(Welcome to) The Traditional Order of O1

[traumkommode]

Ladies and Gentlemen, as we have many threads devoted to individual patterns; and, as we have many threads devoted to individual makers, so shall we now have a thread devoted to O1 tool steel. And, if ye belong to this sharp, sacred order, then shareth ye thine here, be they fixed or folding, clean or tarnished, used or pristine, old or new! Discuss the merits of this steel, maybe even in context of other carbon/tool steels. But, let us always praise the Outstanding (and feel free to refer to O1 as "Outstanding" in this thread).

Patina is fun, and lots of people like the way carbon/tool steels sharpen better than the way they like how stainless sharpens. I like both. But when it comes to lower alloyed carbon steels, I really like the edge that O1 takes. I find it just as agreeable on the stones as 1095, but that it takes a finer, more aggressively sharp edge. The patina seems to react a little different than 1095, too. Most of the same colors, but quicker up front. Maybe that's just what I'm cutting lately? Who knows.

I just chopped down a large cardboard box with the red linen, and it didn't appear to loose any sharpness. 1095 would have.

Take it away, everyone!

 

[waynorth]

Well TK, you have made me consider honing up and using my 01 F&F that I have been keeping as a Safe Queen!
I have heard that 01 can corrode easier than 1095; is that true?
I know how to keep my 1095s from rusting - is it any different? I have never really used 01, obviously!
Interesting thread!!

 

[Jack Black]

Outstanding it is

 

[traumkommode]

Well TK, you have made me consider honing up and using my 01 F&F that I have been keeping as a Safe Queen!
I have heard that 01 can corrode easier than 1095; is that true?
I know how to keep my 1095s from rusting - is it any different? I have never really used 01, obviously!
Interesting thread!!

My opinion that the SBJ is a perfect knife pattern notwithstanding, I think you'd be glad to use your O1 F&F. Keeping it from rusting isn't really any different. I made this chart to show my visually observed experience with the rate at which O1 seems to patina for me lately. Bear in mind, I've been cutting pears, which surprised me but put a serious patina on D2 pretty quickly, and I live in a place that is slightly more humid than the previous place I lived where I was using 1095.

Note that the amount/depth of patina about which I'm talking is the same, it just seems to me that the 1095 takes it a little more gradually while the O1 gets it up front and then stabilizes:

Also, I find that O1 responds especially well to stropping.

 

[boy&hisdogs]

I made my first two knives out of O1. The paring knife was first, then the little snub nosed nessmuk. The paring knife lives in my brother's knife roll (he cooks for a few different places around town). The nessmuk I actually like a lot. I made it just to see what I could make with a leftover piece of steel. It turned out to be a decent kitchen knife for what it is and carries like it's not even there. I want to make a few more to perfect the design and maybe start selling them someday.


I went through all those brussel sprouts with just my two little knives. The tall blade of the nessmuk allows you to pinch grip it like a chefs knife and makes it much more usable in the kitchen.

 

[Rich S]

Please Did you have to show all those Brussel Sprouts

Rich

 

[Wurrwulf]

My one and only O1 knife: @JK Knives Blue Gill. I definitely dig the quick ability for patina, and I find it responds well to both stones and the strop. I certainly wouldn't hesitate to pick up other knives in O1.

 

[Modoc ED]

It's been my experience that 01 tool steel tarnishes somewhat more than 1095. It takes a great edge and holds that edge just as 1095 does.

Here is a Bull Nose with 01 tool steel soon after I got it and used it occasionally.

Here is the same knife after carrying it almost daily over the past year. Just used for regular everyday use - no muriatic acid exposure, tar pit exposure, etc..

Note the heavy staining toward the tang - much heavier on the pile side. That is the part of the blade that is exposed when closed and carried in my front pocket.

Anyway, 01 is a very useful steel as is 1095. I really have no preference over either one although I think 01 is easier to sharpen.

 

[brownshoe]

I agree, O1 tarnishes more than 1095, get's pits easier too. I use either mineral oil or RenWax to keep it protected, but do daily care and keep them shiny with Flitz. My O1 is a custom and it is significantly harder than normal 1095. I like that since has a convex edge and being hard it doesn't need much sharpening; just a strop on 600grit paper.

 

[black mamba]

My only O1 is a safe queen custom from Jim Behring Jr., so I'm no help on how the steel behaves.
This one is just too pretty to use.

 

[kamagong]

I like O1. But like every other steel, it needs a good heat treat. This knife is pretty good.

 

[Peregrin]

Some nice knives in this thread!
black mamba
Jeff, a Behring, by father or son, has been on my list for awhile. Nice one!
Here's another pretty one in 01 and Cocobolo. Made by Lamont Coombs. An amazing mirror polish on this one.

 

[boy&hisdogs]

Please Did you have to show all those Brussel Sprouts

Rich

I sure did! One of my favorite veggies and one of the best BBQ/grill sides IMO.

Tossed in olive oil, garlic salt and lemon pepper. Put them in the pan on the grill (smoker/pellet grill is even better) until they're like chicken skin. Same goes for asparagus and broccli florets too.

The trick is to buy them farm fresh on the stalk. They don't have that bitter/sour taste like the packaged ones do.

I live on the CA coast and here in the Watsonville/Monterey/Castroville area we grow the world's best brussel sprouts, artichokes and strawberries.

To keep things on topic, here is another O1 knife that has been in limbo for a while. My poor little HF 1x30 belt sander just doesn't have what it takes to grind a full sized chefs knife. One of these days I'll build a 2x72 and this bad boy will be splitting brussel sprouts like no other. I spent a lot of time carefully adjusting the curve of the edge so that the heel of the knife "snaps" down. It's also a little on the heavy side, it should make quick work of harder veggies.

 

[black mamba]

Gary, I've always admired Lamont's work. It's a shame he doesn't post too often any more.

 

[hamsco]

I don't have any 01 yet, but I just bought a Blind Horse fixed blade (in 01) 15 minutes before I saw this thread.

 

[Chief]

My only O1s are customs with unobtainium scales so doubtful they will see more than safe duty. Both came very sharp, not unusual from these makers.

 

[Half/Stop]

I've got three knives in O-1. The 71 Bull Nose from 2014 was gifted to me at the 2015 Rendezvous by Primble. He bought it on the front porch of Great Eastern Cutlery from the late Bob Andrews. There is a pretty good chance it will remain as is!

These two 47 Hayn' Helpers are from the first run in 2012. The 2 blade in Nifebright Acrylic is still mint. These two blade models are a little thicker than I like to carry. The 1 blade in Orange Delrin now has Patina, actually more than this photo shows as it was taken several years ago. It gets carried in my EDC rotation. It is tough, lightweight, takes a good edge and makes a great work knife.

 

[Ernie1980]

O1 is great! It takes a wicked sharp edge and keeps it for a long time

This beauty was made by Stan Buzek

 

[Old Biker]

Well my first thought was I only have one knife made out of O1 steel this little JK mini mouse.

Then I remembered I had this little HK knife. That would be O1 too.

Then it was what kind of steel did the pinewood forge website say they used? Looked it up, yep O1.
That means all these beuties are made from O1. They do take a very sharp fine edge and hold it well.

O.B.

 

[The Mastiff]

I do like O-1 in fixed and folders. It takes great edges and it really loves to get very very sharp. I'm not all that sure why more makers don't use it as much as they use 1095. O-1 can be heat treated in any facility that does commercial heat treating and is not much more expensive than 1095. The cost per knife couldn't be much different. The first run of O-1 GEC's was a nice surprise and I grabbed as many as I could afford in case there were no more. They must have had a too good to pass up deal on a batch of steel. Whatever happened I wish would happen again. Maybe some more model 42, 64 and 65 lockbacks too. They are almost as difficult to find now.

Joe