Whoops! Fox River Magnum Stainless Steel?

T

The Real Hawkeye

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Aug 13, 2008
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Whoops. I just ordered a Fox River Magnum, but only now found out it's stainless steel. I swore off stainless steel. I wasn't even aware that BRKT made any knives in the stuff. Current plan is to send the package back unopened when it arrives. Any reason I shouldn't be concerned with this particular stainless steel regarding edge holding/ maintaining/ sharpening? Thanks.
 
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from what i've read mike stewart's heat treat of the stainless he uses makes it perform alot like the A2 that he also uses...

but i haven't use it myself so i don't know for sure.
 
If it's 12c27 I love the stuff. I've not had any of Mike Stewart's but I've had a couple others.I'm sure Mike knows how to bring out the best in it.Mine were a far cry from the old China stuff that made most folks hate stainless.
 
Mike's 12c27 (i think that's the steel they use) is FANTASTIC stuff the way they do the Heat Treat. I've got a couple of BRK&T's blades made f/the stuff and it holds an edge fantastically, is easy to sharpen and resists rusts and spotting quite a bit better than A2. Both are great they way Barkie provides it. I'd say if you like the shape and blade on the Fox River Mag.... then keep it and use the cr@p out of it. Mike warrants the blades forever... so what's to loose? :D
 
Redsnake1997 said:
Mike's 12c27 (i think that's the steel they use) is FANTASTIC stuff the way they do the Heat Treat. I've got a couple of BRK&T's blades made f/the stuff and it holds an edge fantastically, is easy to sharpen and resists rusts and spotting quite a bit better than A2. Both are great they way Barkie provides it. I'd say if you like the shape and blade on the Fox River Mag.... then keep it and use the cr@p out of it. Mike warrants the blades forever... so what's to loose? :D
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Yeah, it's 12C27. Glad to hear this is something different from the stainless I've had experience with in the past. I will give it a try. Thanks for the input.
 
My BRKT Mountaineer and PSK are both with that steel. I can't tell any real noticeable difference in performance or resharpening compared to A2 when in the field. Plus, it doesn't rust easily.

Excellent stuff. Mike Stewart will NOT put out any knives less than top performers!
 
Brian Jones said:
My BRKT Mountaineer and PSK are both with that steel. I can't tell any real noticeable difference in performance or resharpening compared to A2 when in the field. Plus, it doesn't rust easily.

Excellent stuff. Mike Stewart will NOT put out any knives less than top performers!
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Thanks for the info from experience. I'm feeling a lot better now.

Sure is great to have access to expert opinion almost instantaneously on this and related subjects. In the old days you had to actually track someone down who knew something. There are some things that were better in the old days, but instant access to experienced opinion wasn't one of them.
 
i cant stand stainless to,but i got 3 stainless barkies an i love-um,you should try it what the hell,they dont act like a stainless there pretty tough stuff,easy to sharpen you will like it so as we say in hawaii (jus chance-um)
 
If it has Bark Rivers name on it ,it is good to go.... I would not worry one bit of the steel Mike uses, plus he does have a great warranty. Open the box and use the blade with out worries !
 
The Real Hawkeye said:
Whoops. I just ordered a Fox River Magnum, but only now found out it's stainless steel. I swore off stainless steel. I wasn't even aware that BRKT made any knives in the stuff. Current plan is to send the package back unopened when it arrives. Any reason I shouldn't be concerned with this particular stainless steel regarding edge holding/ maintaining/ sharpening? Thanks.
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Like you I stayed away from SS for years.

I started buying Barkies for the A2, but when a knife came along that a really liked that was only available in stainless I gave it a try.

Now a full half of my field knives are 12C27, and they all perform great.

Give it a try; you won’t be disappointed. :thumbup:
 
I just spent a week at Marty Simon's WLC. My main blade there was a classic light hunter in 12C27. It performed all bushcraft duties like a champ.
I also have a mini-Northstar in the same steel. It is one of my favorite smaller knives.
Relax and enjoy your Fox River Magnum. If you don't love it, I bet you can find several people willing to buy it from you.
 
i got the oppertunity to to handle the fox river magnum and i was very impressed all around. i was VERY inpressed with the performance of the steel, and that is coming from a very carbon guy. it is a great knife. i, and some others did reviews on it in the thread ''fox river magnum passaround''. bdws1975 even sis a video with it, and i put it through some testing, so if you are looking for some reassurance, check out that thread.
 
And don't forget that a Barkie SS can be bent 30 degrees and only grab a 1 degree set, as a Snowy River (?) did when they put it into a vice. Very tough blade with his heat treat. But, alas, no nice patina.
 
Chewy1,
It was a light hunter they bent. Amazing pics. I use several Barkies in 12c27 to carve hardwood walking sticks. They hold an edge every bit as long as my D2, A2, or BG42 knives.
I love my Mag Fox River.
Ron athay
 
The 12C27 is the main reason I have not had interest in the Fox River Magnum. Now, having said that, I can also say I have 3 12C27 Barkies that I love. The steel is fine. The problem I have is that, while I can get it razor (and hair popping) sharp, I still can;t get the same super-fine edge as with the A2 steel. The benefit is that it's a true stainless - you'd have to actually try to get it to rust..... you'd have to put some effort into it. I have left one of my mini-Skinners in a precarious position more than once - a position that would cause any carbon blade to begin the rusting and pitting process - and the blade is fine. My mini-Northstar resides in its sheath 100% of the time, whether I'm wearing it or not. No pitting....no discoloration... no rust.... and it's edge is razor sharp.

For a knife as large as the Fox River Magnum, I like A2.....but I think you'll be more than happy with BRKT's 12C27...even when sharpening.
 
Guys,

Mike will be doing a run of them with even slightly longer handles and in A2 next year!
 
I've stayed away from Bark River because of the stainless blades as well. For whatever reason it seems the models that appeal to me (functionally and aesthetically) only come in stainless.

I have a couple of other knives in 12C27 and while they are OK for stainless they aren't as good as carbon, IMHO.
 
There's a stainless Bravo-1 coming up, but the last I heard the steel was still a secret.
 
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