Multitool.org Forum
Non Tool Forum => The Break Room => Topic started by: Gerhard Gerber on August 19, 2019, 10:59:06 AM
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I got a call on Friday from our previous finance manager, needed help with his IT setup on his farm, so I got a paid weekend out of town....didn't even have to use my car but drove there in a brand new top of the range Ford pick-up worth about 5x as much as my Suzuki :facepalm:
Set the WIFI router to assign a static address to the wireless printer, pointed the laptops at the correct address, few bits & bobs and the rest was good company and good food.
His parents live on the farm permanently, and his dad is the topic of discussion.
Fascinating character, sharp as a razor at 69 although his body is slightly beat up.
I spotted his SAK in a belt pouch right away, but the conversation turned to knives when we looked at the Karakul pelts busy drying. Karakul used to be a major industry in Southern Namibia, large parts of which are just too dry to sustain any farming except these tough sheep.
The conversation turned to sharpening and edge bevels during the BBQ that evening, and the fascinating part was hearing what works when skinning a Karakul lamb all the way to a humble sheep shear.
Pity I couldn't take a photo, but the main blade of his SAK is sharpened to the point where it has a straight cutting edge....and I'm pretty sure sharper than they come out of the box :hatsoff:
As an aspiring knife maker struggling with the young&dumb that want something that stays sharp forever.....for free.......this old man was a real treat.
M390 gets a finger in the eye.....from this old guy :whistle:
:rofl:
I've not gotten much love for linking Super Steel Steve's videos, but fellow potty-mouths and the un-PC with an interest should really go check out his newest video testing "custom" knives in 1084.
An older knife maker on another forum stated he could get the same performance from simple carbon steel as these super steels. I did not believe that, but the evidence is mounting that we are used to very sub-par heat treats on many production knives.
All this makes me wish I had more years, and more hours in those years to spend testing with the steels I use :dd:
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Just an example of economic tool use by an older generation. When you need a saw, you buy a saw. You may swap out the blade if it dulls, or even go to town on it with a file and sharpen it yourself. Same with a knife, one knife that you sharpen when it's dull.
We grew up in a luxury materialist "Keeping up with the Joneses" generation. and have accumulated tens or even hundreds of knives, as a result of cleaver marketing and fomo.
Do wee need all these knives? No. Do we want all these knives? Hell yes!
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Agreed, but what is just a beloved tool for him will be a millstone around the neck for us.
My grandfather's knives looked exactly like that, he gave me 2 that were too far gone, and after he stopped farming a kitchen knife was fine for what he needed to do :salute:
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Agreed, but what is just a beloved tool for him will be a millstone around the neck for us.
My grandfather's knives looked exactly like that, he gave me 2 that were too far gone, and after he stopped farming a kitchen knife was fine for what he needed to do :salute:
I think that's the difference between the generations--often time they will only trying to find the best use in everything they own, instead of constantly trying to find the best gear for their use.
For the longest time, I fancy a super steel where it could stay sharp forever, but in reality, I've came to the realization that nothing in the world comes for free.
If a super steel tool has supreme edge retention, there is a good chance it is more difficult to sharpen. So in retrospect, Vic steel is really not as bad as many claim it to be, it's certainly quite rust proof, and for my use, easy to bring back to shaving sharp with a few minutes touch up on a Sharpmaker,
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While I can appreciate anyones experiences with knife steels I always hesitate to think in terms of BEST. I'd imagine he's used what has worked for him and WHY like a lot of us dare to think of using something unknown.
We ( knife steel curious ) read as much as we can take in and watch all the videos of comparisons on the different steels. Unless we heat treat ourselves of buy a custom that was heat treated to the steels upmost we'll have to settle for what the maker produces. Now I too have read about burnt steel and once sharpened removing the burnt steel the knife performs much better. In some cases triples performance.
Access in their day was limited and while they have access now they've done quite well with the steel of their choosing. I'm currently testing H1. Its no surprise yet. Its constantly stayed wet and in water alkaline and acidic. Thats another story.
Its great he's found a blade steel that performs to his needs. I think I'll continue with my curiosity for curiosity sake as the knives in my stable perform wonderfully so there really no NEED for change.
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He mentioned another larger knife that he "blue-backed" to the point where he could sharpen it with a file :facepalm: because he couldn't get it sharp.
I think that's the difference between the generations--often time they will only trying to find the best use in everything they own, instead of constantly trying to find the best gear for their use.
True and well said.
I'm currently testing H1.
Basically 3 steel types in my rotation, H1, 14C28N and Cruwear.
H1 is good enough, I don't need anything that stainless truthfully.
The 14C28 has been a revelation.
Cruwear I haven't used enough to give an honest opinion, factory edge with a bit of damage due to cutting meat on a grill is still holding up.
H1 is the only one of the three you might be able to sharpen on a rock. :whistle:
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Great thread topic, Gerhard! :like:
Seems to me the best way to "go green" would be to start teaching young people(in high school in particular) how to do basic home care and tool/machine maintenance.
As far as knife steels go, I think it boils down to preference. A. Do I want to be able to get my blade hair popping sharp at any time. Or. B. Do I want to maintain a decent edge for a while and sharpen every now and then.
Economics being a large deciding factor of course. What can someone afford according to desired blade characteristics.
I don't feel like a basic user blade should exceed a certain amount($100 for example, but I'm not staunch in that regard). Maybe "What am I doing with said blade?" "Will it be cost effective to spend $100 for a ten year knife, or buy a $10 knife every year?" But, that said, old timers had/have a knack for getting 10+ years from their $10 knives. A lesson to be learned there about adapting yourself to the tool(learning ins and outs), instead of trying to adapt the tool to yourself(changing the tool to fit a desired trait,). If that makes any sense at all. :dunno: