Pocketknives/Kitchen Knives/Fixed Blades
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Look at the Swayback, it seems like the kind of thing you'd like…
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20CV isn't too bad to sharpen if you don't think S30v isn't a pain.
Good luck with the S90v, S110 or M4 without power tools…you can always swing by Bowie and I'll touch them up on my Work Sharp...
I honestly thought the knife industry would have given up on M4 after people found out what a pain in the ass it is to sharpen.
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The 20CV is a Hinderer ZT with a "working finish" so I agree, it should be ok.
The others I worry about but fortunately they have good edge retention and I'm not really a hard use kind of guy. I'll be careful not to let them get too dull and see if I can get away with regular touch ups. As much as I love Bowie I'll be traveling in the opposite direction but I am going to see how many forum members I can hang with when I hit the road next month so maybe when we come back through this way I'll hit you up for some heavy grinding… and maybe even some knife sharpening.
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I do love this forum, not least as a place of learning. We could start our own firkin' university offering Bachelors, Masters and Doctorate's in Cool Shit. Thank you @Matt and @DougNg
So I've been offered a very nice Spyderco knife which in terms of size and shape will be of use to me, but it has a not so stainless steel blade. The Spyderco page says it is made of 52100 steel which needs to be maintained to avoid rust. I guess this means regular cleaning and a bit of oil? Is this also one of those blades that needs power tools to sharpen?
In other news… this is a bit sexy:
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High carbon high chrome, so yes to power tools
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52100 is ball bearing steel. It might require a belt sander to sharpen it if they made it stupidly hard with the heat treat. I’ve have a few out of 52100, some have been a pain some have been easy. The trick with that steel is to touch it up regularly and you shouldn’t need to reprofile too often.
You can oil it regularly to keep it shiny or you can use it for a couple days in the kitchen, let it form a natural patina and keep it clean. The patina is a natural protective layer. Checking it for mild rust regularly will save you from a lot of headaches later.
Don’t force a patina by sticking it in a potato or covering it in mustard. It always comes out looking weird.
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Again, thanks gents. I just found this useful guide:
https://www.bladehq.com/cat–Best-Knife-Steel-Guide--3368
I notice that a lot of the knives I’m looking at use CPM-S30V. It seems to have a well balanced profile according to the above.
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Most people can't tell the difference between steels until they need to sharpen them or they need to use a knife for an extended period of time. For your average day to day user, any steel will do. I've been into knives for a while, and ultimately carry a Swiss army knife after being immersed in the knife world for 25 years.
How immersed am I into knives? The Rick Hinderer XM-18 that's held in high regards around here: I used to own the very first prototype before I sold it awhile ago. I was helping to cover his table at a knife show years ago in Vegas and he gave it to me as payment. -
@neph93 what are knife laws like in Norway? I carry a pocket knife everyday in the UK so they have to be non-locking, cutting blade under 3 inches (to play safe I stick under that), non-threatening in appearance, and while one hand opening isn't illegal, you wouldnt want to be caught with a super fast flipper.
I also have different knives for different locations. Smaller for work in the office, larger for general out and about, and medium for town and city. Still, you can never 2nd guess how a police constable might interpret the relevant laws.
At the price point I'd buy at most are D2 or N390. They are fine for edc needs… Opening packaging, lighter cutting. For heavier stuff I'd use a fixed blade. I'll put a few pics of my favs up later...
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In Norway carrying is legal «in context». So a small penknife, is pretty much always fine as it has general applications. The exceptions would be if you were stopped in a bar on Friday night. If you’re on your way to the cabin, doing work in the home, going camping or even about your daily business, and have an any acceptable, likely, contextual reason for the knife you are carrying then you’re OK.
The same line of thinking makes any knife that has design features or a style making it threatening, easily concealable, attack minded etc, automatically illegal to buy, sell, import or own. This includes switchblades, throwing knives, butterfly knives etc, etc.
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@neph93 these are my rotation of edc knives.for my needs, a deep carry clip and one hand opening are essential. I think there is a risk of people buying knives that are way over spec and too expensive for their needs. You see it all the time on forums. I apply the same principle to knives as I do watches… Are the materials and build value for money, is it aesthetically pleasing to me, would it get daily use?
Viper Dan, Manly Wasp, Spyderco ukpk, real Steal HH Luna, AW Wright, Black Fox Bean,
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@Stuart.T is the UKPK the S110V version? I've been thinking of picking one up and would be interested in your thoughts on it
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@LewisStonehouse it is the S110V version. I can't really say anything bad about it. Honestly I'm not a fan of the shape of some Spyderco blades. Of my knives, I prefer the viper Dan, and though it is technically UK legal, it is quite big.
The UKPK S110V is super sharp out of the box. Its the only knife I've accidently cut myself on. Fit and finish are great, it's USA made, and for a denim head, it's dark blue, so no noticeable denim bleed after carry. My viper and real steal both have some indigo bleed on them now, which is annoying. All in all, for materials v price, it's good value and performs well.
