Rockstead Knowledge Thread

Great thread! It's been a good read. Rockstead has always been a curiosity for me. But hearing about usage, maintenance, admiration, I'm very interested to try for myself.

If someone has experience with the 2 types of metal offered, please enlighten me.

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The ZDP version has to be pretty damn good to get a grind that thin. Spyderco's ZDP is at 64 and my only experience. I'm curious too about ZDP at 67. E.G. is it chippy or not in the least bit?
 
cchu518 said:
The ZDP version has to be pretty damn good to get a grind that thin. Spyderco's ZDP is at 64 and my only experience. I'm curious too about ZDP at 67. E.G. is it chippy or not in the least bit?
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I think Blues Bender covered this somewhere in this thread or elsewhere. He has a Higo in ZDP and uses it hard. Said it rolls rather than chips making it easier to bring back.
He seems to have a very good handle on Rocksteads and how to maintain them.
 
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coiledwire said:
Great thread! It's been a good read. Rockstead has always been a curiosity for me. But hearing about usage, maintenance, admiration, I'm very interested to try for myself.

If someone has experience with the 2 types of metal offered, please enlighten me.

Subscribed!
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I have 2 Rocky's in YXR7, and I've never tried their ZDP-189. YXR7 is a carbon steel with high hardness and toughness, while ZDP has a higher hardness with less toughness.

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Rockstead demonstrates that YXR7 has greater impact toughness than ZDP-189, but on the other hand, ZDP has better wear resistance than YXR7. ZDP will chip while YXR7 will roll when the edge is exposed to impact.

Personally, I have no desire to own their ZDP knives since they are too brittle for my uses. YXR7 seems like the perfect steel for a "hard use Rockstead". If you cut soft materials like rope, clean cardboard, fabric, etc then get ZDP-189. If you cut dirty cardboard, carve wood, or (lightly) chop things, get YXR7.
 
Good information! Interesting the graph calls these steels stainless. How is the corrosion resistance of YXR7? Same as zdp? Is a coated blade worth getting?
 
coiledwire said:
Good information! Interesting the graph calls these steels stainless. How is the corrosion resistance of YXR7? Same as zdp? Is a coated blade worth getting?
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Being that ZDP-189 has roughly 4x the chromium that YXR7 has, ZDP is more stain resistant. However, the large amount of carbon inside of ZDP-189 makes it more susceptible to corrosion when compared to something like M390/20CV/CTS-204P.

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Blues Bender said:
I have 2 Rocky's in YXR7, and I've never tried their ZDP-189. YXR7 is a carbon steel with high hardness and toughness, while ZDP has a higher hardness with less toughness.

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Rockstead demonstrates that YXR7 has greater impact toughness than ZDP-189, but on the other hand, ZDP has better wear resistance than YXR7. ZDP will chip while YXR7 will roll when the edge is exposed to impact.

Personally, I have no desire to own their ZDP knives since they are too brittle for my uses. YXR7 seems like the perfect steel for a "hard use Rockstead". If you cut soft materials like rope, clean cardboard, fabric, etc then get ZDP-189. If you cut dirty cardboard, carve wood, or (lightly) chop things, get YXR7.
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Well I stand corrected. Thank you for this! I was considering a Higo in ZDP now I'm thinking I need the YXR7 instead for the kind of use I'm accustomed to.
Being in the PNW where its always wet, would this type of steel pose any concerns or is it just simple maintenance of cleaning, drying and lubing after such use?
 
bladeninja said:
Well I stand corrected. Thank you for this! I was considering a Higo in ZDP now I'm thinking I need the YXR7 instead for the kind of use I'm accustomed to.
Being in the PNW where its always wet, would this type of steel pose any concerns or is it just simple maintenance of cleaning, drying and lubing after such use?
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Well, that brings me back to this:

Blues Bender said:
I know there are also different variations of the models in YXR7. Some feature a DLC coating on the entire blade, which makes for a very interesting "smokey mirror" effect unlike anything I've ever seen before. However, I've seen some that only have the DLC coating on the flats and not the bevel, giving the bevel a typical mirror finish.

Their reasoning is that the mirror finish helps repel corrosion and full-DLC isn't necessary. I prefer the fully coated versions:)
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The DLC coating will protect the blade, but it should still be wiped down with something like tuff-glide. Apparently the DLC coating has "dimples" according to Rockstead, and make the blade susceptible to corrosion. I'd imagine the partially coated YXR7 blades require slightly more maintenance.

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Blues Bender said:
Well, that brings me back to this:



The DLC coating will protect the blade, but it should still be wiped down with something like tuff-glide. Apparently the DLC coating has "dimples" according to Rockstead, and make the blade susceptible to corrosion. I'd imagine the partially coated YXR7 blades require slightly more maintenance.

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Gosh. Decisions between the two steels...I'm going to have to do more research before I commit. Either way, I know I'm going to be very pleased with my purchase. I just want to be absolutely certain of the best steel for my use. This one will go to the grave with me. Hey...didn't you already say that BB?
 
Hmm. Choices... Higo or Hizen. I see there's option for a polished DLC on YXR7. Anyone wants to show off their polished DLC? Googling it is just not the same.
 
bladeninja said:
Gosh. Decisions between the two steels...I'm going to have to do more research before I commit. Either way, I know I'm going to be very pleased with my purchase. I just want to be absolutely certain of the best steel for my use. This one will go to the grave with me. Hey...didn't you already say that BB?
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I'm in a similar boat as you bladeninja.
 
Sold my Shin in YXR7, but only so I could get a another Shin and Higo in ZDP189 LOL

Spyderco helped my to develop a love of ZDP189.
 
coiledwire said:
Hmm. Choices... Higo or Hizen. I see there's option for a polished DLC on YXR7. Anyone wants to show off their polished DLC? Googling it is just not the same.
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Both of these have the polished DLC. Anything from Rockstead will have a mirror polished blade, and the DLC coated ones will have a "smokey mirror/gunmetal" effect to them. It has to be seen in person to fully appreciate it.

Please excuse the smudges on my Higo, I was cutting branches with it:)

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Taken from Rockstead's site....

After cutting completely through a 25mm manila rope 1000 times, our ZDP-189 blade is still more than capable of cleanly slicing through a sheet of paper. This is only possible as a result of ZDP189's excellent hardness of HRc67.

Blades made from YXR7 can cut or chop through dried bamboo and still be able to slice through a sheet of paper. YXR7 blades can also cut through a 25mm manila rope approximately 500 times while still maintaining their sharpness.

YXR7 may be the best all arounder?? Blue Bender can attest to that.
 
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