Why didn't 440c break?

kc custom

kc custom

Joined
Apr 20, 2005
Messages
2,359
I made this knife about 10 years ago and am not crazy about gut hooks. Back then after my even heat I would quench in moving air. I would then suspend the blades over a block of dry ice on popsicle sticks and leave over night. After that I did two 350 degree draws at two hours each. Somehow, this knife got caught in a climber tree stand with the person's weight on it. I was asked if I could straighten the blade, and said 'No.' The bend is greater than the picture shows between the hook and the hollow grind. I Rockwelled the blade and it tested Rc 57/58. Why didn't this blade break?

Ken

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Oh don't worry, it will break, you just need to try to straighten it first. :D
 
kc custom said:
Why didn't this blade break?

Ken
Click to expand...

It didn't break because your heat treat did what it was supposed to do. If you had tried for RHC60 with 440C like many others do, it likely would have broken.

Good on you. Apparently you had it right 10 years ago - and I'll bet you've improved since. :thumbup:

Rob!
 
My guess is that it didn't break because it was heat treated correctly and the bend didn't put a definitive 'set' in the blade so it came out of it pretty well.

STR
 
Last edited:
Sorry double post. New browser. Started using Google Chrome. Its different.:D

STR
 
It didn't break because his fat ass took it past its yield point, but not quite to its fracture point.

MuHuHahahahahahaha ;) Sorry, couldn't resist. :D

That's a really good question and a really cool post! :thumbup: Was the owner surprised it held up the way it did?
 
Nick I really think he just thought the blade could be bent back
straight no big deal-----but I sure as hell didn't.
Ken
 
Well, in all seriousness Ken, that is REALLY impressive. It's a testament to a solid knife built with skills you had already established 10 years ago, and also proof of how many folks... even those buying custom made knives... don't realize what constitutes knife abuse.

So what are you planning on doing with it now? :)
 
After I told him I wasn't going to try to straighten the blade and that I also
was not going to make any more gut hooks he decided to keep it and live with
it as is.
Ken
 
Besides, it will cut around curves better now!

440-C is way under rated. A lot of very good knives have been made from it. It just isn't the newest whiz-bang steel out there. That and the cheep 440 stainless steel have been confused with it for years.

440-stainless=Crap
440-C= "Cutlery grade" high carbon, high chromium steel.

Mike Lovett
 
Michael Lovett said:
Besides, it will cut around curves better now!

440-C is way under rated. A lot of very good knives have been made from it. It just isn't the newest whiz-bang steel out there. That and the cheep 440 stainless steel have been confused with it for years.

440-stainless=Crap
440-C= "Cutlery grade" high carbon, high chromium steel.

Mike Lovett
Click to expand...


Listen to the man - 440C was one of the first "super steels" and still one of the best :thumbup:
 
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