Off Topic Stopped caring about edge-retention

J

Jake Dawson

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Jul 19, 2020
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I was thinking about the term "EDC" and what it means for me, for me EDC means everyday stuff so it needs to be something i can maintain while im OUTSIDE THE HOUSE.

im making an argument for softer steels because i might only be able to bring a cheap sharpener with me that can fit in the glovebox or pocket. i won't be able to bring wet stones and oils because i can't spend 20 mins on fine sharpening when im actually working.

with that in mind, a supersteel is nice and can last for MONTHS, but what if you really need a knife when it becomes dull?
Also, im not saying you should get stuff like 5cr or AUS6, but i will say that 420HC and AUS8 are in that range of good steel you can sharpen on the field.
 
Pocket diamond stone? There are plenty of them out there. Question is whether during ED type carry you are likely to dull a supersteel and need to bring it back immediately. If yes then you'll need the means to do so albeit far less often than with regular steel and the same requirements. If using something like a pocket diamond you can bring it back easily then the sum total is that you will need to work it in the field far less often and will still be able to bring back a working edge. If you need to be able to bring back an edge using a stone picked up from the path and expect to have to do so often then the above won't apply but let's be honest, how many of us are having to do that with an every day carry knife with supersteel edge retention.

My conclusion is that although with a supersteel field sharpening may require more specialised equipment, it will be just as portable, not necessarily take much longer to do and will be needed far far less often.
 
Definitely has merit, however this can be gotten around by carrying multiple knives! I always have 2 folders and a fixed blade on me. Also always have my money clip which has a small blade and a SAK too. Leave the sharpening for home where you can do a.proper job!!IMG_20210110_051127.jpg
Today's carry above and every day same olds below. Also the folders are VG10 & 440C!!!!
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Jake Dawson said:
Also, im not saying you should get stuff like 5cr or AUS6, but i will say that 420HC and AUS8 are in that range of good steel you can sharpen on the field.
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I have no experience with 5Cr15Mov, but I have had knives in Aus6 in the past and found them no less edge-retentive than 420HC or Aus8. While I found VG10 to be a shade better but it's only when getting into the powder steels that I see a noticeable increase in edge retention.
 
For my needs I'm happier with "softer" steel.
My favorite knives are N690, 154CM, 14C28N, VG-10...etc, and none of them inexpensive in the $200-$400 range.
For me it's the ease of getting the crazy sharpness that my ocd requires and being honest with myself in regard to knife usage.
I really only use my "edc" a couple of times a day to open packaging and I certainly don't need any sort of super steel to perform the task.
And if my favorites were available with a super steel option they wouldn't be as affordable I'd imagine.
 
Pocket stones are a fantastic way of touching up any knife and you can also find or make pretty small strops for maintaining your edge also. I think it just depends on what you do in your day.

A "super steel" may last you long enough to make it home without without touching up and as long as you have no edge damage should not take long to touch up.

If you are doing a lot of hard impact type of work a softer steel just may be the better option for you. I think it all just depends.
 
I would rather pay a reasonable price for my knives and sharpen them a little more often. I don't find it difficult to put an edge on a blade. In fact, I think I'll tune up my Sodbuster after I post this. Should take about a minute or less.
 
Jake Dawson said:
I was thinking about the term "EDC" and what it means for me, for me EDC means everyday stuff so it needs to be something i can maintain while im OUTSIDE THE HOUSE.

im making an argument for softer steels because i might only be able to bring a cheap sharpener with me that can fit in the glovebox or pocket. i won't be able to bring wet stones and oils because i can't spend 20 mins on fine sharpening when im actually working.

with that in mind, a supersteel is nice and can last for MONTHS, but what if you really need a knife when it becomes dull?
Also, im not saying you should get stuff like 5cr or AUS6, but i will say that 420HC and AUS8 are in that range of good steel you can sharpen on the field.
Click to expand...
5cr and its equivilants are some of hte most daily used steels in the world, by folks who use and maintain knives all day long: Chefs and their army of kitchen workers. Those other steels you mention aren't all that much different than 5cr.

If you worry about the need to maintain a supersteel knife in the field every single day you are going about something wrong or should be using a utility knife for the massive amount you are using your knife. Make sure your knife is sharp before you leave in the morning and most "supersteels" should easily last you the day. In your own words they can last for months. So why'd you go out to work with a dull knife? The steel isn't the problem here, it is the sharpening schedule or expectations given the tasks.
 
A strop will freshen the edge of super steels. Last deer season I had all my sharpening stuff w/me in camp but found stropping brought back the working edge just fine on an S35vn blade I used. You don't need hair whittling sharp to get stuff done, that whittling sharp is gone after the 1st cut anyway. I could restore the edge good enough to shave arm hair, plenty good for hunting/camp tasks. Guys in camp were pretty impressed that a piece of leather could bring the edge back on their knives.
 
I carry multiple blades for this reason. Swiss army with 2 blades, Buck 110 on belt sheath or a fixed blade on my belt and sometimes another pocket knife. seems overkill to many, but comes in handy at work or if doing a lot of cutting away from home. I could carry a pocket sharpener, but I do better with full size benchstones and a sharpmaker.

don't care if super steels since i have more than one with me. do like super steels though.
 
When considering a bottom floor for EDC, I think it's worth considering the current market. For instance, we can eschew AUS-6 but that was a common budget steel not too long ago. I seem to recall Kershaw using a lot of it before 8Cr13Mov was considered a welcome step up. We still see a lot of people defending 8Cr13Mov with exactly the kind of argument given here. However, budget knives are increasingly available with better budget steels like 14C28N and 9Cr18Mov.

My EDC needs are pretty well met by those steels. I've had either 12C27 or Acuto 440 in my pocket for most of this month. Like the better budget steels above, they'll cut circles around 8Cr13Mov before needing maintenance. They strop up nicely. They are relatively easy to sharpen.

Different people have different EDC needs but could most of us get by on stuff like that? Sure. Will that stop us from wanting a knife in newfangled steels like SPY27 or S45VN? Not at all.
 
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A Lansky 4-Rod Turn Box sharpener/system will easily fit in your glove box, tool box, tool belt, etc..

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To me, this reads like another troll thread. The OP has to use soft steel because only a cheap sharpening stone will fit in his glove box. A small diamond stone, obviously, won't fit. Right.

If you look at Ankerson's tests, you'll see Aus 8 and VG10 blades getting 160 cuts. While a production Spyderco in Maxamet gets 1,940 -- 12 times more.

So the OP is going to sharpen his Aus 8 knife 12 times a day as an EDC? While the Maxamet will need no sharpening. So his choice is the cheap steel? Come on. If his EDC gets dull that many times a day, he should look to a utility knife with disposable blades.
 
I really really want a rex-121 3.5" edc fixed blade with the shape of a ffg pm2.

It would be a laser for years with no touching up as long as the user didn't put lateral forces on the edge.
 
Your mistaking the fact the everyone on here thinks of knives as just tools.

There is a sense of exclusivity and premium when buying exotic and high end steels. It adds to the "coolness" factor when people buy high end or expensive knives.

I personally really enjoy softer steels. CPM 154 and XHP are my favorite "high end" steels. I have nothing against 8cr, AUS 4-8, 420, vg10 and use them constantly. I also used s90, s35vn and others frequently as well and make sure to touch them up when needed so I don't let them get dull to the point of having to take stones to it.

Does the average person really need s110v? Probably not but its nice to have the option!
 
Twindog said:
To me, this reads like another troll thread. The OP has to use soft steel because only a cheap sharpening stone will fit in his glove box. A small diamond stone, obviously, won't fit. Right.
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Not necessarily trolling - just inexperience probably.


I don't mind standard steels whatsoever. If my blade gets a bit dull I have no problem stropping on my belt or a piece of cardboard. If it's further gone than that I'll just use a different knife... I've never managed that in a single day though, and why would I leave the house with a dull knife?
 
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