What is considered they most "exotic" super steel out there?

[shqxk]

Those are completely different as those also have perfect heat treat and edge geometry. A HSS by someone who isn't an expert will NOT provide the results as a Blade sports champion unless they are one or they're close to one.

Perfect heat treatment and geometry?? ROFL no more bullshit please...

You're obviously have zero knowledge on metallurgy or how heat treatment works.

Most Blade sport comp blades are made of CPM-M4 because it is a tough stuff that will withstand the extreme geometry at high hardness better than many others steel, that is the reason why they use it.

 

[Mecha]

Perfect heat treatment and geometry?? ROFL no more bullshit please...

You're obviously have zero knowledge on metallurgy or how heat treatment works.

*snip*

 

[Mo2]

let me quote cliff stamp...

Steel does not cut, this is a complete case of "the emperor has no clothes". Geometry cuts, all steel does it better allow you to optomize geometry. If you decide not to, or pick the wrong steel then the performance is poor. This is why a steel like 420HC can easily offer BETTER performance than 440C as a cutting steel.

 

[NJBillK]

let me quote cliff stamp...

I like how that was cut off where it would go on to say something along the lines of "for a lesser period of time, given comparable material being cut".
The "performance" suggested by that quote would be keen edge stability at the expense of working edge life. If you need a keener apex, between those two alloys, 420hc would be the choice. But the working edge will fade at a faster rate, since it has less carbide volume, which is "less performance".
It all depends on your application and that is what Cliff is talking about.


Your post does nothing to address the OP's topic.
Is 420hc or 440c exotic by today's standards?

 

[Mo2]

I like how that was cut off where it would go on to say something along the lines of "for a lesser period of time, given comparable material being cut".
The "performance" suggested by that quote would be keen edge stability at the expense of working edge life. If you need a keener apex, between those two alloys, 420hc would be the choice. But the working edge will fade at a faster rate, since it has less carbide volume, which is "less performance".
It all depends on your application and that is what Cliff is talking about.


Your post does nothing to address the OP's topic.
Is 420hc or 440c exotic by today's standards?

wasn't suggesting 440 or 420hc. the point is Geometry cuts, all steel does it better allow you to optomize geometry.

maybe I should have just quoted that.

 

[NJBillK]

wasn't suggesting 440 or 420hc. the point is Geometry cuts, all steel does it better allow you to optomize geometry.

maybe I should have just quoted that.

I can understand the mindset of knowing what you need to do and making sure you have the right tool (or alloy) for it.

But the one thing that I was trying to point out, though I may have been too vague, is that the whole group of ideas about geometry, edge stability, working edge functionality, et al, doesn't answer the OP's question.

In the ranks of what knife connoisseurs consider "super steels", which is the crème de la crème? Ofcourse the answers will be subjective to personal experience... so please share your personal experience!

Most of us eventually come to understand that some alloys are better at some things and others will excel in a different task. Much like you are trying to hint towards (at least that is how I took it).

Maybe the OP already knows this, maybe he/she doesn't, I don't know. What I do know is that he/she asked about the highest end alloys or the most peculiar alloys we have used, and if they struck our fancy. If they did/didn't, feel free to share why or a story about them.

Have you used any alloys that would be considered extreme, or exotic in one aspect or another?
- H1's near impervious nature against rust in our common environments?
- Maxamet’s edge holding, prefer polished or toothy?
- CPK D3V or O4V?
- INFI toughness and actually pushed it to deform drastically?

Just trying to get it on topic.

 

[DeadboxHero]

I can understand the mindset of knowing what you need to do and making sure you have the right tool (or alloy) for it.

But the one thing that I was trying to point out, though I may have been too vague, is that the whole group of ideas about geometry, edge stability, working edge functionality, et al, doesn't answer the OP's question.


Most of us eventually come to understand that some alloys are better at some things and others will excel in a different task. Much like you are trying to hint towards (at least that is how I took it).

Maybe the OP already knows this, maybe he/she doesn't, I don't know. What I do know is that he/she asked about the highest end alloys or the most peculiar alloys we have used, and if they struck our fancy. If they did/didn't, feel free to share why or a story about them.

Have you used any alloys that would be considered extreme, or exotic in one aspect or another?
- H1's near impervious nature against rust in our common environments?
- Maxamet’s edge holding, prefer polished or toothy?
- CPK D3V or O4V?
- INFI toughness and actually pushed it to deform drastically?

Just trying to get it on topic.

What's CPK D3 and O4V?

 

[Mo2]

But the one thing that I was trying to point out, though I may have been too vague, is that the whole group of ideas about geometry, edge stability, working edge functionality, et al, doesn't answer the OP's question.

The OP question is a pipe dream? the thread is also going in different directions at times. and without geometry that super steel is useless (or not idea)?

 

[Ajack60]

Don't know if its been mentioned yet, I've got a Big Chris in S125V and it's been quite impressive for edge retention.

 

[colubrid]

What about the lockbar? It is also a highly corrosion resistant steel I assume. It is not h1 though I would assume. I know the clip is titanium.

Rusted screws = red loctite.

I have put my Salt knives thru all sorts of things and left wet (and even under salt water) for days. So the lockbar must be H1 as well.

 

[NJBillK]

The OP question is a pipe dream? the thread is also going in different directions at times. and without geometry that super steel is useless (or not idea)?

I don't know about that... Especially considering that geometry can be changed and the one thing that wouldn't change is the alloy he would have in hand.

Say the OP was looking to buy a knife with an "exotic" alloy. Now take into account the part where he asked for examples and real world experience with the alloys that other folks have used.

After factoring in the experiences that folks have had and what they were doing, he would have a fairly decent idea of what an alloy might be capable of. That doesn't mean that the alloy wasn't ground to optimal to perform said tasks, all it said is "I have (Knife A) and I did (Task B) with it, the edge held up better than I had hoped.

Now if the OP wants to do the same task as the person in the above example, then he would be able to infer that his knife in the same alloy could do it too.
-----
I agree that geometry is what makes the cut and for how long (as I said before), but it isn't what the OP is asking for.

He wanted to know what was out there, and if you have it, how has it held up.
That's it.

 

[NJBillK]

What's CPK D3 and O4V?

CPK = Corothers Performance Knives
D3V = 3V with His/Their Delta HT Protocol
O4V = is CPM4V with the CPK Optimized HT Protocol.

There are a few people that are eeking every last bit of performance from their alloys, and CPK is one of the top few of that short list.

He has a subforum here in the customs section, take a swing by.

 

[shqxk]

CPK = Corothers Performance Knives
D3V = 3V with His/Their Delta HT Protocol
O4V = is CPM4V with the CPK Optimized HT Protocol.

There are a few people that are eeking every last bit of performance from their alloys, and CPK is one of the top few of that short list.

He has a subforum here in the customs section, take a swing by.

As much as I like Nathan Carothers himself and all of his excellent work.

I don't like the way he call his HT-ed steel D3V or O4V.

It's seems to be not an great way of marketing. There are many others maker that spent so much time on researching/equipment and try to optimized the heat treatment as best as they can but no need to make up a new name for there steel.

What more we should expect? Omega-1095? Alpha-AEB-L? Ultimate-M390?

 

[Skrapmetal]

As much as I like Nathan Carothers himself and all of his excellent work.

I don't like the way he call his HT-ed steel D3V or O4V.

It's seems to be not an great way of marketing. There are many others maker that spent so much time on researching/equipment and try to optimized the heat treatment as best as they can but no need to make up a new name for there steel.

What more we should expect? Omega-1095? Alpha-AEB-L? Ultimate-M390?

Not really any different than years of makers advertising the use of Bos heat treat, or Peters, or whoever. He just has a name for the heat treat rather than just slapping his name on it.

 

[NJBillK]

As much as I like Nathan Carothers himself and all of his excellent work.

I don't like the way he call his HT-ed steel D3V or O4V.

It's seems to be not an great way of marketing. There are many others maker that spent so much time on researching/equipment and try to optimized the heat treatment as best as they can but no need to make up a new name for there steel.

What more we should expect? Omega-1095? Alpha-AEB-L? Ultimate-M390?

The reason that I like the way he names them is because he is often testing slight changes to get the best out of his alloys.
- How would You as a customer know what you have if you bought it second hand?
- How would your children know what it was if you passed it down to one of them?

If a maker has made it known that they have gone through at least two HT protocols for one alloy, I would like to know which I had in hand. Naming the process or individual protocol is the easier and most reliable way to do this.
On top of that, I look at it as him being honest and respectful to the customer. If you have a Pre-D3V Field Knife, you will know it, he will know it, and he will tell you flat out what to expect from it and what the differences are. Transparency alone should be worth naming them, and that is why he does it.

 

[shqxk]

Not really any different than years of makers advertising the use of Bos heat treat, or Peters, or whoever. He just has a name for the heat treat rather than just slapping his name on it.

Totally a different case here.

Peters and Bos are heat treat service provider while CPK is a knife brand them self. Every one know all CPK knives are heat treat by them.

The reason that I like the way he names them is because he is often testing slight changes to get the best out of his alloys.
- How would You as a customer know what you have if you bought it second hand?
- How would your children know what it was if you passed it down to one of them?

If a maker has made it known that they have gone through at least two HT protocols for one alloy, I would like to know which I had in hand. Naming the process or individual protocol is the easier and most reliable way to do this.
On top of that, I look at it as him being honest and respectful to the customer. If you have a Pre-D3V Field Knife, you will know it, he will know it, and he will tell you flat out what to expect from it and what the differences are. Transparency alone should be worth naming them, and that is why he does it.

This is make sense but don't you think there are many others maker that try to continuous improve their heat treatment too?

Last year I use gas oven to heat treat W2. This year I spent $5,000 on salt pot equipment and it give obviously better result. Do I need to add any word to my improved W2? We must have so much strange named steel selling around by this logic.

As I said this is nothing wrong. But it just not a good example of marketing.

 

[Skrapmetal]

Totally different case here.

Peters and Bos are heat treat service provider while CPK is a knife brand them self. Every one know all CPK knives are heat treat by them.

When you consider that Nathan is not the only maker using his Delta 3v protocol, it's not that different. It is a way for people who like the performance of that heat treat to know what knives have it. What's wrong with it?

 

[Lapedog]

The reason that I like the way he names them is because he is often testing slight changes to get the best out of his alloys.
- How would You as a customer know what you have if you bought it second hand?
- How would your children know what it was if you passed it down to one of them?

If a maker has made it known that they have gone through at least two HT protocols for one alloy, I would like to know which I had in hand. Naming the process or individual protocol is the easier and most reliable way to do this.
On top of that, I look at it as him being honest and respectful to the customer. If you have a Pre-D3V Field Knife, you will know it, he will know it, and he will tell you flat out what to expect from it and what the differences are. Transparency alone should be worth naming them, and that is why he does it.

Interesting point. I never thought of it like that. I guess for most knives if they changed the heat treatment in the middle of production we would have no way of knowing.

Not unless you could somehow check via the serial number.

 

[Mo2]

He wanted to know what was out there, and if you have it, how has it held up.
That's it.

I have a maxamet mule team and I only strop it once I a while, don't really need to tho. I cut a lot of cardboard with it substantially more than all my other knives. even s90v doesn't last as long. I haven't gone around chopping with it. it might survive based on what I've seen Franky_blades do with his maxamet manix2. dont think my blade profile is good for batoning, but I would imagine maxamet is too brittle for some forces that could produce. it will patina but I keep fluid film or wax on it. I've seen and heard what people have used there maxamet to cut, its an amazing steel. spyderco is one of the very few that makes them and they now have several models with it. a maxamet pm2 will be added to the standard lineup and para 3 sprint run are both coming soon, with a manix2 and native 5 lightweight versions currently available. mule team 24 maxamet may be found on the 2dary market for the average price mules go for. best of all its obtainable and affordable for what your getting.

I'd recommended maxamet. a lot of other stuff is hard to find. like you don't see anyone besides custom makers using say rex121 and those are mostly super expensive. tho s90v while chippy is pretty common amongst even the bigger brand names, and holds an edge very long in my use, but with maxamet being cheaper than the few s90v blades I have its a no brainer

 

[NJBillK]

I have a maxamet mule <snip> its a no brainer

I had one that I just recently sold and I loved it.
It was easy and quick to sharpen with diamonds and a strop and it takes a hair popping edge easily. It eats cardboard, and while I would love to see what else it was truly capable of, I only used it on food or the stated cardboard...

I know that some folks have reported chipping on theirs, but they seem to be fairly uncommon, and not worth causing doubt in the alloy. Once I have the funds, I will be looking a Manix 2.

Hopefully, a Delica sprint might be an option eventually. If it is, I hope they go thin, like they did with the HAP40 Delica.
Speaking of which, the HAP40 Delica is such a mean little slicer. Similar to M4 in how quickly it responds to sharpening and the keenness of apex taken.