Listing # 42

[RaVis]

i have to say i have never seen a knife do that...... that is a serious torture test.

Ahh... how do I say this? That "torture test" is no biggie in the knife world. Any knife maker worth his weight in salt can heat treat a blade, specially a thin one like that, to perform such "feats".

 

[Rickman]

Ahh... how do I say this? That "torture test" is no biggie in the knife world. Any knife maker worth his weight in salt can heat treat a blade, specially a thin one like that, to perform such "feats".

It may be common place in that world but still impressed me.

The two things that got my attention most in the video were that 90 deg bend and the hammering through the bolt without a noticeable to me at least, mark on the blade. That is some serious hardness and to still be that flexible. Cutting through the 1" free hanging rope was pretty good too.

 

[RaVis]

It may be common place in that world but still impressed me.

The two things that got my attention most in the video were that 90 deg bend and the hammering through the bolt without a noticeable to me at least, mark on the blade. That is some serious hardness and to still be that flexible. Cutting through the 1" free hanging rope was pretty good too.

Here you go. A $25 Cold Steel can do it too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVlVIgWC9xg

 

[Rickman]

Thanks. I'm new to knives (few months) and had no idea there was so much I didn't know. Oh well, gotta start somewhere. Guess things that are common knowledge are still "rocket science" to me about the different types and uses, hardness etc. of steel. Definitely got lots to learn. Started looking at BF and stay amazed at some of the things I see and read over there.

 

[NickZac]

Chef Knives To Go - everything you need for a professional kitchen. Appears the Japanese style has developed a following.

http://www.chefknivestogo.com/

That's a great site. My problem with a 30k blade is that from everything I have read, you cannot get a better knife than Konosuke, and they seem to be the most prized of hard-work knives. The HD2 seems to be the industry standard. Masamoto also seems to be a standard although Konosuke seems more popular because they have models with both western and eastern handles. I originally got Wustoffs, then Ken Onion Shuns, which are great...but after using a Konosuke HD2, it quickly becomes apparent why they are so highly esteemed. The semi-stainless they use is great because it offers better stain resistance than a carbon blade without the loss of edge retention of stainless steel, while keeping a tendency to roll rather than chip and very easy field sharpening (which is a plus given most kitchen sharpeners are pretty crude devices). Many Japanese makers are using ZDP-189, but I do not like it because of how difficult it is to sharpen relative to other metals with not quite as extreme edge retention.

 

[RaVis]

That's a great site. My problem with a 30k blade is that from everything I have read, you cannot get a better knife than Konosuke, and they seem to be the most prized of hard-work knives. The HD2 seems to be the industry standard. Masamoto also seems to be a standard although Konosuke seems more popular because they have models with both western and eastern handles. I originally got Wustoffs, then Ken Onion Shuns, which are great...but after using a Konosuke HD2, it quickly becomes apparent why they are so highly esteemed. The semi-stainless they use is great because it offers better stain resistance than a carbon blade without the loss of edge retention of stainless steel, while keeping a tendency to roll rather than chip and very easy field sharpening (which is a plus given most kitchen sharpeners are pretty crude devices). Many Japanese makers are using ZDP-189, but I do not like it because of how difficult it is to sharpen relative to other metals with not quite as extreme edge retention.

No one is hitting the brakes. As much as I like reading about the next "super steel" that just came out or is in the making, we're hitting diminishing returns... especially when these steels are to be used on every day carry knives.

 

[photoracer]

I'm not sure. I read on where I got that link from that it's the process of making that damascus blade that caused such a high bid price. It confuses me because, as I understand it, the technique for how ancient damascus blades were made is lost.

It was lost. When Bill Moran got interested in the technique in the 60's no living bladesmith knew the exact process. So he researched and developed pattern welding steel, then folding it during the forging process to make up to 300 layers. He called his technique Damascus Steel because that is what it looked like. Some electron microscopy of ancient Damascus steel blades have shown the presence of carbon and cementite nanostructures in the steel (other reseachers think all steel has these structures). The main difference is that true Damascus steel used a base steel that was developed in India before 300 BC called Wootz steel, and no one knows its exact composition although analysis of ancient blades indicates it had traces of vanadium. It was known that King Porus of India presented such a sword to Alexander in 325 BC. Wootz steel was marketed around all the major trade routes until it disappeared. Similar but different techniques include the twisted steel used by Scandanavian swordsmiths (characteristic chevron pattern) and the laminated steel process of the Japanese (a type of pattern welding and one of Moran's sources). Modern steels are stronger than ancient steels, even layered ones, so now it is more decorative than martial. For several years I tried to talk Bill into making me a pattern welded short sword but by the time he was 15 years from his death he already had enough orders to last the rest of his life. Not to mention the price eventually got to $200/inch for something the size of a gladius.

 

[photoracer]

Here you go. A $25 Cold Steel can do it too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVlVIgWC9xg

Buck used to use the bolt cutting demo when showing his knives in the early days (I have an original 1966 carbon steel RC 58 Buck General I carried during Nam). That is until some one in the military slipped in a ringer, in this case a B-52 engine mounting bolt. It took a notch out of the knife blade.