I have to disagree with Jackknife slightly on this one. He is right in that most people will get by just fine with poor knives but most will see the difference and gravitate to a better steel I think.
My grownup son "collects" your flashier looking knives, often not great in the steel department. I got him a Kershaw in 8cr13mov and put a good edge on it. Not great, but better than a lot of stuff non-knifers buy. He has been given lottsa other Walmart stuff but he keeps bringing that knife back to me for touch-ups and always carries it because "It's a better tool." (sigh of satisfaction). I'm trying to figure out a nice slipjoint to get him that he will use a little (for now...mua ha ha).
When I was a kid I remember that, if I had something to do I would gravitate to knives which in retrospect were nicer steel. I used my Mercator or a Western belt knife I had over the no-name whatevers. I have spoken to more than one housewife who told me that "that knife with the grey blade is the best cutter". Out of the cheap knives they had they could tell the old carbon steel was better.
Most folks don't know or want to know the difference it's true. But most folks can tell the difference and will go with a better knife if you hand it to them. It is true that most people will do just fine with a sharpened tin can lid and see our fixation with this as a bit..... "different".
In re: old vs. new Schrades. Old Schrades are just a good example of old school carbon steel which will sharpen easily with minimal equipment and skill level to a fine edge. Then they will hold that edge surprisingly long for how easy it was to achieve. I heard the newer ones weren't too bad.
My grownup son "collects" your flashier looking knives, often not great in the steel department. I got him a Kershaw in 8cr13mov and put a good edge on it. Not great, but better than a lot of stuff non-knifers buy. He has been given lottsa other Walmart stuff but he keeps bringing that knife back to me for touch-ups and always carries it because "It's a better tool." (sigh of satisfaction). I'm trying to figure out a nice slipjoint to get him that he will use a little (for now...mua ha ha).
When I was a kid I remember that, if I had something to do I would gravitate to knives which in retrospect were nicer steel. I used my Mercator or a Western belt knife I had over the no-name whatevers. I have spoken to more than one housewife who told me that "that knife with the grey blade is the best cutter". Out of the cheap knives they had they could tell the old carbon steel was better.
Most folks don't know or want to know the difference it's true. But most folks can tell the difference and will go with a better knife if you hand it to them. It is true that most people will do just fine with a sharpened tin can lid and see our fixation with this as a bit..... "different".
In re: old vs. new Schrades. Old Schrades are just a good example of old school carbon steel which will sharpen easily with minimal equipment and skill level to a fine edge. Then they will hold that edge surprisingly long for how easy it was to achieve. I heard the newer ones weren't too bad.