Your thoughts on carbon steel for hunters

[loonybin]

Loony bin, I appreciate your thoughts. Maybe I should clarify a bit more. I cannot use steels (for this lower end production line), that I have to send off for heat treat. As it stands, and as stated, I can only heat treat carbon steels and tool steels. Anything above 1750F temps is out of my ball game. The second run of knives, which I am hoping will be needed and wanted, will be a higher end tool steel or stainless. Probably CPM M4.

I wasn't saying that 3V was stainless. I realize that is how it came across. My point was I would have to send it off for heat treat, running cost up....so it is out of the question.

Ah! Well, being clueless about what temperatures are needed for some steels, that makes more sense now.

As mentioned I am hoping this will turn into two lines of knives. A basic one (a simple carbon or tool steel, hence the thread), and a higher end knife (prob CPM M4) hopefully down the line. This lower end line will not have anything fancy on it. We're talking steel, wood, pins. Thats it. No mosaics, no bolsters, none of that. It will be kept minimalist to maximize profit. Profit....yeah right.

Now that is a knife that interests me! I view a hunting knife as being utilitarian in nature, and if fancy frou-frou stuff is going to increase the cost but not increase performance, then I don't need it. As for maximizing profit: you capitalist pig! We all know that you knife makers are secretly rolling in the dough and just living a pauper's life in public while quietly stuffing the hundreds of thousands of dollars under your mattress and in off-shore accounts! You should feel guilty for making a single penny off of me! How dare you! Seriously, though, if you don't maximize your profit, how are you going to afford to make your "gold" line? And, what price point are you hoping to hit with your carbon steel knives?

EDIT: I'm having trouble finding your web site.

 

[samuraistuart]

My web site is under construction right now. I wasn't too pleased with the original format. As a matter of fact, I am getting WAY more business from Facebook networking! Should have done that way sooner!

Yep.....capitalist pig.....guilty as charged! Ha ha! Please don't let anyone else know about the off shore accounts! I don't want the IRS coming down on me like they did the TEA Party!

Price point for the carbon steel line........ + or - $160. Price point for the upgrade line.........+ or - $250. I haven't thought to much about the upgraded "gold" line. (This is so much fun to talk about!) Other than it will have a more corrosive resistant steel, more figured (expensive) wood handles. Maybe file work, or more complex grinds.

I REALLY REALLY need to get a proper heat treat oven. I would like to do all heat treating in house eventually. I can nail down the heat treat for 1075, 1080+, 1084, 1095, W1, W2, O1, O7, 52100, Blue 2, White 2, 15n20, CFV. A2 is just slightly out of my kiln's heat range. At least I THINK it is. IIRC, the thing is rated for 1750F max. I MAY be able to reach that temp...but honestly haven't tried. If I can hit 1750F, I can work on an A2 heat treat.

The thing with 3V, I see it as a tough as nails stain resistant tool steel with decent edge retention. Emphasis on tough! While a steel certainly needs to be "tough" for edge apex stability, I like the idea of wear resistance.....ala M4. But when we get into that class of knives/steel....the door is wide open, aint it! 3V M4 M390 S35VN. Heck even AEB-L is no slouch!

I like the quote from the Pope! We all need to be living our lives in Christ's image!

 

[samuraistuart]

You guys were so helpful with this discussion, trying to figure out what steel I wanted to go with. Here is the final product for enjoyment....or amusement! Keep tomato throws at low velocity, please! Thanks for all your input!

O-7 tool steel (1.2519) @ ~61HRC.
.098" at the spine. .006" before a 30 degree inclusive edge @ 4000 grit Japanese waterstone.
Claro Walnut Burl from Chuck at AKS. White and Black G10 spacers.

 

[Greenberg Woods]

A lot of people see it as old timey and boring, but I am a real fan of O1.

 

[Willie71]

You guys were so helpful with this discussion, trying to figure out what steel I wanted to go with. Here is the final product for enjoyment....or amusement! Keep tomato throws at low velocity, please! Thanks for all your input!

O-7 tool steel (1.2519) @ ~61HRC.
.098" at the spine. .006" before a 30 degree inclusive edge @ 4000 grit Japanese waterstone.
Claro Walnut Burl from Chuck at AKS. White and Black G10 spacers.

There's a lot to like about that knife! :thumbup: