why the steel change in the izula folder?

D

draftpick

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Jan 6, 2010
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just wondering why they are changing the steel in the new folder? Esee/ Rowen have the 1095 down! Not sure why the change, love what they do with the 1095. Any thought?
 
1095 is great for a hard use knife but on a folder the extra strength is not needed as the lock or handle would break long before the blade, so if the strength is not needed might as well ramp up the edge retention with D2
 
Isnt D2 generally stronger than 1095? Stronger but not as "tough" per se? Better corrosion resistance and edge retention, but D2 is only semi-stainless. If you want stainless with edge retention and youre only going to have one folder...aaaaand youre gonna make us pay more anyway, I say go with cpm-s30v.
 
Better edge retention... but a lot more prone to chipping. And heck of a lot harder to sharpen. :thumbdn:
 
theamazingdrew said:
1095 is great for a hard use knife but on a folder the extra strength is not needed as the lock or handle would break long before the blade, so if the strength is not needed might as well ramp up the edge retention with D2
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Plus ESEE/RC/RAT has previous experience using D2 in their knives.
 
Jake Bauer said:
Better edge retention... but a lot more prone to chipping. And heck of a lot harder to sharpen. :thumbdn:
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In my experience the difficulty, or lack of, is dependant on how the steel was heat treated. Did not have fun trying to touch-up a Benchmade 710 with the factory edge, but my D2 Queen stockman with reprofiled blades sharpens up more easily for me than my Izula. My Spyderco CPMD2 Military is one of my easiest to sharpen, it hardly burrs at all when I touch it up which makes refining the edge a quick process.

If the Izula folder is D2, I hope they put a thin geometry on it and keep the RC fairly high.
 
1095 is great for a fixed blade but when you have a folder, where moisture can get trapped in areas that you can't get to, it's not a really good choice.
 
about 7 years ago i had a camillus somethingorother in D2, and it was plenty tough. i used it at work on my lunch break to open cans of ravioli, and it would still shave afterwards. probably still is shaving sharp, somewhere in the bottom of lake eufaula... rowen does a great HT, and i'm sure whatever steel they choose will be excellent. i can't wait!
 
i think d2 is a great choice for a folder. I'm not going to use my folder to baton, pry or chop, because I like having all of my fingers. I'm going to use my folder for cutting tape, plastic and cardboard. Once in a blue moon I have to cut a zip tie or two, or some heavy packing straps. D2 will have great edge retention through this kind of use, chipping won't be an issue since there is unlikely to be any impact on the blade.

In short, if you use your folder like a folder D2 will do you just fine. If you want to use your folder like a fixed blade you're crazy anyway. ;)
 
I'd be happy with a 154CM or S30V. Haven't had any experience with steels above S30V. 154CM and S30V do me fine though.
 
I would never doubt Jeff's and Mike's decision in the steels they choose, nor Shon's ability to make them. The knives they make are always a bullet/idiot proof design, that is why I buy these knives, love them, and beat the crap out of them without them crapping out on me. When the folder comes out I know it will be quality because these men would not put their names on anything other than a fine tool for hard use and hard working individuals.:thumbup:
 
otis williams said:
about 7 years ago i had a camillus somethingorother in D2, and it was plenty tough. i used it at work on my lunch break to open cans of ravioli, and it would still shave afterwards. probably still is shaving sharp, somewhere in the bottom of lake eufaula... rowen does a great HT, and i'm sure whatever steel they choose will be excellent. i can't wait!
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if it was that sharp it probably cut straight through the lake bottom and kept on going! Would it honestly still pop hairs after opening tins? Because if so...damn:thumbup:
 
Jake Bauer said:
Better edge retention... but a lot more prone to chipping. And heck of a lot harder to sharpen. :thumbdn:
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It's all about the heat treat. We all know how good Rowen are on this aspect, so I would have no reservation on a D2 folder
 
When has esee/rat used D2 since they split from the other guys? Not saying rowen can't do a good heat treatment, do they have a track record doing so!
 
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