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1095 steel?
- Thread starter Hrafna173
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- Sep 13, 2017
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Better is subjective.
1095 has been around for a long time, because it works.
1095 has been around for a long time, because it works.
- Joined
- Mar 17, 2017
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- 171
It's cheap, it's a known quantity, and it has a great reputation. Look how popular Esee and ka-bar bk series knives are. 1095 has a history of being a great hard use steel. Companies don't need to spend money on marketing expensive steel if the public loves the cheap stuff.
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- Jan 9, 2006
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Bingo to the guys above. Old, proven, well known, and affordable. There are far worse steels that could be used, so no complaints from me about 1095.
I know In the military we considered it junk, even in the 90's in wet conditions it needs sharpening like every time you pull it out. I guess it's serviceable, enough, for like machetes, and axe heads every piece I test is like 52hrc a few have been at 54 hrc, but thats softer than even 440 A,, maybe all my Ka-bars, Esees, Tops and GEC are just bad batches, but out of over 60 knives, I agree better is subjective, but even Victorinox gets their steel to 56 HRC they claim 58, but I've never tested one that was that high, buck is pretty consistent at 58 HRC, and the steel they use is about 2/3 the price of 1095, I like the patina a 1095 knife gets, but that usually mean I gota sharpen it 6 times a day on the ranch, are there any steels that patina that way, that are harder?
I don't have any real complaints I don't guess other than the constant sharpening, I'm just wondering, I guess it really is just traditional, I can dig that, I have some really old like wwii knives that are great,(Not sure if they are 1095 ) but newer knives I keep getting in 1095 just seem sub par, for working knives, I still love GEC, and Case Knives for my collection though,
- Joined
- Mar 17, 2017
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52100
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- Jul 30, 2006
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- 42,141
KaBar / Becker says they run their 1095 CroVan at ~57. I've never tested it, but have no reason to doubt it. You have access to a Rockwell Tester?
I think Cold Steel runs their SK5 (~1084) blades at 58-59.
I think Cold Steel runs their SK5 (~1084) blades at 58-59.
- Joined
- Dec 7, 2019
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- 3,481
More of a “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” philosophy as many here have shared. Personally, I’m quite content with the 1095 on my Izula. Works great for utility work.
Out of curiosity, what carbon steel could be considered a “step up” from 1095 without drastically increasing production costs?
Out of curiosity, what carbon steel could be considered a “step up” from 1095 without drastically increasing production costs?
J. Doyle
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
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- Feb 17, 2008
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- 8,148
W2.
Just FYI, there are a lot of makers that do good things with 1095. Heat treated properly, it is capable of "as quenched" hardness of 65/66 Rc. There are plenty of handmade/custom 1095 working knives in the 62/63 Rc range.
W2 is considered by most to be a step up from that. W2 can reach an "as quenched" hardness of 67 Rc and I've seen reputable reports of 68. I know makers personally that make user W2 knives at a hardness of 64 Rc.
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- Aug 5, 2001
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You make statements as if they were fact. They are just your opinions, and I disagree with them.
Quality 1095 with good heat treat blows away mediocre super-steel with questionable heat treat, any day.
I love 1095, and have many examples that perform just as well as any wonder-steel flavor of the week for my purposes and cutting requirements.
Quality 1095 with good heat treat blows away mediocre super-steel with questionable heat treat, any day.
I love 1095, and have many examples that perform just as well as any wonder-steel flavor of the week for my purposes and cutting requirements.
- Joined
- Jun 22, 2020
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I have the ESEE3 and it's sufficient.
Tough, easy to get sharp, and holds decent edge (edge geometry plays role here tho).
It will however rust really easily, lose it's edge even if you leave it laying around uncoated or it'll lose the edge faster if you use it for cutting citrus fruits.
Edge retention is nothing spectacular and during warmer summer day you'll either have to wipe it and oil it each time before putting it back in sheath... or you'll have to sharpen it several times a day. And since nobody walks around with bottle of oil and piece of rug... I sometimes did have to sharpen it several times in few hours...
Sandvik, AUS8 and D2 seem to be better alternatives to 1095 when it comes to EDC, but that's mostly depending on your climate
Tough, easy to get sharp, and holds decent edge (edge geometry plays role here tho).
It will however rust really easily, lose it's edge even if you leave it laying around uncoated or it'll lose the edge faster if you use it for cutting citrus fruits.
Edge retention is nothing spectacular and during warmer summer day you'll either have to wipe it and oil it each time before putting it back in sheath... or you'll have to sharpen it several times a day. And since nobody walks around with bottle of oil and piece of rug... I sometimes did have to sharpen it several times in few hours...
Sandvik, AUS8 and D2 seem to be better alternatives to 1095 when it comes to EDC, but that's mostly depending on your climate
coolbreezy37
Gold Member
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- Aug 28, 2021
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1095 does a great job for me as well. I agree with all the above statements. Super easy to sharpen in the field with a smooth rock is a HUGE plus for me. I’m a minimalist, so I don’t carry a lot of stuff when I go out (including a sharpener). My second favorite is SR-101 (52100) from Busse, and I would love to experience 5160. Just my .02 FWIW.
SALTY
Gold Member
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- Mar 19, 2000
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- 5,790
Yup.
Yup on both counts here.
Yup.
1095 CoVan is definately the sweet spot for me; rugged, durable and easier to sharpen than Super-Steels that cost much more.
Yup.
Look, everyone, including me, likes improvements - otherwise we'd all be driving 30 mph with flathead four cylinder engines that had to be hand cranked to get started. We'd be watching you Tube videos on the internet in the dark if we didn't have electricity.
That being said, some of us (OK, maybe us older folks) prefer not getting an incremental performance gain at the expense of comparatively greater inconvenience. That's why many still prefer carbureted Harleys and not so smart smart phones. Yes SVN2,004,555XYZ wonder-steel may hold an edge longer and be run to a hardness than can slice diamonds, but I don't need that to gut a deer, split (baton) kindling, open cans, carve a tent stake or marshmallow skewer (or skin a Buick in the case of a Becker BK2) - all with the same knife. I like spending <$100 (street price) on something that can do all of that, be easy to sharpen, even if it gets freckles on the uncoated sections; I can live with that. Hence my affection for Becker Knives, Ka-Bar, ESSE, Cold Steel SK5 and the like.
I have a couple knives in 3V. I like them, but in the matrix of everything important in a knife, I'll take time honored good old 1095 and its cousins (I do like 52100) all day for what's important to me in a user field knife.