Why aren't there more folders with "carbon steel"?

D

dookie1481

Joined
Sep 24, 2009
Messages
107
Anyone? I specifically mean non-stainless steels. Wouldn't you love a folder with properly heat-treated 52100, or A2, or CPM-3V? Why aren't these used more often in production folders?

Jay
 
Because everyone or at least most people want stainless....

It's supply and demand.
 
dookie1481 said:
Yet many knives in these steels are in sheaths in humid or wet environments right now.

Is it (corrosion) more of an issue with folding knives?

Jay
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It's usually more of an issue with folders do to them being on ones pocket all the time.

Also people tend to like shiny blades.

Personally I like non stainless steels.
 
Ankerson said:
It's usually more of an issue with folders do to them being on ones pocket all the time.

Also people tend to like shiny blades.

Personally I like non stainless steels.
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Cool, I'm just curious. I would love to have a folder in 52100 or something without having to go custom.
 
Let me say this: I know why the general public wouldn't want it. They don't care what steel it is. But for people like us it's different. Wouldn't a sprint run from Spyderco or Benchmade like this sell like hotcakes?
 
dookie1481 said:
Cool, I'm just curious. I would love to have a folder in 52100 or something without having to go custom.
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You are going to have to go the customs if that is what you want these days if you really want a high quality knife.

There are some Slip Joints around that are carbon steel.
 
Great Eastern Cutlery makes a lot of carbon steel blades. According to one of their representatives, They are in great demand.
 
I believe people are lazy and want maintenance free steel.
Oil your blade? pfft. ;)

Just another choice. Always plenty of choices in knives. Which I like.
 
Great Eastern Cutlery makes a lot of their folders with 1095 as the blade material. Little razor blades after you sharpen them properly. I have a couple. Of course these are slip-joints and not liner lock or other type of folders that one immediately thinks of...but they fold!
 
dookie1481 said:
Is that question for me? If so, the only thing wrong in my opinion is that there is only one production folder (not counting sprints/limited runs), to my knowledge, that is available in M4.

Jay
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The Spyderco Gayle Bradley and the Benchmade 760 are production M4 bladed knives.

Benchmade has done a plethora of M4 "limited" editions and Spyderco has the Military run coming up. I see little reason, beyond cost, for not having ar least one of these knives.

Not to mention the years of Benchmade M2 knives floating around.

Severtech autos are in A2. Mine seems to be well heat treated.

And there have been oodles of slippies made of carbon steels, such as from Case, Old Timer, Rigid, etc. And the old tool steel Gerbers.

You mention "properly heat treated". Not sure what that constitutes; max hardness, differentially, max toughness, or?
 
orthogonal1 said:
The Spyderco Gayle Bradley and the Benchmade 760 are production M4 bladed knives.

Benchmade has done a plethora of M4 "limited" editions and Spyderco has the Military run coming up. I see little reason, beyond cost, for not having ar least one of these knives.

Not to mention the years of Benchmade M2 knives floating around.

Severtech autos are in A2. Mine seems to be well heat treated.

And there have been oodles of slippies made of carbon steels, such as from Case, Old Timer, Rigid, etc. And the old tool steel Gerbers.

You mention "properly heat treated". Not sure what that constitutes; max hardness, differentially, max toughness, or?
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Didn't know about the 760, thanks.

I've read that 1095 @ 64Rc and 52100 @ 62Rc have incredible edge retention. Obviously in a folder you aren't going to be too worried about toughness so you can give a little of that up in exchange for better wear resistance. That's all I meant.

Jay
 
I have a 1095 differentially heat treated custom bowie with an 11.5 inch blade that I cut smaller trees with. It has distal taper and it shaves as well. I would say this is wayyyy tougher than any of the larger S30V larger fixed blade knives.
 
akadave2 said:
I have a 1095 differentially heat treated custom bowie with an 11.5 inch blade that I cut smaller trees with. It has distal taper and it shaves as well. I would say this is wayyyy tougher than any of the larger S30V larger fixed blade knives.
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So who made that giant folder?
 
akadave2 said:
Great Eastern Cutlery makes a lot of their folders with 1095 as the blade material. Little razor blades after you sharpen them properly. I have a couple. Of course these are slip-joints and not liner lock or other type of folders that one immediately thinks of...but they fold!
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Northfield UN-X-LD and Tidioute are the two brands of knives which Great Eastern Cutlery makes in 1095. Both brands make liner locks in both their 3-3/4" trapper and their 4-1/2" trapper (closed length). The Tidioute brand has also just released a 3-7/8" closed lockback trapper. Their 1095 runs between 57 and 59 HRc, and with thin flat ground blades they really cut.

Queen Cutlery also makes several lock backs and liner locks, from 3-3/4 to 4-1/2 inches, in excellent D2 steel at 60-62 HRc. They tend to come a little dull, but with diamond hones you can get terrific edges on them. Any of the above make a very nice EDC, and the 4-1/2" models can do almost anything.
 
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