What's the difference of 1095 carbopn steel as blade material among KABAR,ESEE,TOPS?

[xuli0009]

What's the difference of 1095 carbopn steel as blade material among KABAR,ESEE,TOPS and Ontario?

 

[knarfeng]

AFAIK Tops, ESEE, and Ontario use 1095, though Ontario also uses 5160.

KaBar uses 1095 CroVan, an alloy steel with 0.95% Carbon.

 

[t1mpani]

KaBar uses 1095 CroVan, an alloy steel with 0.95% Carbon.

And also adds a bit of Chromium and Vanadium, in case you were wondering.

The "difference" between them from the companies you listed isn't very much. Starting with the same base material, it comes down to heat treatment. Rowen used to make both TOPS and ESEE though I understand that TOPS has gone on their own now. I've had several great heat treatments from Ontario, and a few poor ones as well. For what it's worth, I'd give greater marks for consistent quality to ESEE and TOPS, which stands to reason, as they're notably more expensive.

 

[xuli0009]

AFAIK Tops, ESEE, and Ontario use 1095, though Ontario also uses 5160.

KaBar uses 1095 CroVan, an alloy steel with 0.95% Carbon.

0.95% Carbon of 1095 CroVan strengthen the throughness?
Do you think so that ESEE's heat treating on 1095 is better than KABAR and Ontario?

 

[xuli0009]

And also adds a bit of Chromium and Vanadium, in case you were wondering.

The "difference" between them from the companies you listed isn't very much. Starting with the same base material, it comes down to heat treatment. Rowen used to make both TOPS and ESEE though I understand that TOPS has gone on their own now. I've had several great heat treatments from Ontario, and a few poor ones as well. For what it's worth, I'd give greater marks for consistent quality to ESEE and TOPS, which stands to reason, as they're notably more expensive.

Yes, heat treatment is absolutely a very important factor of the quality

 

[t1mpani]

The 0.95% of carbon is shared between them, CroVan or not. I'd happily say that ESEE's knives will be heat treated very well with greater consistency than Ontario, but not much more so (if any) than Kabar.

 

[Guyon]

Ka-Bar also includes the souls of dead bears in their steel.

 

[clich]

Rowens got the HT right. So does Kabar (the bear souls help). Ontario seems to cut corners with theirs