Yeouch!!!! BF Native IS Sharp!

[Dannyc]

Dang... I couldn't sleep, so I went around fiddling with my collection of knives, and took out the BF Native to clean and admire it once more.

A funny thing struck me, and I decided to check on Spyderco's catalog to try the instructions for opening and closing a lockback folder (funny, they used the Native as a sample on the drawing).

So, with the blade open, I pointed it upwards, and proceeded to push the barlock, to let the blade swing halfway closed. Just my luck... I forgot to wedge my finger into the "choil" of the blade, and it went way past half, striking the first joint of my middle finger, bone, vein, and everything.. Yikes!!!

While cleaning the wound (yep, blood flowing non-stop) I noticed that there wasn't even the slightest hint of pain. I mean, it was really a clean cut. And even as I type, I don't feel a thing (nope, didn't put band-aid on, since the blood flow stopped already).

I recalled some postings before, regarding the sharpness of a blade, that when it's really sharp, you won't even feel getting cut, just see the blood flowing, and this is exactly what happened. I felt the blade land on my finger, but that's about it. No pain.

Sharp is an understatement for this factory edge.

Am I the first casualty here?

Clay K., if you're reading this and laughing, it's your fault.. hehehe.. I took it out with intent on using it as my daily carry because you said so. Now look what happened, lol...

I think I'll save up for a second BF Native. This one has tasted blood already, and is quite ready for use.. hehehe..

Dan

 

[Sal Glesser]

Dan - Sorry 'bout that. No, I don't think you are the first.

 

[Clay Kesting]

Dan,

I'm trying not to laugh, honest....

I think it is the knife's way of telling you that you should have used it sooner. I agree with you on the sharpness, this is the sharpest knife I've used. I spent a couple of hours, the other night, working on my Wegner Jr. with the Sharpmaker. Re-profiled the blade, back-bevelled, the works, it still won't cut like the Native. I think it has the best edge geometry of any of my hollow ground knives, the edge seems much thinner than the Wegner.

BTW I'm going to put a stainless clip on mine so I can use the sheath without damaging the blue finish. Summers coming so the sheath will get lots of use.

Hope your cut heals quickly.

------------------
Take care,
Clay

Don't worry that the world might end tomorrow....in Australia it's tomorrow already.



[This message has been edited by Clay Kesting (edited 05 September 1999).]

 

[Bob Irons]

Don't forget the Neosporin. Heals faster and leaves no scar!

 

[RJ Talas]

Dan - After the way that knife has treated you, you really should get rid of it! And in the case that you DO want to get rid of that pesky, bloodthirsty little critter,

you know where to look for a 'near-by' buyer, don't you?

Hope it heals soon!

------------------
Cutting through all the muck,
we get to what's really important.

John 3:3-7

God Bless You!

 

[Dannyc]

Sal, no problem! Actually, I liked it all the more, because at least now I know it's really deadly sharp!

No apologies needed, hehe, you should be proud!

Clay, thanks for TRYING not to laugh.. You can laugh now..

Hmmm.. where'd you get a stainless clip for that? I was thinking about using my Endura's clip on it, but it's black, and also coated, so its finish will also be marred.

Bob, I didn't put anything on it, coz as I said, it didn't even hurt one bit. I did wash it though, and it now looks like the mouth of a muppet.. hahahah..

But the cut is so clean, it reminds me of a scalpel cut! Very similar.

Richmond, try and try until you die.. hehehehe..

I'm NOT going to let go of my Native! Though when I get to visit you, I'll bring it with me (along with the rest of the collection). Why not just get yourself a BF Native as well? Believe me, it's WORTH every dang dollar I paid for.

Dan

 

[Chief]

In my opinion, the difference is not only the grind, but mainly its the CPM440V steel. Every knife I own with it (3) gets wonderfully scary, scary sharp and holds it a long time. Thanks to Spyderco for using this wonderful stuff. If Spyderco used it in the Moran, it would be my next purchase.

 

[Clay Kesting]

Chief, I was wondering if it had to do with the steel. I remember Sal saying that AUS8 takes a very good edge because of its fine grain structure and I can attest to that having just got an incredible edge on my Viele with my new Sharpmaker (well I had to try it out

). Perhaps the edge on the BF Native is also due to the grain structure of the CPM440 steel. I know the Crucible process is designed to give finer carbides so maybe that is the answer. Anybody?

Dan, you have mail

------------------
Take care,
Clay

Don't worry that the world might end tomorrow....in Australia it's tomorrow already.



[This message has been edited by Clay Kesting (edited 06 September 1999).]

 

[Dannyc]

Well, regardless of steel used, I believe it all boils down to how Spyderco treats it. I mean, even with 440V, if not treated right, will result in a blade that performs worse than 420-J2 steel, eh?

Clay, got your mail, sent reply.

hehe..

Dan

 

[Sal Glesser]

Clay - Microphotographs indicate that CPM440V has a very fine and uniforn grain structure. More so than any steel we've take photos of. This was the goal when Crucible developed the steel and it is probably the reason why the steel can get so sharp.

Dan - Heat treating temperatures are citical. The steel cannot go to melting temp or the steel is ruined. Heat treating temps are within 200 degrees of melt temp (F 2,000 range)

Gets sharp...stays sharp...that's why we've extended the effort to produce the steel in production.
sal

 

[Dannyc]

"Gets sharp... stays sharp..."

You can say that over and over again, Sal, and you have a firm believer here.. hehehe..

Funny to think that just barely a month or so ago, I had a defective Military (which is already on its way there btw, let me know the result of your testing) and doubting 440V's qualities. I guess that doubt turned against me courtesy of the BF Native.

I've closed lockbacks before, and have had a few "hits" here and there, but nothing as grossly serious as the cut I received from the Native. I might go overboard by saying it's scalpel sharp out of the box, but then that's exactly what this wound looks like now, a scalpel cut. And it's a push-cut, not a slice, either.

I'm just curious as to how we can get that factory sharp edge back when we do need to sharpen it in time. I'm getting pretty good with freehand sharpening, but I cannot get anywhere near the factory edge anymore. Do you suggest stropping, Sal?

Last question, is the BF Native logo laser-etched? or is it printed/stamped on? I like to clean it (I use tuf-glide and smear it all over the blade) unfortunately, I fear that I might marr the logo as well.

Thanks!

Dan

[This message has been edited by Dannyc (edited 08 September 1999).]

 

[Sal Glesser]

Dan - the logo is lazer etched and should be very difficult to remove even if you wanted to. I don't think it will be affected by cleaning.

You should be able to get very close to the factory edge with a sharpmaker. Stropping might help bring out a "burr" like one would use for shaving, but this burr is quickly bent by anything much harder than a hair.

Power stropping or power buffing will also get you there.

You could do it by hand, if you are very skilled. The edge is already in the steel. You just need to remove everything that isn't edge.

sal

 

[Clay Kesting]

Sal,

Thanks for confirming my impressions of the grain structure. I teach a bit of metallurgy and sometimes use my knives as examples.

The edge is already in the steel. You
just need to remove everything that isn't edge.

I like that

. I found that the Native lost its "scary" sharp edge quite quickly, probably the burr you referred to, but the remaining, very sharp edge, shows no sign of wear. I commented before that the edge seems thinner than my other hollow ground knives. Is this so and is it a function of the steel?

------------------
Take care,
Clay

Don't worry that the world might end tomorrow....in Australia it's tomorrow already.



[This message has been edited by Clay Kesting (edited 08 September 1999).]

 

[Sal Glesser]

Clay - most of our hollow ground or flat grund blades are ground to similar angles.
sal

 

[C Rushing]

Man! I can't wait til my BF Native gets here!

 

[Dannyc]

Sal, thanks for the info.

I did try stropping the BF Native, and it came out really scary sharp! I dunno if I did more harm than good by making it do pushcuts so well though.

But from the looks of it, it will still slice like a laser.. hehehehe...

I wish the etching is similar to the one found on the Military. No black ink, just etched on the steel. I see Tuf-Cloth somewhat smearing the black ink on the etch.

C Rushing - just be careful when you get yours, it's really REALLY sharp.

Dan

 

[Brian Lavin]

My Native did seem to lose it's REALLY sharp edge after a week or so. But then I compared it to some other knives; nope, still REALLY sharp, just not as vorpal as it came in the box. You guys know how to profile a blade.

 

[Ogre]

I got 2 Natives on the way!
One plain edged - One Combo...

I CAN'T WAIT!

------------------
I mean, if I went around saying I was an Emperor because some
moistened bint had lobbed a scimitar at me, people would put me away!

 

[bill boyd]

Danny, tuf glide will not hurt the etch on whit. I haven't cut myself yet, but somehow my thumb slipped when opening it and I shaved several layers of skin off the pad of my thumb. Did you know that the bottom layer of skin is kind of red? One more layer and I would have hit meat.

 

[Dannyc]

Ogre, what can I say? Enjoy! hehehehe..

You'll really be pleased with it.

Bill, yep, I know.. I saw the layers first-hand, lol...

Funny thing was, after the accident, this knife seems to want to cut me up all over again. I've had close calls the last few days, but didn't get slashed yet. Seems like a knife is just that, a knife. Once it tastes blood, it'll keep looking for blood, hehehehe..

Dan