The steel is actually cast cobalt in a dendrite structure so it has a very aggressive cutting action to it, BUT with the caveat that it is meant for cutting fibrous material and that can impact it's edge retention depending on the material you cut, but rope, cardboard stuff along that line, it's what it's designed for and does very well.
As to still having it, well, truth be told that one was sold back in 2009 or so and only recently came home as the fellow that bought it was chatting in a PM and it came up that he still had it, just stored away and never used and would sell it back if I had a mind to take it, and so I did
NOW, how long it stays, that is a totally different question and who knows! I may send it out to have a regrind done on it to get a higher secondary grind but I'll wait and see.
G2
edited to add, thanks Lcoop and Spyder, you're very welcome, a lanyard can be quite useful at times.