which type of steel will work best in extreme cold weather?

Dacus_Nomadic said:
Isn't that why he's here? Seeking knowledge? All he asked about was how to choose a currently well produced cold-weather knife. He didn't ask how to build an igloo or how to make snow shoes.
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This sounds about right to me. Those deciding to climb up on their soapbox or drag this thread off topic with unrelated BS should think before hitting the submit button.

@ tomwilson77

You been given information that will hopefully help you make an informed decision on what knife will best suit your needs. However, you need to control your language here in the General forum. Dropping the "f-bomb" isn't going to work.
 
marcinek said:
That doesn't work if you don't listen to peoples' answers. Especially when they are offering really, really good advice. Good luck in the arctic. I'm sure the people up there will appreciate attitude from some 18 year old who knows nothing about where they live.
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Answers to questions he didn't ask......drop it.
 
tomwilson77 said:
what killgar said had nothing to do with my post. he can keep his survival tips to himself. I'm asking what steel would be most durable. not if I should ------- rethink visiting my grandparents because I don't know what type of steel will last in the arctic. so brommeland, marcinek can you maybe consider others before you speak form your high horse please and one more thing for brommeland. you clearly understood my post. there is nothing wrong with it.

SO WHY DONT YOU GUYS GO AND PUT SOMEONE ELSES POST DOWN. all im trying to do is get help. not a bunch of snobby remarks so politely get lost. and like I said before thanks to everyone else who contributed any helpful or interesting information. asking questions is how we learn and I don't have many respectable people around me to ask this stuff.
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Fanning the fire isn't going to help.

If you're just visiting your grandparents, and you don't know much about knives, then 1095 will do just fine. In all honesty, not many people truly need anything more than that. Just keep it dry when not in use. 1095 is extremely tough, incredibly easy to sharpen, and is affordable. You don't really list any uses other than processing deer, are you really going to process deer or is this a survival situation fantasy? It's fine to daydream about, but unless you're actually going to need it, it doesn't make much sense to spend money on it.

If you want a general, all around knife, I'd recommend the Becker BK16. It's what they call a "tweener", in that it's not too large and not too small. You can use it for both wood work and game processing, and it's a very nice beginner knife. I'd recommend using grip tape on its scales for a bit more traction and a sharpening stone for the sheath's pouch. And, of course, it's in 1095, so it will be plenty durable for the cold weather.
 
thanks to all that jumped in to put an end to that. sorry for my language too.

calc, have you ever heard the expression "ya gotta nip it in the butt" well that's what I was doing, simple request for them to stop. now like I said in the ORIGINAL QUESTION "what steel will be the most durable in arctic weather conditions". NOT "what steel will be the most durable during my stay in the arctic"

I do appreciate the info though, just didn't want to mention I was just "visiting" until those guys got me frustrated. the fact that I wont be "living" there should not weigh in on anyone's suggestions or yours. which is why i'm writing this
 
Interesting post Tom.

I like the Fallkniven suggestion. The F1 is a holy grail knife. The A1 is 6.5" and A2 is an 8" blade that are awesome but somewhat pricey for the A2. The laminated steel they use should give just enough flex to keep it from breaking in cold weather (Although the inner layer of steel will be exposed at the very edge and may be prone to a little chip here and there, Still the knife shouldn't totally break on you). I also agree with those that mentioned to stay away from the "super steels" as the edge will last but when you have to sharpen it, you may have some serious issues. Another thought would be Cold Steels "San Mai III steel". You can get an SRK for $100 and call it a day. Its laminated as well and while not as nice as the Fallkniven laminate should hold up well in freezing conditions. Lastly, I like the idea of a Bark River with A2 steel. Its a thick slab and I can't see it breaking in sub artic conditions.

Is there a steel expert out there who can answer this? I am curious if a quality softer steel would be better. It seems that it would be more forgiving and get less brittle in extreme cold. Not to mention be easy to sharpen. But on the flip side I can see how a slab of properly treated CPM 3V would hold up to just about anything. -Thanks.
 
tomwilson77 said:
calc, have you ever heard the expression "ya gotta nip it in the butt" well that's what I was doing, simple request for them to stop. now like I said in the ORIGINAL QUESTION "what steel will be the most durable in arctic weather conditions". NOT "what steel will be the most durable during my stay in the arctic"

I do appreciate the info though, just didn't want to mention I was just "visiting" until those guys got me frustrated. the fact that I wont be "living" there should not weigh in on anyone's suggestions or yours. which is why i'm writing this
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But it does.

Knife steel and its performance doesn't just depend on the temperature, it depends on (among many other things):

- Heat treatment.
- Edge geometry.
- Edge polish.
- Material being cut.
- How it's being cut.
- Cutting skill.
- Sharpening skill.
- Sharpening tools.

By asking these questions, we're looking to give you a more accurate and helpful answer.
 
The term is nipping it in the "BUD" refering to a flower removed in the bud stage .Done when there are too many buds which will produce too many apples for the branch to support .

The Inuit had a 'woman's knife' or ULU that is a half moon shape for skinning ,filleting fish, etc. They also had a snow knife similar to a machete in shape for cutting out blocks of snow for igloos . An all purpose knife maybe 5" blade is also carried. Somebody out there must have direct info. Bone was the typical early ulu and snow knife .
 
Well the carbon steel in Järvenpää knives seems to work for people who live there. I'd get a puukko and leuku from them. Except that I already have a puuko from them.
 
Fallkniven is a good option but If you are interested in the 4.5" blade range you should definitely check out the Coldsteel Master Hunter. Its laminated VG-1 is very similar to Fallkniven's VG-10. You won't have to worry much about rust, it is very tough stuff and holds a good edge. It comes with a decent sheath and the handle has a nice texture that you may find to be perfect for icy conditions.

If you look around you can find them for under $100
Its a lot of knife for the money and probably the best bang for the buck in a tough stainless in that size range.
 
Not just the cold but all the salt they throw around so H-1, N680, X15TN and Titanium.
 
I'd take a look at Busse, their proprietary steel in INFI is super tough. They also have "Basic" line in Resiprine C handles. It is the toughest rubber handle material I've ever used. Does not emit or absorb fluids, is Deet proof, chemical resistant, heat and cold stabil, and the knife, and rubber handle has a forever warranty.

They also have sub-family companies called Scrap yard and Swamp rat to look at. More cost effective, but same warranties.

If I was out in the cold hinterland, and had to rely on a knife where breakage was a risk, and replacement not possible, I'd take one of theirs.
 
I didn't want to go there because of the availability and information overload but INFI would be my choice as well :thumbup:
 
actually calc everything you listed was considered or will be considered I let my audience know exactly what I wanted to let them know. who do you think you are coming on here and saying stuff like that. you and brommeland are nothing but bullies

let it be known I'm only going to acknowledge helpful posts.

Going to look into H-1 for sure. lots of people have mentioned it. same with cold steel, it would be nice if there was some sort of chart for knife steel's with an in-depth description of the components of each. like 2% 28% carbon blah blah blah.

mete, that's some interesting stuff. I wasn't sure what people normally use but I also need a skinner/fillet knife aswell as a general purpose.
ftr-14c, interesting i'll compare to fallkniven, the master hunter is a good candidate shape and handle wise, I need more advice on laminated steels before I get one. just watched a video on how the inner layer is exposed and susceptible to chipping/rusting, it makes sense. need to do more homework on it though and compare it too the pro's and cons of 1095 and cpm 3v. and im glad you suggested infi, I forgot about it, haven't looked it up yet.
bigfattyt, thanks for the suggestion i'll look into it, heard busse I think the most so far and I stubbornly haven't looked it up.

also glockandballs. Great post. i actually emailed bark river and I asked what steel(from bark river knives) would be best for cold/wet arctic conditions, sure enough i heard back from mark Stewart! he said that Cpm 3v would work best in actic conditions. also going to go look for some knife torturing tests on youtube. they have a lot surprisingly..
 
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tomwilson77 said:
actually calc everything you listed was considered or will be considered I let my audience know exactly what I wanted to let them know. who do you think you are coming on here and saying stuff like that. you and brommeland are nothing but bullies

let it be known I'm only going to acknowledge helpful posts.
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Relax...Is this your first time on a forum? If you ask a question in a generally vague way in an open forum, prepare or all kinds of answers. No need to have a breakdown over it. Take whatever advice you are given for whatever it might be worth to you. Life is too short for so much butthurt.

Let's hope so.
 
RevDevil said:
Relax...Is this your first time on a forum? If you ask a question in a generally vague way in an open forum, prepare or all kinds of answers. No need to have a breakdown over it. Take whatever advice you are given for whatever it might be worth to you. Life is too short for so much butthurt.
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sorry for being rude. I am genuinely becoming more frustrated as people steer off topic.
 
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tomwilson77 said:
Going to look into H-1 for sure. lots of people have mentioned it. same with cold steel, it would be nice if there was some sort of chart for knife steel's with an in-depth description of the components of each. like 2% 28% carbon blah blah blah.
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Here's a Composition Comparison Graph For The Knife Steels Aubert & Duval X15TN, Myodo H1, Bohler-Uddeholm N680

You can plug away with different steels.

Also, as a friendly aside, please be mindful of moderator's advise like RevDevil said above. Sometimes the best response is no response.
 
My comments, as well as those of several others, were aimed at pointing out to you problems that you obviously do not know exist. This was done in an effort to help you.

I cannot speak for anyone else here, but I'm starting to lose some of the concern that I felt for you earlier.
 
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