts is strongly determined by compressability. For example CS Carbon V is fairly hard and thus holds up well on most materials. However once you exceed the resistance to compression or shear, the materials cracks as the ductility is low and it will chip out (on bone for example), where the tougher edges will only indent if anything. As you get harder this problem gets even worse as the edge now starts becoming fragile not only to impacts but even twisting and similar forces encountered during normal work :

http://www.knifeforums.com/ubb/Forum18/HTML/000361.html

You have to make a compromise between strength and toughness as often going to far in either way leaves the blade lacking in an important area. For example in reference to the blades above, the Uluchet is about 56-58 RC. D2 can easily go to 62-64 RC. If it was left this high then it would resist compression much stronger, but it would be much more likely to fracture under impacts.

-Cliff


[This message has been edited by Cliff Stamp (edited 28 September 1999).]
 
Right now my toughest knife is a Dozier Yukon Pro Skinner. A very tough blade for a "hunting" knife!

AJ
 
Thanks Cliff.

BTW, what is the price for HI Villagekukri or Ang Khola ?

Thanks. Kurdy
 
The strongest knife that I won is my Busse Steel Heart II. I have one in A2 steel and INFI steel. These are tough!

The Busse Mean Street is just as tough. I could likely use these things to pry open a car if I have to. Good thing I am in the Emergency Response business. I'm sure as a first responder, these will get great use.

The price tag is well worth it, as is the lifetime (yes, lifetime) guarantee.

Ed

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AKTI Member A000360
 
Kurdy, the price on the villagers depends on thier finish. The can be as low as $30-40, but that blade will be very rough showing grind marks all along its width. The full HI AK is I think $175. However every now and then a khukuri comes in with a cosmetic flaw and Bill will knock down the price. Drop him an email (HIMIMP@aol.com) and discuss your price range and I am sure something will be worked out.

Concerning Busse knives, and in particular INFI. That steel makes no sense at all to me. It is tempered very hard 60-61 RC so it obviously will not be very compressible and will resist indenting strongly, it should also be very hard to flex. But it should also be very fragile, not resistant to impacts, and not have any significant ductility. However I have talked to Jerry Busse about this in detail and this is not how the steel behaves at all. The latter properties are the exact opposite. The steel will flex significantly, it has great resistance to chipping and is designed to handle heavy impacts.

I don't understand how he is doing this but it is certainly interesting behavior and basically seems to be confirmed by those who use them frequently (Aubrey Moore). I am looking forward to seeing this first hand.

-Cliff
 

For a tough little knife, the REKAT fang in ats34 is probably the hardest to beat up. The 1095 not far behind. Haven't been able to damage either one although I have tried.
For a large knife, anyone of the HI khukuri
models is hard to beat. And believe me, I have tried just about everything. (BTW if you do trash a HI khukuri, Bill will replace it, no Bull #$%$, no negative comments about you on the forum, he will just make it right.)
smile.gif
I am not as scientific as Cliff, but probably just as brutal. Will do the the same testing when the battle mistress arrives in the next month or so. Pocket folders are one area I have not tried to test or abuse, yet.
Jim

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What? Another knife? Don't you have enough of those things already?
How many does one person need?
And just what are you going to do with this one that you can't do with the others?
What is the purpose of all these knives anyhow??

 
By far, the Chris Reeve Project 1 is the strogest, most kick-ass and live long knife I own. It might just out-live us all. I think the Emerson CQC7-B is probably the strongest folder I own, save it's lock; That honor goes to the Benchmade Axis-Lock 710.

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Robert Joseph Ansbro

If it can be written, or thought, it can be filmed. -Stanley Kubrick, 1928-1999

www.Cinematopia.com

I am the moderator on the forum "The Balcony" located at Cinematopia, please come support this brand new site
 
I have a Greco Persian made of 1/4" A-2.
I can't imagine how one would go about damaging it.

However, I have a blade coming from Gene Osborn made out of 1/4" BG-42, with a truly flat (nordic) grind, and I think it will take over as most indestructible.

Here, Griz, Griz, Griz....Soooieee!

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Luke 22:36, John 18:6-11
 
Either my Livesay ICU or GH Khukuri.

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"To grow older is inevitable.To grow UP is optional."


 
My Himalayan Imports 18" Ang Khola.

I can't wait to see the Cobalt Special bowie from H.I. There can be no stronger blade than that.
 
Now I sound like a clone! But it has to be the Battle Mistress. INFI is unbelievable. You just have to use a blade made from it to know.
 
My black Fallkniven F1 in VG-10 is the toughest knife I own. I would pit it against anything of similar size. I am saving my pennies for the black A1, which means Chai Cutlery will soon be getting a call from me. These Fallknivens will probably be the last fixed blades I need for a while, but I may yet buy an H.I. in the future.

The toughest folder I have seen but not yet owned is the BM 710 Axis lock. I will wait for an M2 version before buying.

I am still waiting for a really tough multitool or SAK. These are all made of some very cheap steel in my experience.
 
Probably either my Nepal-forged kukri or SRK. Haven't tried to abuse either to a breaking point, though.
 
The toughest (and heaviest!)I own would have to be my own handmade monster chopper bowie. 18" OAL of 5/16" 5160,2 1/2" wide,full tang,2/3 width convex ground and zone hardened,grip scales are epoxied and pinned oak (until I get some canvas micarta). It`s not real pretty but I can`t imagine breaking it without a sturdy vice and a long piece of pipe. The edge will impact just slightly(<.5mm) if I chop through a nail but it sharpens right out. Next after that would be my GH Bhojpure. Marcus
 
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