Dendritic Cobalt?

J

James Mattis

Joined
Oct 3, 1998
Messages
3,264
There was some mention here, sometime back, of the possibility of Spyderco making the Military in Boye Dendritic Cobalt, as a step up from steel.

I was playing with a Boye Prophet Companion in Dendritic Cobalt this week, until somebody bought it right out of my pocket
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, and my unscientific test says it cuts a lot of cardboard without needing resharpening. It doesn't have a scary hair-splitting shaving edge, but it keeps on cutting stuff, and can even glide through shrink wrap without tearing it, after a workout on the cardboard.

Conventional wisdom about Dendritic Cobalt seems to be that it's a coarser grain than Talonite, acting like micro-serrations.

Any more word on any Spyderco plans concerning that material?


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- JKM
www.chaicutlery.com
AKTI Member # SA00001
 
I purchased one of these about a year ago from Ironstone in the Blue Whale design. I've owned the regular design with the Wing pattern for three or four years and I thought it was a real edge holder,until I used the cobalt.This stuff is far and above the other Dendritic material.My only concern is how brittle it might be.When I sharpened my cobalt one for the first time I noticed that it has a rough spot about an inche from the handle and it stays there no matter how much you work on it. It's great for cutting, because it works like a combo blade only the serrations are not visible. I think the cobalt is a good steel, I'm just not sure it would lend itself to high production knives in the ease of manufacturing. It would save one step,It doesn't have to be tempered.

lbwheat
 
I just heard from another forum member -- who shall remain nameless unless he wants to come forward -- that he found Boye's dendritic cobalt brittle. I think he said he had found some chips in his, but didn't recall doing anything that should really chip it. That's something to be looked at. Other than that, he was very plesed with it.

Joe
 
I recently bought a Boye folder and its now my #1 carry. I'm able to get it shaving sharp and it stays that way for a long time. I cut a lot of cardboard with it and it stays sharp and servicable. It's not the prettiest knife I own, but it may be the most useful.

As far as being brittle, I haven't owned it long enough to comment on that. All I can say is I've used it hard and have seen no sign of chipping or irregularities.

I'd like to encourage Spyderco to consider dendritic steel for some of their knives!

[This message has been edited by Steve B. (edited 29 August 1999).]
 
James - We have 20 Military blades cast in each Dendritic 440C and Dendritic Cobalt. We'll be make those into knives for testing after the SpydeRench is underway.
sal
 
Count me in with the Boye folder fans. I've been carrying the dendritic cobalt folder for a while now--it's been just perfect, with the exception of the handle, which is merely OK.

I'd love to see a Spydie version with a better lock and handle materials.
 
sal,
ill put my vote in now to be chosen to carry one of the 40 special mill's as an official testing user (OTU).

you can count on me to flog it with respect, that is work with it daily as i would any other work knife. i will report faithfully to this forum with the results.



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'Till next time,
Rich the kite guy
 
Yeah, Sal. If you`re trying to get rid of one of your dendritic Militaries, I`d be glad to take one off your hands! Really!
 
sal, i guess i can assume that me and steve, as the only volunteers, should be seeing our new exotic milli's to test in the next few months.

since you only got two volunteers, perhapse we OTU's should get one of each material to be tested, for comparative analysys of course.

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'Till next time,
Rich the kite guy
 
Rich & Steve B - I'm surprized that there were only two volunteers?

Actually, I will, in the future need several Spyderfriends to do some opinionating (if that's a word?) on designs as well as do some testing of early models. I did plan to post that when I'm ready to begin. Most of the opinionating (?) will be done by Email as most of the designs will be "Kept quiet" until we're sure we can build and it works.

I'll also need some assistance in making up the test. (Not now, I currently have a full plate and I would only botch it up).
sal
 
Hey, if you really want beta testers count me in. I carry knives (note the plural) everyday. I work in a hospital so discrete carry is important though I think everyone knows that I have them so they can come to me when something needs to be cut. I also have a small farm, and there is no better place to see if a folder can take it than in doing farm chores. That is why my working folders are exclusively from Chris Reeves and Spyderco.
 
Yes sir. Where do I sign up? I'd love to be a tester. And as to dendritic cobalt, I think it's an idea worth checking out. Keep me in mind, please. Chris
 
Hey Sal,

If you are taking numbers...I would be glad to help in testing. I'm the most opinionated person I know.
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jj
 
Sal,

Please count me in for any design reviews &/or early model testing that you may have in mind. I'd be delighted to help out.

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Cheers,

--+Brian+--

 
Sal,

I think you really need an antipodean tester to determine if the knives funtion properly when the user is upside down
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.

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Take care,
Clay

Don't worry that the world might end tomorrow....in Australia it's tomorrow already.

 
Actually I have been thinking for a while about what would be a good "gift knife" for someone who isn't a knife nut (yet!) but would still notice that superiority of a really good knife (like a Spyderco in dendritic anything) over the usual discount-store pocketknife. Think of it as an outreach program to the unconverted. I don't know if the big and more expensive Military model is best for that, but I think dendritic 440C is a great steel for such a knife, because it holds its edge so well and is still easy to bring back to a good edge when needed. (Compare ATS34.)

For a model meant as a gift, especially for non-knife nuts, it might be nice to spiff up the handles a little bit -- maybe some burgundy micarta, or even wood(?) It is true that the black Zytel is getting a little cliched (although Zytel is a terrific material and could probably also look nice with a little added color).
 
Lab rat (read military :)) tester for Spyderco? Count me in. Just to make sure that the new thing is euro-compatible.
Greetings
red
 
Sal :

James - We have 20 Military blades cast in each Dendritic 440C and Dendritic Cobalt. We'll be make those into knives for testing after the SpydeRench is underway.
Click to expand...

I would be very curious to know how they work out as the Military would be the last Spyderco folder I would want Dendritic blades on. It is a hard use design and based on what I read the Dendritics are not hard use materials. The Calypso Jr. would be a great choice though. Are the results of the testing going to be kept secret or will the forum members get to read about it?

-Cliff


[This message has been edited by Cliff Stamp (edited 02 September 1999).]
 
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