Which steels can offer the best edge ret and be still sharpenable, in this situation?

[Sir Joe]

There are a few that meet your criteria. The best IMHO is any sort of San Mai Steel. cts-xhp is another one that comes to mind. Last is N690co.

Isn't San Moi just a layered steel? I was reading about, wait, who, Cold Steel? Maybe Cold Steel making supposedly super knives with San Moy and people saying it was just an excuse to use a part of a cheaper steel and make people pay even more.
I have understood also that layered steel is only meaningful if you want the properties of hard steel (edge) and soft steel (toughness).
I don't. I only want edge

Only carrying certain knives in public is illegal. You can still possess most of them and if you need them for your job you can even have the "illegal to carry" knives with you on the way to work and back home.
If you need to know the details of German knife law I could help you a bit with that.

I need the knife at work, but work is for me either within the territory of the Company, or in private gardens. So, neither is business of the police after all.
But well, it may happen that I want to bring a knife with me, somewhere, somewhen.
That's why I was preferring the Benchmade design with demontable thumbstud over the hole of spyderco.
My understanding of German laws in this moment is that a folder is illegal if both following are valid: can be locked, and can be opened with one hand.
Right?
I have heard different things about multitools. Some people say they are not included in the law.
I do not see why.
But I can understand that Police my close one eye with multitools and rescue tools.

 

[JR88FAN]

Pruners are slooooooow. It's the difference of working sunrise to sunset to get as much done with a knife that excels at brush clearing in a few hours. That blade slices right through some pretty thick stuff and will do it so much faster than pruners. The size swings in tight spots real easy too. Doing a couple rose bushes out front, yes the pruners are used. If there is high volumes that I need to do, the reaper gets it done quick. No one is fighting. Just saying Bucks Bos heat treat with 420HC is more than what "better" steels can offer.

Cutting cardboard. The vantage does equally well against "better" steels there too. It easily outlasts the "better" AUS8 and acts like steel much more expensive and exotic than its plain name suggests.

There is no denying bucks 420HC Bos heat treated steel is a flat out performer. Cardboard is not a real test anyway in my opinion. Even a butter knife will cut it. Yes it will be harder to do but it will cut it. That butter knife won't cut rope though and that stuff is much harder on an edge. I know because I cut lots of rope. The video I posted in my first reply demonstrates this characteristic of Bucks 420HC.

Just to clarify, I was not talking about the "speed" of cutting, knife vs pruners...

My comment was the effect of cutting materials like "brush" on an edge.

 

[JR88FAN]

All I am going to say is that's it's very amusing. ROFL

It really is....

Other than that I am not going to bother, not worth the effort nor the aggravation.

Mr. Ankerson.

I understand what the issue is, and that it has nothing to do with my post...

You are free, as am I, to exist on this forum, and to have an opinion, as do I.

Because you have compiled a bunch of Data cutting cardboard means that you know a lot about cutting up cardboard.

I use your tests as reference (even though they are highly flawed)....and I appreciate the work you have put into them.

It would be nice of you sir to continue to be respectful of other members opinions, regardless of what the pack you hang with would like you to do.

As far as the comment that I posted, the one that seemed to rub you the wrong way, it was merely posted because it had NOTHING to do with helping the OP in any way.

 

[bodog]

Mr. Ankerson.

I understand what the issue is, and that it has nothing to do with my post...

You are free, as am I, to exist on this forum, and to have an opinion, as do I.

Because you have compiled a bunch of Data cutting cardboard means that you know a lot about cutting up cardboard.

I use your tests as reference (even though they are highly flawed)....and I appreciate the work you have put into them.

It would be nice of you sir to continue to be respectful of other members opinions, regardless of what the pack you hang with would like you to do.

As far as the comment that I posted, the one that seemed to rub you the wrong way, it was merely posted because it had NOTHING to do with helping the OP in any way.

He's a man and can answer for himself but from the outside looking in at his post I think he was agreeing with you. Sounded like he was sarcastically saying the thread was amusing and wasn't going to try to argue with people who were saying 420HC was a good steel. Of course, I could be completely mistaken and maybe he was poking at you, I don't know.

 

[Duane Sanders]

Just to clarify, I was not talking about the "speed" of cutting, knife vs pruners...

My comment was the effect of cutting materials like "brush" on an edge.

Then I will add that the edge holds up fine for me on the knife I use. I'm real good at sharpening when it gets dull too.

 

[JR88FAN]

He's a man and can answer for himself but from the outside looking in at his post I think he was agreeing with you. Sounded like he was sarcastically saying the thread was amusing and wasn't going to try to argue with people who were saying 420HC was a good steel. Of course, I could be completely mistaken and maybe he was poking at you, I don't know.

If that's your take, then it seems like Mr. Ankerson is not very good at how to "poke fun" on a keyboard....

The point is, I have always treated him with a ton of respect.

The man knows more about steel then I ever will (or care to) yet has zero ability to give the OP any direction at all.

To come into this thread, and just drop a turd on me, seems like a horrible waste of his "knowledge"

I am not sure why people in this forum would rather find happiness in their ego's as opposed to trying to help others...surely this is not how it would be if we all sat in a room and had this same discussion.

 

[JR88FAN]

Then I will add that the edge holds up fine for me on the knife I use. I'm real good at sharpening when it gets dull too.

Duane, I had Zero issues with your comments on 420HC....why would I?
You know the steel, and you gave your opinion. That is all that I was doing, and that's what we are here to do.

Give opinions from our experiences to help each other.....

My only question to you was, the OP was very high on edge retention for the purpose of not wanting to sharpen because he felt he was lacking that skill.

I only questioned 420HC because I don't feel that cutting brush does much to dull an edge, and would not be the best way to test edge retention. It's not exactly "abrasive" .......

 

[bodog]

I am not sure why people in this forum would rather find happiness in their ego's as opposed to trying to help others...surely this is not how it would be if we all sat in a room and had this same discussion.

With that I can most definitely agree.

 

[NJBillK]

I have been giving this some thought, and would not a nimble but larger in length blade be one of the more efficient knives for brush?
The machete was designed for brush clearing while having the area for a swing.

With that in mind, what about the Becker BK5?
It is nimble, fast, takes a Great edge, and is Very easy to sharpen. It will respond Very well to a pocket diamond/ceramic stone like the Fallkniven dc3 or dc4, and unless you hit some rocks very hard, the edge would last a couple of days for you and need minor touch ups.

 

[Sunyata]

Duane, I had Zero issues with your comments on 420HC....why would I?
You know the steel, and you gave your opinion. That is all that I was doing, and that's what we are here to do.

Give opinions from our experiences to help each other.....

My only question to you was, the OP was very high on edge retention for the purpose of not wanting to sharpen because he felt he was lacking that skill.

I only questioned 420HC because I don't feel that cutting brush does much to dull an edge, and would not be the best way to test edge retention. It's not exactly "abrasive" .......

I agree. I hack through brush with 1095 without issue. It's not a great test. Although, I am trying to get a 3v chopper built for fun.

 

[Duane Sanders]

My only question to you was, the OP was very high on edge retention for the purpose of not wanting to sharpen because he felt he was lacking that skill.

Did you watch the linked video in my first response? If you didn't then it is well worth the time to watch it.

Bonus is it sharpens pretty easy too. While it is also even easier to strop it back in no time flat at the end of the day to return it where it was at the start of the day, if it even needs it at all.

I have that knife. I haven't met a knife that works like that and can still be easily maintained when it needs it, and that isn't often unless a person like the OP wants it to easily strop back quickly at the end of the day to razor sharp.

It is a pretty good suggestion for the OP.

 

[Sir Joe]

I am not in the position of saying much about all this, but I wanted to thank JR88FAN for his nice thoughts and concerns about the help given to me (as well as for the help he gave me).
I came here because I wanted to understand as much as possible in as few time as possible, also in order to do the right purchase and be happy with it.
And this is only possible by asking people who know a LOT more than I do. I receive lot of info which I cannot process right now, which is good, it is a speed learning.
And so I am very grateful for these 5 pages of help, for all the suggestions, also the ones I am not going to follow
Yes, I was indeed hoping in some more shared knowledge from Mr Ankerson, he is a point of reference for steels and edge retention tests, so his short answers fell short of my wish of knowing more, and left me with doubts, and it moves me that JR88FAN noticed it and cared for that.
But wishes of knowledge apart, I do not expect anything from anybody and I am ok with what was given to me.
People have their lives and usually very few free time to take care of many newbies asking if it's stronger batman or superman.
I know it from my personal experience.
As I told Ankerson in a private email I sent him before opening this thread (btw, did you receive it?), I was a sort of Ankerson for Bluetooth Headphones on Head-Fi, a real expert in comparisons and tests, a point of reference.
Then I just disappeared. I still receive some messages and I never answer nor log in because I am afraid of opening again that pandora's box.
It was too much. I have spent the 90% of my free time for almost 6 months (in a time where I had to study a lot) to help people, comparing things for them.
Then I moved, had no internet for a while, and felt so free that when i got internet again I deleted my facebook and disappeared from Head-Fi.

So, I have no right to expect anything from anybody.
And probably anyway, after all what I have already received from all of you, I do not really need much more

Although I really would like to know how Mr Ankerson regrinded his Manix 2
If it was a matter of changing the angle of the bevel to make it narrower, or of changing kind of grind with a machine (for example giving it a hollow grind), or of making a part of the blade thinner than the rest.
I would like to enjoy my Manix at max, so, if I can do that regrind and get that boos of performance, I would.

 

[Sir Joe]

Ehm, did I say something wrong?
Or, are you all Head-Fi members angry for my disappearance?

 

[The cow]

Strop more than sharpen.

And I don't think that your request sounds too reasonable, sorry to be a buzz kill.

The closest you might find would be a Benchmade in m2hss.

This. Strop will keep your knife sharp much longer. I do food and game prep with my 1095 Old Hickory daily, I haven't had to sharpen it in months

I'll be honest, don't get yourself too worked up about Every decent steel with a quality heat treat will hold a good edge. Some are a bear to sharpen, so I avoid those.
My woodsblades are O1, 1095 and 5160, I don't notice the difference...besides 1095 rusting insanely easy,
I've tried several "supersteels" and they're mostly the same to me. I use a SOCOM Delta in ATS34 and never noticed the difference between it and S30V/S35VN etc etc.
I've even used Leatherman's 420HC and it's held up fantastically.

Only blade that I noticed something unique is Elmax becoming very toothy, very fast.