Why is 1095 so popular with fixed blades?

"...there are far better knife steels, some of them are just more difficult to obtain, grind and heat treat... 1095 is very versatile in that you can make just about any type of knife from it..."

Yeah, one of the considerations when choosing a knife steel, from either a maker or buyer perspective is "included" cost of that steel. By included cost, I mean not only the amount of money to purchase the steel, but also the tools, time, and processes by which the steel is turned into a stuitable knife blade. As you noted, 1095 is easy to acquire and work, which gives it a lower cost-to-performance ration than some other modern steels.

Given that, plus the fact that 1095 can make a good steel for many different types of knives (as noted/quoted above), I'd say that 1095 is a very good all-around knife steel.

In an individual performance comparison, I'd agree that there are steels that exceed the capabilities of 1095 at particular tasks; however, if looking for an all-around steel that can perform all tasks well (except for going through a dish washer :p ) 1095 is definitely a strong contender.

I think we're basically saying the same thing, Cliff, just applying it differently.
 
My favorite steel is 1095.The finest knives I have are 1095,several makers,Fighters and Bowies.Heat treatment,manipulation.Voila! Hard use.And some of the temper lines gotten are,to me,Breathtaking,Stunning.Just my 3 cents. Oh,yeah.Can be sharpened.
 
Jason said,
I have a love affair with 1095 (or 1084 etc.) Great for fixed blades for all the reasons mentioned above - simple, predictable, forge-able, tough, great edge holding, and gets a fantastic hamon in it if the maker wishes to work that way. And it isn't expensive.
Click to expand...

I'll just chime in here and agree with Jason. 1095 is a fantastic steel; great edges, edge holding, hardening lines, forgeability, and it's readily availble in high quality.

Matt
 
Trout Tamer said:
I'd say that 1095 is a very good all-around knife steel.
Click to expand...
Yes, it is very versatile, much more so than say M2 which makes a great small utility knife but a poor large chopper. I was mainly just contending the notion cattleking presented. There are lots of knives in 1095 that I certainly would not turn down.

-Cliff
 
Quite an education on 1095!

The reason I started this thread is because I found 2 old pocket knives that were made with what I assume to be 1095. The blades are oxidized but not "rusted". Here's the weird part. They both have a very specific metal smell that brought me back to when I used to "play" with them as a kid. Stainless knives just don't smell? This all got me thinking about 1095.

Thanks all,
Sam
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top