This is a questionable forum post but I'm going to initiate this conversation regarding Buck's mid level (Avid) steel line which is Sandvik 13C26 and 12C27M.As a hunting/fishing steel I find it complements Buck's 420HC rather well in function and service.I can't really praise Sandvik over 420HC in sharpening because both sharpen really well and take a great edge.In edge holding? a gap of differential in outdoor use though I'm not seeing Sandvik beating well done 440A.As an EDC steel I find myself sharpening the brittle Sandvik as it chips and edge rolls easily while the 420HC holds up well.And this isn't from Buck Knives solely I've noticed this with other manufacturers using Sandvik.I'm just not convinced at the price cost differential.So my question is does anyone suggest a steel (newer or older) that would make a good replacement as an Avid level steel?...I'm thinking 440B Stainless.
Several questions and comments...
First, is Buck sticking with the Avid/Select groupings? Searching on their site on the keyword "avid" produces no results and searching on "select" only produces a few results (possibly old stock?). I no longer see the grouping information on any of the individual knife descriptions. Suggests to me that Buck is dropping this approach (which is fine by me).
Second, with regards to Sandvik steels, I can only find 2 knives on the Buck web site that are using it.
The Paradigm is listed as using 13C26.
http://www.buckknives.com/product/paradigm-knife/0336FAM01/
The Clearwater Filet Knife is listed as using 12C27 (not 12C27M).
http://www.buckknives.com/product/clearwater-fillet-knife/0024FAM01/
Are there other currently made Bucks using Sandvik that I'm missing?
Third, in terms of experience with Sandvik steels, I've been using Opinel's Inox, which is 12C27 at 58Rc along side with Buck's 420HC (58Rc), Case 420HC (56Rc), Victorinox Inox (56Rc), Opinel Carbone (roughly 1086 at 56Rc), Schrade USA 1095 (59Rc), Schrade USA 440A (58Rc) and Buck's old 440C (58Rc?).
Using Sandvik's lingo, 12C27, 13C26, 420HC and carbon steel are all "fine carbide" steels.
http://www.smt.sandvik.com/en/produ...l-knowledge/important-factors/microstructure/
In practice, I find the ones I've used to be very similar so long as you compare blades of similar hardness. Here's what I've found with these "fine carbide" steels:
+ Blades at 56Rc (Opinel Carbone, Case 420HC, Victorinox Inox) are soft, very easy to sharpen (car windows and rocks will work), tend to create persistent burrs when honing (stainless only - Opinel's Carbone doesn't create wire edges), dull faster, roll edges under normal/hard use at 20 DPS and dent instead of chip.
+ Blades at 58Rc (Opinel 12C27 Inox, Buck 420HC) are harder but still easy to sharpen on good stones, tend to not create wire burrs and hone very cleanly, hold an edge longer, don't roll edges under normal/hard use at 20 DPS and can form persistent dents but doesn't chip.
+ Blades at 59Rc+ (Schrade USA 1095) are harder and take work to sharpen on good stones, hone very crisply with no hint of a burr, hold an edge longest, don't roll edges even at at thin angles but can chip.
I would like to hear more about the chipping that you've seen. Was it with Bucks 13C26? If so, I've not used it, but they report to take it to 59-60Rc. I wonder if, like old Schrade USA 1095, at that hardness if chipping is just a part of the trade-off for having a blade that hard?
Lastly, with respect to 440C and again, using Sandvik's lingo, that is a "course carbide" steel. Toothy. I believe the only comparable steel from Sandvik would be 19C27 (which I've not used).
http://www.smt.sandvik.com/en/produ...ife-steel/sandvik-knife-steels/sandvik-19c27/
Last, lastly... I don't know what to think about Schrade USA's 440A. I don't have as much experience with it as the others. Sandvik suggests it's a "course carbide" steel but I don't trust that. It "feels" much more like Buck's 420HC and Opinel's 12C27 to me and feels very different from Buck's old 440C.
