GEC...Please Make More Patterns Available To Us in 440C...yea or nea ?

RobbW said:
On my GEC 1095 and Queen D2 blades, I sharpen between 12 and 13 degrees per side, then get lots of years with easy touch ups on a Sharpmaker at 15 degrees per side (30-degrees inclusive--the narrow side). Would GEC 440C be able to handle this acute geometry without damage?

Thanks!
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I have several 440C GECs sharpened at 15° per side and they work fine.
 
This one languished in my 'sock' drawer for a fair while due to a wobbly blade.



A few months down the line and a bit more knowledge gained from Kevin and Andi enabled me to tighten up and peen the pivot. Feeling buoyed up by my success I decided to put a convex edge on the knife by laying it flat on wet and dry paper on top of a mousemat. i started with 400 and worked until a burr started to form before moving quickly up through 6, 8 and finally 1200. I then finished the edge on a strop with metal polish. Now this knife cuts, and cuts!!

No idea what the angles are as the edge is convex but I'll guess at 15%(ish). I like to whittle and have had no edge issues. Despite being a very similar edge profile to my other 1095 steel GEC's this one out cuts them all and keeps an edge with stropping. Go figure.

I like 440C:)

Sam
 
avoidspam said:
Despite being a very similar edge profile to my other 1095 steel GEC's this one out cuts them all and keeps an edge with stropping. Go figure.

I like 440C:)

Sam
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For most purposes, 440C holds an edge better than 1095. (Known fact amongst steel junkies.)

Bwahahaha! Welcome to the dark side. We have carbides.
 
I expected the edge holding Frank, what I'm not so knowledgeable about is why, despite being pretty much the same profile and sharpened the same way as 1095 440C cuts better. Does it gain a keener edge, toothier?

Highly magnified explanatory photographs welcomed at this point:)

Sam
 
It's the carbides. They add wear resistance. Sorry, I've no photomicrographs.

Assuming the same edge profile and reasonably the same hardness, 440C will hold a using edge longer than 1095 because as the steel (iron/Carbon) wears away from a razor edge, the carbides are exposed. Rather like rocks in concrete, the carbides are considerably harder than steel and resist further wear.
 
Sorry, I didn't word my post very well.

As opposed to edge holding I'm curious to know how 440C cuts better, it is much more willing with green wood for example.

Sam
 
On the off chance someone wanted a 440C #33 but didn't get one because it didn't have a bail...
 
I'm sorta torn. Love the SS ones, but my wallet is relieved there aren't more.
 
I was happy to see those Elk Conductors with bail. The stainless #33 is a terrific knife, I picked one up from Mike in November, and followed it up with an American Cherry White Owl last month. Perfect knives for my office job, they disappear into the pockets of my khakis and make short work of opening boxes, clam packs and mail. I love cutting laminated posters off the machine, the blades slide through the plastic like butter.

:thumbup: :thumbup: for GEC stainless!
 
avoidspam said:
Sorry, I didn't word my post very well.

As opposed to edge holding I'm curious to know how 440C cuts better, it is much more willing with green wood for example.

Sam
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I don't have an answer, but I understand what you are getting at. I have always felt that a well honed 440C blade tends to have a more aggressive "bite" than some other steels, like 1095 and 420hc for examples in my limited experience...
 
I have had good luck with knives made of 440C. They take a good edge and are easy to sharpen; rust resistant and not expensive. I vote "yea".:cool:
 
I am not a prolific buyer.

There is no reason not to make more offerings in their stainless.

They will sell!

I enjoy my carbon steel. But I also have just as much enjoyment for stainless.


Honestly, if I am making a request, it would be for GEC to make offerings in D2!!!!!! I have two queens in this steel, and it is excellent. I would love to see GEC's level of refinement and thin edges with this steel!
 
The only knife I have owned in 440C was my first Benchmade Mini Grip. I'm not sure what they Rockwelled the blades at, but it held an edge very well, was fairly easy to touch up the edge, and even through hard use, it never chipped or rolled...

There are so many different steel options, it can be fun trying new stuff. I have no doubt they would sell all of the new models the could make with more modern steel offerings. From what I understand, the newer, harder steel requires different machinery to work the blades, and they don't last as long, so it may be a huge expense they would never recoup.

As long as we are asking, I wouldn't mind seeing a few offered in properly HT ATS-34 :D
 
Bigfattyt said:
I am not a prolific buyer.

There is no reason not to make more offerings in their stainless.

They will sell!

I enjoy my carbon steel. But I also have just as much enjoyment for stainless.


Honestly, if I am making a request, it would be for GEC to make offerings in D2!!!!!! I have two queens in this steel, and it is excellent. I would love to see GEC's level of refinement and thin edges with this steel!
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338375 said:
The only knife I have owned in 440C was my first Benchmade Mini Grip. I'm not sure what they Rockwelled the blades at, but it held an edge very well, was fairly easy to touch up the edge, and even through hard use, it never chipped or rolled...

There are so many different steel options, it can be fun trying new stuff. I have no doubt they would sell all of the new models the could make with more modern steel offerings. From what I understand, the newer, harder steel requires different machinery to work the blades, and they don't last as long, so it may be a huge expense they would never recoup.

As long as we are asking, I wouldn't mind seeing a few offered in properly HT ATS-34 :D
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As discussed previously...

sitflyer said:
Thanks, but this is not the direction that I want this thread to go...GEC already uses 440C steel in it's production schedule, this thread is for discussing if people would like to see more offerings in this steel...and this steel only.

Steel type threads can be emotionally charged and I knew this going into this thread. I would like to say Thank You to everyone for such a civil discussion...
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I like 'em both, but the large majority are 1095. Not sure what I'd pick given two identical knives with different steel choices. I think GEC pretty much sells all they make, so it's likely, "if it ain't broke..." I'm happy my Tuna Valley is stainless, one of the other 440's stay in my car, along with a SAK. There's just something about 1095, and the fact that you do have to take care of it some that I enjoy. That, and the fact that as I get older it does too...

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I only became interested in traditional knives recently, so I initially stuck with the 440C models. Since then, I've bought some of the 1095 models as well because I liked the patterns, but I'd prefer if more were available in stainless (CPM-154 would be ideal).
 
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