Case 1095 vs Case Tru Sharp

I use my knives for carving and whittling, so a high grit/high polish edge is what I prefer. Any difference amongst these steels in that regard?
 
I tend to notice that Case's Tru-Sharp in 420HC takes and holds a toothy edge better than it holds a polished edge. Too much polish seems to leave the edge a bit weaker and prone to rolling. But at around ~320-400 grit or so, it takes a biting-sharp, aggressive edge and holds it pretty well.

Case's CV - I haven't tried their new as-named '1095' yet - is actually harder than the Tru-Sharp by 2 or 3 points on the RC scale. It holds up better than the Tru-Sharp does at a finer finish. Case has described their own CV steel as a 'modified 1095'. So, I'll take a leap of faith that their new '1095' blades won't vary too much from that.

They're both easy to sharpen. In fact, I do most of the sharpening of each using the same exact tools - a Fine India stone to set edges and Spyderco ceramics to refine. More attention needs to be paid to the Tru-Sharp for de-burring. But a progressively lighter touch when refining on the ceramic hones will take care of most of that. And I strop on clean paper, laid over the stone when setting new edge, and on a bare leather belt for occasional tuning up after use.
 
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I have several knives in both types of steel. With that said, I will just mostly echo what is already posted…
In normal use I don’t see a difference in edge holding. CV is easier to sharpen because the burr comes off quickly and with much less effort with my sharpening set up (work sharp and DMT diamond stones)
I seem to be able to get the same level of “sharp” from each steel, but I don’t go chasing mirror polished edges.
Maybe I should test the different steels on duplicate knives to get a clear winner with data🤔
 
Is there no difference between their CV and the 1095 that a certain retailer has as an exclusive? Also, I am glad to hear people mention Tru Sharp and more effort to deburr as that has been my experience as well.
 
SoansoMcMasters said:
Is there no difference between their CV and the 1095 that a certain retailer has as an exclusive? Also, I am glad to hear people mention Tru Sharp and more effort to deburr as that has been my experience as well.
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Case’s CV steel was just 1085 with a little extra spice (chrome and vanadium) thrown in. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if the 1095 case is now using holds a little bit of a better edge than their CV.

According to a rep I spoke to last year, CV is either no more…. Or their stocks are so low now that it will only be used for some special occasions. Their stash was old stock and is no longer produced.

I’m with Molakai when it comes to CV vs Truesharp. I can’t really tell a difference in edge retention, but CV is easier for me to sharpen and I find the patina to be very aesthetically pleasing.
 
Final question before I click buy. For whittling and carving, do you folks prefer a stockman, trapper, or other? I currently have two stockman and I find myself using the smaller blades for everything except significant material removal. I used to use modern folders and dedicated wood knives such as flexcut/mora/beaver craft, but I enjoy using regular pocket knives much more.
 
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SoansoMcMasters said:
Final question before I click buy. For whittling and carving, do you folks prefer a stockman, trapper, or other? I currently have two stockman and I find myself using the smaller blades for everything except significant material removal. I used to use modern folders and dedicated wood knives such as flexcut/mora/beaver craft, but I enjoy using regular pocket knives much more.
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I like jack knives, congress knives, and pen knives better than trappers for whittling and carving, and stockman knives do a very good job, too, especially if the Spey is modded to suit the user.

Dedicated whittling patterns are, of course, typically very good as well. I consider some four blade congress patterns to be essentially dedicated whittling knives.

I have bigger hands, so I like a bigger handle, but don’t really need a long blade for most carving. I like jack knives because you usually get a moderately small and a moderately long blade, and that combo usually works very well for me.

One of my favorite whittling knives is a Copperhead Wharncliffe in TrueSharp. Very good whittling knife.
 
I suspect that my preference for the performance of Case CV over TruSharp (or old Schrade USA carbon steel over Schrade+) is based more on wishful thinking than any practical difference in how they really perform. I imagine the carbon steel holds its edge a little longer, produces a finer edge, and is a bit easy to sharpen.

But "I imagine" might be the key phrase here.

I think I really just like patina:
mjTZBdp.jpg


Even if it does highlight pretty serious blade-rub:
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...Mike
 
SoansoMcMasters said:
Is there no difference between their CV and the 1095 that a certain retailer has as an exclusive? Also, I am glad to hear people mention Tru Sharp and more effort to deburr as that has been my experience as well.
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Case has explained on their own Case Collectors Club forum site that their CV has always been a version of 1095. They called it a 'modified' 1095. The obvious modifications would be the addition of a little bit of chromium ('C') - for a little more wear resistance and a tiny bit of corrosion resistance - and vanadium ('V') for grain refinement. It was a steel made to their own spec, which also made it more expensive for them to source - and even more difficult now, with all of the supply chain problems around the world these days. Their move to a standard '1095' steel in recent months is their effort to keep costs under control, in sourcing a more readily available commodity.

1095 can be excellent when it's made with high purity and heat-treated well, and the lesser cost of the raw steel isn't necessarily an issue to worry about. So, it remains to be seen if Case's new 1095 can be as popular as their old CV.
 
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For whittling I prefer a carbon steel blade and I prefer a stockman pattern with a spey blade. I use a case 75 jumbo stockman in stainless most often.

Next I use an old timer 34OT USA and a GEC pocket carver. Both in 1095. The old timer, the spey blade is so thin from sharpening its amazing. I also thinned the tip some by lowering the angle and it cuts on the blunt tip whereas the case spey on my 75 has a blunt point. I’m reluctant to remove it though as it won’t always be my whittling knife, soon as I procure a carbon steel version.

Stainless will not get as sharp, and hold that as long. Atleast I cannot get it there with Arkansas stones and stropping. The keenness of the edge is important for whittling. And the easier sharpening is a bonus in carbon steel.

I find I can strop a slightly dull edge back to keen a few more times with schrade USA carbon steels than cases trusharp stainless. I do have a case cv knive but don’t use it for whittling as the execution isn’t to par and it’s in the queue to go back.

Here’s my thread on some of my whittlings.

What have you been whittling with your traditionals?

I have posted pics here and there that include some of my current whittling projects (I always have several going), and I thought it’d be fun for to make a thread where everyone could share what they are whittling. Not to be confused with wood carving, this is traditional knife whittling...
www.bladeforums.com www.bladeforums.com
 
Obsessed with Edges said:
1095 can be excellent when it's made with high purity and heat-treated well,
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Don't want to hijack the thread, just posting this as an example of your statement. Had this now for 3 years, only had to hone it once on a stone in all that time, it had just lost it's bite a bit, the rest of the time a leather strop is all i have had to use, and it is just a fantastic knife that keeps it's edge. Well made and heat treated really well.

ea8ZCfV.jpg
 
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