Your thoughts please regarding Schatt & Morgan 420 steel

[Javelin]

Those two bolded points are huge. I also thought of the importance of blade grind; this is why I've been impressed with Case's blades, in spite of the fact their steel is a little bit softer than Buck's or others. The high & thin hollow grinds on most of Case's blades enable them to cut very, very efficiently, relying less on the 'brute strength' of edge hardness or wear-resistance needed if the grind were thicker or otherwise more resistive to smooth cutting.

I have an older 6265 SAB Folding Hunter from Case, about 1965-vintage, with carbon steel blades. Case's blades at that time were likely even lower in RC hardness (blades of this vintage have been measured in the 40s on the RC scale). The first time I sharpened it up, I was somewhat dismayed at how 'soft' it felt on the hone; almost buttery. In spite of that, the characteristic fine grain of the steel really showed it's true colors, in retaining literal shaving sharpness after shredding a cardboard box into 3/4" strips. That ran counter to what I'd previously assumed about the importance (or lack of same) of RC hardness or high wear-resistance (i.e. carbides) in a given steel, used for a given task. I'd put a fairly acute convex on that blade, and the importance and value of the grind and the fine grain was an eye-opener, for such a seemingly 'soft' steel.

This is why I put much greater emphasis on fine grain mostly, in determining which blades are likely to sharpen up best, and cut accordingly.


David

My only experience with low RC and fine grained steel is an old imperial stockman I keep in my toiletries bag. I haven't sharpened it in years, it gets used daily for cutting paper, opening packages, the occasional shaving touch up, the removal of splinters or ingrown hair, just every small task I can think of. The reason I keep it in my toiletries bag is because it's the single sharpest blade I have barring a straight razor, one that I'd trust to minor surgical procedures lol. I think it's going on its 6th year since I've last sharpened it, and it's still going strong. Every one of those blades can easily split hair still. I've been waiting on another knife that would have the same properties as it but no luck yet. Last time I did sharpen the stockman it had the same characteristics you spoke of, soft and "buttery" which was shaped easily by my arkansas stones. When I first sharpened it I really thought it wasn't going to be a good blade at all however it's surpassed all my expectations honestly.

Errr, on second thought I do have another experience with such a steel. The tiger knapps that BRKT used to put out in old saw blade steel, its not quite up to the level that my stockman was at. Good stuff though for sure, I was saddened when BRKT moved to O-1 after running out of the saw blade steel stock.

 

[puukkoman]

Buck, Case and Queen (Schatt & Morgan) use 420HC steel, but the heat treatment is different for each. In my experience Buck's is the hardest and best edge holding, Queen's is next best, and Case's Tru-Sharp is a little softer yet. All work well for pocket knives, but for a harder use fixed blade I would want Buck's.

Jeff pretty much nailed it.
420HC is just fine, as long as it's heat-treated properly. Queen does a decent job.

 

[neeman]

I have quite a few S&M in 420HC
they hold a fine edge well
I sharpen them on an extra fine DMT
they are hard enough to get a good burr and to be able to sharpen them off
white compound strop brings it to shaving sharp
I prefer the bevel and profile to the Buck and the thin blades cut well
nice and shiny and needs minimal maintenance