Which of these 2 metals is better?

Joined
May 20, 2014
Messages
38
Hello everybody,


I'm buying custom made knife,and i need help with metal type.
Could somebody tell me which of these two metals is better:N690Co or High Carbon AISI 1075?
Are both of those two metals good for knife?
I need it for smaller knife approximately 4''inch blade which can be light-medium battoned and chopping?
Also, will the handle broke if it's made of wood because of battoning or chopping?

Every comment is welcome
 
Last edited:
You won't be doing any serious chopping with a 4in blade, nor any serious batoning. Blade is just to short.

That said, both are good knife steels. But very different from each other. One is a stainless(690)the other(1075) a carbon steel that will patina or rust more readily.

I believe 1075 will be more forgiving with a abuse than 690, if that's what you're looking for.
 
Personally out of those two I'd pick N690.

For a 4" knife it's tough enough to take most things.

That said if you are planning on really doing things that aren't supposed to be done with the knife get the 1075 version.

Whether the handle will break or not depends more on what you're planning to do than on wherther it's wood or not.
 
Could somebody tell me which of these two metals is better:N690Co or High Carbon AISI 1075?

Better based on what? Edge retention? Ease of sharpening? Toughness? Strength? Cost? Rust resistance?

We don't know what steel characteristics matter to you, so we dont know what it "better" for you.
 
Better based on what? Edge retention? Ease of sharpening? Toughness? Strength? Cost? Rust resistance?

We don't know what steel characteristics matter to you, so we dont know what it "better" for you.


Most important thing is toughness and strength,then edge retention and ease of sharpening,rust resistance and cost are least important.
 
Most important thing is toughness and strength,then edge retention and ease of sharpening,rust resistance and cost are least important.

"Toughness" and "strength" are different metallurgical characteristics. Different things.

What do expect to do with your knife? What metal characteristics do you thing will help your knife do what you expect it to do? What steels do you have knives made of now? What do you like about those steels?
 
"Toughness" and "strength" are different metallurgical characteristics. Different things.

What do expect to do with your knife? What metal characteristics do you thing will help your knife do what you expect it to do? What steels do you have knives made of now? What do you like about those steels?


Sorry, thought those two things are same.
I want it to be very robust and shock resist and that it can take light or medium chopping and maybe light batoning,because last thing i want is broken knife...
Since this is my first custom made knife,and i only owned Becker BK9 in 2014.and i regret i sold it,so i have almost no experience with blades.
PS
it's not 4 inch blade,it's 5 inch (yes i know it's pretty short).
 
Since this is my first custom made knife,and i only owned Becker BK9 in 2014.and i regret i sold it,so i have almost no experience with blades.

You have "almost no experience with blades" and you are jumping right in and having a custom made? Bold move.

What steel was your Becker made of, and does your knifemaker work in that steel, or one similar?
 
You have "almost no experience with blades" and you are jumping right in and having a custom made? Bold move.

What steel was your Becker made of, and does your knifemaker work in that steel, or one similar?

I'm getting custom made knife because it was in my favorite movie,and that's the only reason I'm buying custom made.
Becker BK9 was made out of 1095 Cro-Van carbon steel.
No,my knife maker only has those two- 1075 carbon and N690.
He's doing knives out of hobby.
 
Last edited:
Guys i have one more question.
Is custom made knife made from N690 stainless steel, 10 inches long, with wooden grips better or worse then classic knives like Ka-Bar USMC (1095 Cro-Van)?
Which would be better in terms of quality overall?
 
Guys i have one more question.
Is custom made knife made from N690 stainless steel, 10 inches long, with wooden grips better or worse then classic knives like Ka-Bar USMC (1095 Cro-Van)?
Which would be better in terms of quality overall?

Better as far as what? Taking abuse? I'd wager the 56ish rockwell on the 50-100b (1095 crovan)steel would take more abuse.

If all things were equal as far as dimensions and hardnesses.
 
I don't have golden membership, so i can't link the seller,if you wish i can sent you link on PM?
I tried but i could not found PM on your profile,if you can and have a bit time please send me a PM,and I'll send it seller's link.
If you won't do any of that I'll understand.
 
Yes, better for taking abuse.
In this video you can see everything i want from ''my custom made knife:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_Uzao6b17I

PS sorry for double posting.

EDIT:My knife would be 10'' long overall,and blade is 5'' long
KaBar USMC's blade is 7'' long and whole knife is 11,8''.
 
The N690CO is a fab steel. I have been abusing my Spyderco Hossom Forage that uses it and it has held up great to all the crap i put through when camping.
 
Your questions are difficult to impossible to answer.

Will the product of this specific "hobbyist" knifemaker be "better" than KaBar USMC? Who knows. And better for what?

Really, it sounds like this guy is making you a knife to match the one used in the Jurassic Park movie. Having something that looks like that knife seems to be the thing driving your decision. Nothing wrong with that.

"Steel" probably doesn't matter, "better" probably doesn't matter, "looking like the knife from the movie" matters.

If he can do that, then you will be satisfied.
 
Your questions are difficult to impossible to answer.

Will the product of this specific "hobbyist" knifemaker be "better" than KaBar USMC? Who knows. And better for what?

Really, it sounds like this guy is making you a knife to match the one used in the Jurassic Park movie. Having something that looks like that knife seems to be the thing driving your decision. Nothing wrong with that.

"Steel" probably doesn't matter, "better" probably doesn't matter, "looking like the knife from the movie" matters.

If he can do that, then you will be satisfied.

Well you're actually right.Most important thing for me is look,but getting good product is also very important.
I do believe i will be satisfied.

You asked ''better for what''?
Check this video if you have time (skip to 1:15)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_Uzao6b17I
If knife i'm getting can do that,I would be more then satisfied.

RkyMtn,it will be made from N690,no N690CO,or are those two same metals?
I'm sorry,I'm still very new when it comes to metals,especially metals.
 
We don't know. That Buck can do it. The Kabar will do it. Will the knife this hobbyist maker made be able to do it? Who knows?

You know, these might be good things to ask the knife maker :D
 
Back
Top