Scandi grind 14c28n or N690 steel

Y

Yorkshire Boy

Joined
Sep 27, 2008
Messages
947
I've spotted a scandi knife (the bushcraft store Boar knife) that I like the look of. It comes in a choice of different stainless steels and I was wondering which would you choose. Sandvic 14c28n at 57rc or Bohler N690 at 58rc.
 
Perhaps I should've originally posted this in the outdoor section.

Would the extra 3% chromium in the N690 make a noticeable difference in corrosion resistance? And how similar is 14c28n to 12c27 in use?
 
Last edited:
N690 will have better edge retention but will be less tough. Since 14c28n has nitrogen added, it should be more corrosion resistant. Generally N690 is considered a better steel, but for a bushcraft knife you might want the extra toughness and ease of sharpening.
 
dkb45 said:
N690 will have better edge retention but will be less tough. Since 14c28n has nitrogen added, it should be more corrosion resistant. Generally N690 is considered a better steel, but for a bushcraft knife you might want the extra toughness and ease of sharpening.
Click to expand...

What he said. I find scandi grinds are easier to damage, cause of the acute apex angle. Plus, one of the purposes of scandi is to be easily field sharpenable. Given that, the 14C28N should be better for a scandi bushcraft knife.

Note that I'd recommend D2 or other semi-stainless tool steels over either, if that's an option.
 
albert_ilalang said:
so which one better?
Click to expand...

Better for what? Better for who?
Each alloy has different properties. The individual user will have to make up his mind which property set works better for him and how he intends to use his knife.

♦ N690 will hold an edge longer, but requires aluminum oxide or diamond stones to sharpen.
♦ 14C28 is more corrosion resistant and does not require super hard sharpening media. A reasonably flat rock will do. And it takes a super fine edge.

I find that a scandi grind works best for me if I put a less acute micro bevel on the edge. Some folks use sandpaper and a mouse pad to put a convex edge on their scandi blades, instead. Never tried that, but I hear good things about getting superior edge durability that way.

I think that if I were intending to be out for a short time, I might go with the N690 betting that I won't have to fuss with sharpening it (or if I didn't mind carrying the extra weight of a sharpening setup.) If I were looking at being out for a long period of time, I might take ease of sharpening into consideration and go with the 14C28. If I thought I might end up in an especially corrosive environment such as a salt marsh, I might also turn to the 14C28.
 
Hard to go wrong with Sandvik steels, the Swedes know their stuff. Mora's new, heavy-duty Garberg uses 14C28 and they know their stuff, too. Tough combination to beat.
 
14C28n sharpens so easily and takes a razors edge. On arrival my Mora Garberg has some edge damage. A few minutes on a stone and it was ready to go.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top