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Discussion: What to look for in steel quality.
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SasquatchJim |
What to look for in steel quality.
Aug 29 2009, 9:28 PM EDT
I honestly don't know much about knives and swords, so I figured I'd post this: what is a good anti-zombie type of steel? I always see numbers and stuff in catalogs: 420 and 440 stainless (on pocket knives) and 1045-1095 "high carbon" steel (larger knives and machetes.) Basically, I'm asking what system steel quality is measured by. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.
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NorCal_Survivors |
1. RE: What to look for in steel quality.
Aug 29 2009, 10:44 PM EDT
Google is your friend ... seriously, it's a deep subject.
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SasquatchJim |
2. RE: What to look for in steel quality.
Aug 30 2009, 8:55 AM EDT
Thanks. I didn't know if it was simple or not. I guess I'll take a look.
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Squarewheel |
3. RE: What to look for in steel quality.
Sep 6 2009, 6:56 AM EDT
I go camping a lot and I have found that how the weapon is made is a lot more important than its composition. I have had 440 surgical stainless that was a wonderful blade that I hacked right off of its handle while chopping fire wood. My Spanish combat knife was also of excellent quality metal ( was 13 when i got it and therefore too stupid to question the seller as to its carbon content) and that knife today after having the handle redone 4 times has finally just become a blade with a handle covered in parachute cord. But I am getting off of the topic. In my experience I can guarantee that 440 or better will hold but if you want to go hacking off limbs make sure the handle is going to take the beating as well ( sorry katana lovers but in less you KNOW and trust the manufacture of your blade it will prolly fail on you) so my suggestion is fall back on to common scene and relative hardness of your object for your task. Do you find this valuable? |
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SasquatchJim |
4. RE: What to look for in steel quality.
Sep 6 2009, 8:09 AM EDT
Okay thanks.
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ak_fred |
5. RE: What to look for in steel quality.
Sep 12 2009, 4:44 AM EDT
"I honestly don't know much about knives and swords, so I figured I'd post this: what is a good anti-zombie type of steel? I always see numbers and stuff in catalogs: 420 and 440 stainless (on pocket knives) and 1045-1095 "high carbon" steel (larger knives and machetes.) Basically, I'm asking what system steel quality is measured by. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks."I've been looking into 4130 steel. a local blacksmith has been putting out knives and swords from the stuff. Considering its structural steel.. I'm sure it beats the crap outta 420 or 440 stainless. Just a guess tho.. Do you find this valuable? |
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NorCal_Survivors |
6. RE: What to look for in steel quality.
Sep 13 2009, 12:33 AM EDT
| Post edited: Sep 13 2009, 12:39 AM EDT
The reason I suggested google earlier is because you simply cannot say that "steel type 'X' is the best". Some provide great edge retention, but are brittle and break easy. Others are hard to break but difficult to sharpen or to get very sharp. Some are very tough but offer little rust or corrosion resistance amd visa versa. Every steel type ... whether 440C, AUS8, VG10 ... whatever ... represents a range of metal recipes. Every metal type can be forged, tempered, hardened, etc. in a variety of ways. Therefore, not all "AUS8" blades are of identical material. Generally, if you stick with good brands - SOG, Kershaw, Emerson, Cold Steel, Spyderco, Benchmade, Ontario, CRKT, etc. - you'll end up with a decent knife. I think Gerber does a good job with 440A steel in low-priced knives, but plenty of companies make crap out of 440A. Do you find this valuable? |
deathseekrakodo |
7. RE: What to look for in steel quality.
Sep 13 2009, 12:38 AM EDT
"The reason I suggested google earlier is because you simply cannot say that "steel type 'X' is the best". Some provide great edge retention, but are brittle and break easy. Others are hard to break but difficult to sharpen or to get very sharp. Some are very tough but offer little rust or corrosion resistance amd visa versa.there are many different scales on which the hardness of steel (thats what each number represents) can be mesured, its been a while but if you goggle it i'm sure you can find out which is which. I do know that one is the rockwell hardness scale, but there are about 5 different ones Do you find this valuable? |
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SasquatchJim |
8. RE: What to look for in steel quality.
Sep 13 2009, 8:42 AM EDT
"there are many different scales on which the hardness of steel (thats what each number represents) can be mesured, its been a while but if you goggle it i'm sure you can find out which is which. I do know that one is the rockwell hardness scale, but there are about 5 different ones"Hmm, okay. Basically, I was asking if all 440 stainless knives would snap on contact. Which, given the fact that I've hacked my share of trees, I doubted. However, it doesn't hurt to ask. Do you find this valuable? |
byates |
9. RE: What to look for in steel quality.
Sep 13 2009, 11:54 AM EDT
"Hmm, okay. Basically, I was asking if all 440 stainless knives would snap on contact. Which, given the fact that I've hacked my share of trees, I doubted. However, it doesn't hurt to ask."Had an axe made from 440, seamless tubing for the shaft and forging for the head, never shattered, but wasn't a very good axe either. Edge holding wasn't there and the balance was bad. Plumb and Craftsman seem to "work" better for me. YMMV Do you find this valuable? |
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deathseekrakodo |
10. RE: What to look for in steel quality.
Sep 14 2009, 4:58 PM EDT
for me, I like high carbon steel (i.e. 1065HC). this metal is freakin rock hard, which means it retains an edge, on the flip side though its a pain to sharpen.440 stainless steel (surgical grade, ) It **** near will not rust under any conditions, but its softer than HC blades and more lible to dent/bend/peen at the edge, but at the same time it is a little to brittle for prying or bending I used to know all the conversions for the hardness but some good numbers to look out for 440 stainless: pocket knives, throwing stars/knives/hatchets 40-60 (60 is best and most common i think) hrc: short swords, machettes hatchets (blades longer than 8 inches but not longer than 25) in swords with blades longer than 25 inches I would suggest a hard spring steel, it would retain its edge and be springy enough not to crack or chip the blade. globalgear.com has some good blades, Do you find this valuable? |
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SasquatchJim |
11. RE: What to look for in steel quality.
Sep 14 2009, 7:45 PM EDT
Okay, cool. Any retailers you can suggest?
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deathseekrakodo |
12. RE: What to look for in steel quality.
Sep 14 2009, 8:30 PM EDT
not really, I tend to go by the company. some of the ones I like are: ontario knife and steel, gerber, S&W makes some ok folders, kershaw, tramontia makes a pretty good cheap machete, global gear (mentioned above) has some good looking swords (they show bend test vids and alot of other goodies). the hibben(sp) name is attached to some good throwers, there are a lot of good names out there in blades, if your looking for a sword though akkeris might be able to point you in a better direction I dont know of many hand made ones any more Do you find this valuable? |
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SasquatchJim |
13. RE: What to look for in steel quality.
Sep 14 2009, 9:45 PM EDT
| Post edited: Sep 14 2009, 9:50 PM EDT
Interesting. thanks for all y'alls help.I've been looking at different machetes, but I like my Gerber Gator for its grip. Opinions? Do you find this valuable? |
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deathseekrakodo |
14. RE: What to look for in steel quality.
Sep 14 2009, 10:08 PM EDT
I've never seen that one, but I've had a lot of problems with grips on machete's, all the ones I've ever had that were wood or hard plastic have broken on me. even my ontario grip got shattered not to long ago. but that took me chopping some stuff around a concrete pad and loosing my grip on it, then it impacting the concrete. the best grips i've had were the ruberized ones, simply because they dont shatter/split from an impact but all the machetes that i owned that had these grips had poor steel in the blade and eventually broke, but at 7.99 a pop it wasn't to big a deal lol heres a side by side comparison of mine and yours (only difference is mine has a custom 2 pin wood grip and 10 years of age) http://www.m4040.com/Knifemaking/REVIEWS/FieldBladeReview-GerberGatorMachete.htm Do you find this valuable? |
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deathseekrakodo |
15. RE: What to look for in steel quality.
Sep 14 2009, 10:16 PM EDT
after reading the review, I have to say the only thing the ontario might have on the gator is that its heavier (which is a plus or a minus for you but a good plus for me). and I think you just found me my next one lol. But, by no means am I gonna put my ontario to pasture lol 10 years of service is nothing to sneeze at, especially with 4 miles of fence to keep clear....the over riding factor for me was the saw back pictured on the gator it looks very useful, I would just hope that it doesn't suffer the same failure as the last sawback I had *(which gave me a permanent scar on my right shin 1/2 inch wide by 3 inches long....) Do you find this valuable? |
