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Folders

Tuscan Raider #2 – cheese and wine, boar, scorpion and Delica.

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For now this post has only been edited on my smartphone. It’s more of a journal kind and some thoughts I wanted to share. It is the occasion also to share some pics of knives being used.

Once arrived in Tuscany one of the first duty of my Delica was to open a wooden crate.

Delica are thin bladed. Snapping the point is very easy.

The trick is not to apply leverage but simply to twist the blade. Even with a thin point you can apply a lot of torque. The crate was open easily.

The good thing with that knife is how well it is accepted by people and sheeples.

Tonight it has been borrowed a lot and ladies used it when a keen edge was requested.

Liver…

Boar and mash potatoes…

So far HAP40 is stainless from being used everyday as silverware. No patina has been spotted. It seems more resistant than CPM M4…

A delicacy from Naples.

Hard crust and soft inside. You need a very thin edge to cut all those blades of pasta’

The dog was playing with a scorpion. Nobody seems to care about it. But it was the chance for a bug picture…

Eventually the dog was alive despite annoying that poor scorpion for a very long time.

The scorpion escaped somewhere. Tuscany country life.

And as I’m writing now in the shade of the evening a mosquitoes has decided to taste my blood. Smallest animal are feeding in the biggest.

Sunday morning we will go hunting.

Tomorrow time to test the Euroedge.

Folders, Photos, Uncategorized

Spyderco C11WDP Delica HAP40/SUS410 Pakkawood Handles, KnifeCenter Exclusive — Delicate Lady/Gentleman Folder.

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20170912_120344-011509878026.jpeg If the Endura with Pekkawood handles is too big for you, there is the Delica alternative ! Again it is IMHO the best version ever made of that legendary folder. I have bought it from the Knifecenter and Howard Korn which is really proud of his exclusive version have buffed the handle to a beautiful result. The Delica is not only a shorten version of the Endura, it got a thinner blade which gives great slicing and whittling power. Again this exclusive version got the clad HAP40/SUS410 blade and it gives you a powder metalurgy high speed alloy in a very thin stock. The blade got also now more lateral strenght than pure stainless steel. On the Delica with its thinner stock, again this pure slicing wonder ! With a little time you can hone it in a true razor. wp-image-136639233 The Delica got that status of pure EDC as it is small enough to be accepted easily by sheeples. The handle adds a touch of class to this little workhorse and the special alloy blade gives more power to the “matter separator”. wp-image-325305067 This is little gem is just asking to be clipped and use. As you can notice there is no laynard hole on the version. That can be an issue for some people who use lanyard to retrieve the knife form their pocket and enhance the handle in length. It’s a matter of taste. I love lanyards on knives pictures but I don’t like them on my EDC and the Delica’handle is perfect for my hand. wp-image-149091807 I have kept the clip mounted for tip up carry, on the opposite of the Endura which I open with a Spyderdrop. But the Delica is so smooth that it can be “spyderdropped” too. wp-image-1199844387 Fit and finish are stellar and you can noticed the 0.5mm of difference in the blade’s stock. Also the full steel backspacegives a feeling of reliable and solid construction pushing the envelop in that great design. wp-image-258000545 You can notice the hole in the clip which is not in use when mounted on the knife butt compared to the Endura’s mounted on the axis clip. Again, you choose your ways they are four positions. All in all the Delica KnifeCenter’s special edition is an incredible EDC and a must for collector. It’s the kind of knife which can not leave your pocket as it’s flat, soft and precious and with the Endura it forms a true daishō (大小) !! wp-image-77962487 wp-image-1669896613 wp-image-175933760 Eventually after some carrying, I have found that tip down carry was fun. The Delica is one of the shortest Spyderco I can spyderdrop as easy and faster than my Millie. Adding a lot of fun! Also the edge once thinned can use the fact HAP40 is ready for a mini apex. I was cutting bottle my Zero Tolerance could not goo through.

Folders, Photos, Uncategorized

Spyderco Persian C83BM — Ed Schempp’s Prince of Persia.

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There is one special knife which is my EDC rotation. It’s not the last steel, not the last lock but this is one of the most beautiful Spyderco ever made. I had pictured it with my Tuff
It was designed by Ed Schempp and quoting Spyderco product presentation:

“Custom knifemakers are way more than just steel junkies. Many are great artists and deep thinking intellectuals with their own specialties and talents. They continue to bring spice, variety and new ideas to the knife world. Custom maker Ed Schempp is a wheat farmer who while driving his tractor through his fields has time to think. He thinks about knives and everything surrounding them: steel, designs, heat treat, metallurgy properties, and he also thinks wheat, but only because he has to. His signature symbol, wheat sheaves are found on all his knives. He recently collaborated with Spyderco in a design called the Persian Folder — a well thought out mixture of classic Western meets the exotic East.

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The shapely Persian blade is traditionally found in fixed blade form but Ed incorporates this Eastern influence into a folding knife. Made of VG-10, the hollow-ground blade is deep-bellied, ending in an upswept tip with a curvy spot on the spine where your thumb rests. The blade’s curves flow through into the handle, which is black Micarta topped with polished steel bolsters. Not only do the curves add visual appeal, they create a finger choil and a crook in front of the index finger then end in a tail, for a myriad of grip positions. A custom designed steel pocket clip positions the knife so it carries right-handed, tip-up. Balance combined with top-notch fit and finish mark this model an Ed Schempp design and a true Spyderco.”

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This knife was a gift from JD when he came to visit at the occasion of the SICAC in 2012, five years ago.  It has been sharpen and honed by him and it came really really sharp. Once thing I have noticed is how VG10 can take a very keen edge easily. This one is no exception. His deep belly and thin edge makes it a great slicer really easy to touch up on white ceramic of on leather.

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Made in Seki Japan, the Persian is pure elegance and ergonomy. It spouses my hand gently and brings the blade right where it needs to be: in the extension of my arm. Ed Schempp’s ergos are legendary.

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Shown here with one of the last Spyderco made by Schemp: the Legend of The Fall.

Cutting is easy and even on a board you got control on your pressure. There are no hot spots on that handle and the index can rest before our after the quillon on the choil. This is a bolt constructio: there no screws but on the very exotic mounted clip. Tip up carry for this relatively heavy folder as heavy as my Zero Tolerance.

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This is a true Legend of Spyderco manufacturing, bolt in design and highly praised by users and collectors. Mince is of one of the first batch and it keeps going strong.

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The action is as smooth as the all realisation.

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Dialogue, Folders, Photos

Knife conversation part 1 — Sharpening !!

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Nemo: when you buy a knife you will be sooner or later, depending of many factors, confronted to a dull edge. Getting away from the factory edge is like leaving your parent’s home: it is uncharted territory for most of us. So should you waith for the knife to be dull or immediatly hit the stones to make it yours and why ?

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JD: When I get a new knife I check the edge to see what condition it is in. I pinch it between my fingers to see how thick it how thick the blade is just behind the edge. And just look at the edge see if the edge bevel is even. Some times you can see unevenness close to the ricasso. That will take some extra attention and work on the hone to get right. I use light to see if it reflects of the edge, if it does there is a dull spot. Then I check for a burr with my thump nail.
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If there is a burr I take a hone, usually the diamond side of the Fallkniven DC4, and remove it. Now I take a receipt of shopping, they are usually thin and consistent, and try push cutting and slicing it. If it cuts the paper cleanly and easily it is good enough to start using. If not, then I will sharpen it first. Depending on edge thickness, edge angle, and steel and what I feel like (knives are a hobby for me!) I will pic a hone and start sharpening.

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Nemo: knowing sharpening is your hobby is a knife easy to get dull a dream for you ? Or do you prefer your sharp edge to remain sharp for a long time ?
Would you enjoy D2 more than Elmax ?

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JD: a knife is for cutting and it cut better when sharp. I prefer a sharp knife! 🙂 It needs to cut what I need to cut with ease otherwise it is back to the hone it goes! I also like a knife that when it looses sharpness is easy to get sharp again. So I have no need for high wear resistant steels. But if they are thin at the edge and I like the rest of the knife it would not hold me back either.
If they are both well heat treated and kept cool in production and sharpening there after, both D2 and Elmax would work fine form me. I do not think I could tell them apart in use or sharpening. I am not much of a steel junky, though I like reading about the science of how steel works in knives. (I highly recommend the following books: (in German) Roman Landes: Messerklingen und Stahl and (in English): John D. Verhoeven: Metallurgy of Steel for Bladesmiths!) For me blade geometry and sharpness make a relevant difference. I can tell a thick knife from a thin knife and a dull one from a sharp one far better than the edge retention one steel from another.

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The biggest differences in steel that I notice are, first, how they sharpen, how easy or hard it is to remove steel, and second, how stainless they are. The last bit mostly when cutting fruit.

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Nemo: Sharpening wise: what would be the main difference between hollow ground knives and flat grind ?

JD: If they are the same thickness behind the edge the hollow ground blade wil take less effort to make the blade even thinner behind the edge, and take less effort to keep the blade thin behind the edge. Hollow ground knives can be laid flat on a hone to make and keep them thin. I have done this with a few knives. One of them a Spyderco Salt1. Now it is almost a single bevel grind (‘scandi’) and much thinner behind the edge. This has made it cut a lot better.  

The same can be done with a knife with flat bevels, it just takes more work. When you use and sharpen a knife for a while the edge gets closer to the back of the blade and gets thicker. When it gets thicker it cut worse. To make it cut well again the area behind the edge needs to be thinned out. As a hollow ground knife has less steel behind the edge it takes less work to keep it thin behind the edge.

On flat ground you often need to remove the scratches after …

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Folders, Photos, Uncategorized

Zero Tolerance 0562CF — Bright and Beautiful.

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wp-image-1933490811 My first Zero Tolerance was the 0770CF and I was really amazed by the quality of manufacturing provided by that Peter Kershaw’s brand. But I wanted something hardchore, heavier at the opposite of my C36 Military which is light and fast like the Hussein Bolt of knives. I have given a chance to the Megalodon, Real Steel flagship. But a poorly designed clip ruined my experience. So I have asked some advice on the Zero Tolerance Facebook group and I have invested in a ZT0562CF ! RIL lock, deep carry dark clip, no hot spot on the handle. The attention to detail is amazing and the ooze of quality. Designed by Rick Hinderer it has won Best American Made Knife at the Blade Show some years ago.

It’s a true flipper, the “thumb” studs cannot be used to open the blade as the detent is too strong. They are just here to be part of the lock. Their also a stop pin but it’s only used to stop the blade once closed not opened.
The first edition of the Real Steel Megalodon used to have the same system and the handle kept that “S” on the front which form two horns which can used as deterrent in case of self defense situation.wp-image-1687282944 As you can notice, it’s easy to pinch your finger between the stud and the handle when opening the blade. So really, it’s a true flipper made to be open in that way. And here the experience is wonderful. The smooth KVT ball-bearing opening system. A washer with caged ball bearings surrounds the pivot and makes opening the knife nearly frictionless. Only the detent ball brings some minor friction actually. But it’s really minimal. The knife opens every time. The balance is perfect, just behind the pivot. So the blade is alive in my hand. wp-image-133474584 What you noticed first when handling the ZT0562CF is her smooth Carbon Fibers scale and butter like action. It’s 156 grams heavy compared to my Military 120 grams (titanium clip)… You fee the heft. And that’s exactly what I wanted. The corners are chanfered and there is no hot spots even the clip is not felt in hammer grip. I love the details on the blade: the stonewashed flat side and the satine grind. wp-image-748540201 It offers alsmot the same working edge. It carries tip up and it’s not as fast to draw as the Millie even with its titanium deep carry clip. The blade is made of CPM 20CV but it was first offered in M390 and CTS204P like on the Spyderco Southard. “CPM-20CV has a high volume of vanadium carbides and a high amount of chromium. You get exceptional edge retention and outstanding corrosion resistance.” said Zero Tolerance site. In fact CPM-20CV is the twin brother of M390 and CTS204P. Different manufacturer and same super steel with at 1.9% carbon, 20.0% chromium, 1.0% molybdenum, 4.0% vanadium, 0.3% silicon, 0.6% tungsten, and 0.3% manganese. The heat treating and the grind will make the difference. But as a Powder Metallurgy (PM) tool steel, you should get a combination of impressive wear resistance and edge retention plus the added benefit of being highly corrosion resistant due to its high level of chromium. wp-image-36373330 You can notice the different surface works on that picture. But as far as the blade was beautiful I felt the edge was thick compared to what I’m used too.

And unfortunatly the ZT did not pass my Plastic Bottle Butt’s test ! It was blocked and even a saw motion did not change anything. The blade was stuck before to reach the thicker part. So I had to summon: the diamonds, the sandpaper and the ceramics and put on thinner edge on that beast of a knife.

wp-image-170153826 I have started with the diamonds of the Fallkniven DC4. It was not easy as I felt the thumb studs was going in the way. eventually I was able to de-shoulder the edge and even to scratch the blade. That “Hinderer flat-ground “slicer” grind” that should provide both slicing efficiency and a tough point was not easy to get at first. wp-image-908967677 Against the scratches I has used a P1000 Sandpaper and they were erased. No big deal. They have disappeared just but doing an 90° motion. I have treated all the blade for good measure. wp-image-737758906 Then came the work on the brown stone, the brown ceramic and the white ceramic. My edge was slowly going convexed. My favorite one for stropping. Soon CPM-20CV was back to razor. I was amazed by the way the steel react under the ceramic. It was much easier than I thought. I had the same excellent experience with my Southard.

Then came the leather work with some polish white paste and I was able to achieve a nice mirror finish. At all it took me one hour for thinning and polishing the edge to my own taste. wp-image-1937876634 wp-image-1775073832 True convex razor as the hairs were jumping on the blade.

It was time to test it on the Coke bottle butt again:

And this time it was a success ! The blade pushcuts steadily through the thick transparent plastic. And then on tomatoes skin which can be tricky with a polish edge.

Some mozarella slices… with its open construction it was a breeze to clean under the tap.

And eventually all the ingredients wre turned into a salad for lunch. Conclusion: the ZT0562CF is now in my pocket to be tested on a longer run but it already got such great qualities to make it a keeper: unearthy smooth operation, great ergos, best high tech materials and top notch steel. The thumb stud does not get in the way while cutting and the point is strong enough to feel confident about its resilience. The innovative deep carry clip makes it easy to disappear in the pocket. It’s the perfect adequation between hard working and gentleman folder. Now you can also check the Falcon here which is a true jewel in that flipping matter.

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Folders, Photos

Endura HAP40 blade and Pakkawood handle, sanded to my taste.

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The tools of the trade. Leather belts, sandpaper sheaths and coffee.
As usual I cannot let ma knife as provided by the factory and Pakkawood being a synthetic ersatz of wood, I wanted to see how it reacted under the sandpaper.

P500 Metal sandpaper is used just to round the facets into rounds. The Pakkawood is soft and it’s done without any kind of discoloration. It reacts a lot like Micarata. No smell.
Anyway I was holding my breath. Those dusts are unhealthy.

“If you have a buffing wheel, try polishing the wood handle – it buffs up beautifully with a XAM or green rouge compound.” said to me Howard Korn.

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Then I take the chance to sand the edge of the liners. It always great to feel an handle with not sharp edge. I have done also the same with the hole. I don’t want to chanfered it like on the AFCK but less edge makes my thumb safer. Remember, I was bite by the Tatanka hole once.

I have sand the spine to smooth it and then used some polish on leather to remove the sharpening scratches.
Eventually I have turn the Endura into a great razor which has be baptised with my blood for good measure. (I happen during the stropping…)

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Dialogue, Folders, Photos

Spyderco C10WDP Endura 4 HAP40/SUS410 Satin Plain Blade, Mahogany Pakkawood Handles KnifeCenter Exclusive — Wooden Wonder Perfection !

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We all know how knives get personnal items and how many times we touch them and use them. Synthetic material got their practical side but natural materials provide some spirit to a folder. It gives nobility, it gets some gentle patina over the years and it makes your personal knife much more personal and more precious. Pakkawood is synthetic but it gives than kind of feel, add a steel spacer and steel liners and you got a bank vault workhorse of the 4th generation !!
The legendary Endura and Delica has now provided as the exclusive batch at the Knifecenter and they are not only great Spyderco’s but also near perfection EDC.

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First thing to notice is: this is not your regular Endura. Like the Orange Sprint Run C10FPBORE, this C10WDP is offering one of the best blade ever made in Seki: HAP40 steel clad between SUS410. HAP40 is like CPM M4 an high speed tool steel created by particular metallurgy and made by Hitachi. In my book it means a strong edge who will not chipped even if ground thin.

Quoting Spyderco: “HAP40 is a semi stainless, powdered high speed steel (HSS) that takes and holds an edge better than any other steel available on our site. HAP40 is fine-grained enough to sharpen very well and rates 64-68 on the Rockwell Hardness Test (HRC)—even harder than the traditional carbon steels used for knives. We have specified a hardness of 65-66 HRC for our blades. Unlike other HSS steels, it can be relatively easily sharpened on normal waterstones, if not quite as easily as traditional carbon steels.

We think HAP40 holds the potential to become one of the best steels on the market for the production of high quality, high durability kitchen knives.”

Edited on the 8th of  October: Semi stainless ? With 4% of chrome ?
What I can witness is that my HAP40 does not want to develop a patina yet when CPM-M4  is staining easily.

Perharps HAP40 is not a Japanese CPM-M4 but something closer to acording to CPM® REX® 45(HS)CPM® REX® 45(HS):
CPM REX 45 is an 8% cobalt super high speed steel which has excellent hot hardness along with good wear resistance and toughness, making it suitable for difficult machining applications. Made by the Crucible Particle Metallurgy process, CPM REX 45 has good machinability and grindability characteristics.Typical ChemistryCarbon 1.30%Manganese 0.30% (0.70%)*Silicon 0.50%Chromium 4.05%Vanadium 3.05%Tungsten 6.25%Molybdenum 5.00%Cobalt 8.00%Sulfur 0.06% (0.22%)Typical ApplicationsBroaches Milling CuttersEnd Mills Extrusion PunchesForm Tools Shaper CuttersGear Hobs Taps* The addition of .20/.25 S in larger diameter rounds (e.g. 2-9/16″ and over) provides a uniform dispersion of small sulfides throughout the structure, resulting in machinability and grindability benefits with no deleterious effect on toughness.”

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It’s even better than my superblue Stretch in term of long last edge and certainly less prone to pit or stain. So, it’s much better.
So the fact that the blade is clad HAP40 is a good thing; you get toughness and flexibility where it counts  on the spine and rigidity where it counts on the cutting edge. (quoting Sickael a forumite)

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Talking about perfection in manufacturing: the blade is perfectly centered and there is zero vertical play !

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The steel spacer and skeletonized steel liners gives a very solid feel and a high quality feel. This is the same spacer as on the G10 Endura. It’s not butt heavy, the knife is well balanced. You can noticed how the adjustement between the liner and the spacer are perfectly done.

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Of course the factury edge was on the razor side of the scale. With such a special steel it could be thinned by some work on sand paper to de-shoulder it or kept this way.

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Even if the endura doesn’t have a choil, when closed the blade falls by inerty gently on the index. Making the closing safe and fast. Perfect !

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“The wood is Pakkawood which is a stabilized laminate of birch with stain, but it is the best material for knife handles. It never warps, absorbs water or changes in any way and it looks great. It also polishes up with a buffing wheel to a high gloss. They are totally made in Seki City and I love my Delica. ” Howard Korn – The Knifecenter of the Internet.
Nuff’s said. This is a labor of love. The wood is warm under the touch and provides enough traction for serious cutting job. This knife is a user, a beautiful and rare user. A classical design enhanced by the choice of materials.

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Compare to the Stretch and Millie the Endura is taking her place just in between. A little thicker than my Stretch and longer too.

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Compared to my Millie, the blade is thinner but provide almost the same working edge. The Endura has always been an impressive cutting machine confirmed by years of production and refinement.

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For a must shorter handle tha the Millie, you are pocketing a blade enough long to cut bagels in half or split a melon.

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But I have found that the jimping on the blade were a little too much aggressive and by rubbing against the pocket’s lips it could ruin your denim in a week.

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It was fixed by using some diamond file turning the 90° edge…

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into a smooth rounded one. It was done in 2 minutes. This is something I also made on my Millie, Paramillie… The hump’s jimping is always catching and wearing my pocket.

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Now I prefer Tip Down carry for Spyderdrops and it gives a reason to have this holl in the clip.

So here it is: the best Endura version with a great “Wow Factor”. Even sheeples love it. It’s not menacing, it’s all in elegance and choice in refinement. This is a stunning folder and a rare Endura giving you the chance to carry a Grandpa’ knife with the last technology.

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And now let’s start to use it. The kitchen is my battlefield as the knives are subject to their main purpose: cutting efficiently.

Let’s try this on code fish and tomatoes. The factory edge is “honest” but this steel begs for a thinner manifestation, better efficiency.

No stain and no risk for that hande, the wood is stabilized.

So let’s use some diamonds. De-shouldering the edge and creating an apex.
And then gently stropping on leather. The wine glass i not mandatory.
The day after I was sanding the scales !

Folders, Photos, Uncategorized

Starmate C55 — Blast from the Past.

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“Spyderco’s original C55 Starmate was a landmark accomplishment in knife manufacturing. “
Back in the 90’s, the Starmate was an alternative to the Millie. Same engineering, nested liners, same steel CPM440V (S60V) same blade thickness same materials… They were false twins. What I liked with the Terzuola was it “workhorse” design when the Millie was more a “fast respond” folder. The C36 was jumping in my hand with the best penetration and cutting power when the Starmate was slower and ready to put its thick blade to test.

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I was happy to have a thick blade made of that alloy as I was afraid to snap it. I used it as my main edc in rotation with M2 AFCK, ATS34 Sebenza. 
And soon “CPM” like we used to call that steel shows us how different it was: it was keeping it working edge for a very long time. The razor edge was lost fast but then it kept cuttin cutting and cutting. This was new at the time. CPM420V (S90V) was not easily found and it was only in 1999 that I got the chance to test a Darrel Ralph design of S90V.
The only way to get back to sharp was Fred Perrin’s backstand…

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S60V gie us the feeling it was a really new animal. The way it wears was different from all the ATS34, 1095, XC75, D2 or M2HSS we used back then. And it was great. You coud go to a trip and forget your sharpener. Your Starmate will be able to cut for the next two weeks.

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Twenty years later you can see on the left the Starmate and the AFCK on the right: titanium liners do wear much more. Because “Bob Terzuola design is his improved Walker LinerLock mechanism, which features a concave ramp on the blade’s lock face. This lock geometry, pioneered by Terzuola in his custom knives, provides greater strength and security than conventional flat lock ramps and is proudly featured in the Starmate.”

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Twenty years between those two great knives.

And 26 with the M2 CPM15V.

The Starmate is a reflection of Spyderco rich collaborative history with one of knifemaking’s most talented and innovative craftsmen.
I should see Bob T. in two weeks for the some Paris knives show. The occasion to make some pictures.

Folders, Photos, Uncategorized

MILITARY C36PIN PART IV: Deep Carry Clip in Titanium

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After the part III where I built a patina by worshipping various acids, here comes the part IV of improving my old classic Spyderco: installing a better clip.
My first attempt in custom deep carry titanium clip has not be good. It was for the Yojimbo2 and I’ve been mounting the original clip back.
Then I have ordered a titanium clip for Ghost my Millie.

Actually I was disappointed again, once mounted the action was not smooth anymore.
For some reason the clip was exercising some forces on the pivot and the opening and closing were stiff. Also the mate finish was not helping the insertion of the knife is the pocket.

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So I have bent the clip for it to be less strong and also I have sand it to smooth it.
It made a difference.

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Talking about differences, the titanium clip is very well designed and comes with two flat torx screws. It’s a little higher/thicker than the original one but it’s not a problem and does not change the ergonomy.

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Also by sanding the clip, I have obtained a worn look which goes well with the patina.

I have also rounded all the edge on the G10 with P1000 sandpaper to have it smooth in the pocket.

But I felt some resistance when I put the knife in my pocket and I also found that now the lip of my pocket was obliged to go through a new threshhold: the base of the clip.

You see ? There is step formed by the attached base of the clip which can be hard on my pocket, tearing a hole of my worn denim.

So I was back to sanding on P500 this time to smooth the steep and avoid wear.
And it worked !

Eventually I was able to ease the clip spring pressure and get my C36 back to smooth operation.

So it was not an issue with screws length but a slight deformation at the pivot due to too much spring tension.

So I’m happy, the C36 Military now disappears in the pocket but it also easy to “spyder-drop” it in the blink of an eye. The action is a little stiffer but some nano-oil helps it. I’m not able to have the blade closing by gravity anymore. Anyway the Millie as never as smooth as the Ed Schempp Bowie and not as easy to carry.
But now I can carry that C36 in the city with no afterthought. It’s almost invisible and the Jade Natural G-10 helps a lot in its invisibility and sheeple friendly carried tool.
Hence the name “Ghost”.

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Here how the clip looks before sanding the edge and the finish. You can see the sharp edge around the screw and also the jaws mark of my leatherman.

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Folders, Photos, Uncategorized

From M2HSS to CPM-M4 — Hightech Peasant Knives and why I love them.

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I always wanted a Old Timer feeling on a Nasa tool. Grandpa’s knife update, a workhorse with the latest tech but asking for the same care as the previous 20th century generation used to provide to their pocket knives.

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Back in the 90’s I was running after the Benchmade BM800HS AFCK and Mini AFCK BM812HS. (Yes, Sal Glesser was also involved in its design…) They were modern knives with titanium linerlocks but providing a High Speed Tool Steel a tungsten low chromium allow: M2 Speedstar.

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wp-image-1626599986The Nimravus in M2, and pictured : the mini Nimravus BM45HS.
It has been used a lot, isn’t it ?
The “M” M2 stands for molybdenum with 5% of it in the alloy and with 0.95% of carbon, 2% vanadium and 6% of Tungsten it should have been named T2.
“M2 is the “standard” and most widely used industrial HSS. It has small and evenly distributed carbides giving high wear resistance, though its decarburization sensitivity is a little bit high. After heat treatment, its hardness is the same as T1, but its bending strength can reach 4700 MPa, and its toughness and thermo-plasticity are higher than T1 by 50%. It is usually used to manufacture a variety of tools, such as drill bits, taps and reamers.”
For more info: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-speed_steel

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Cuts in the wood were very special and left some kind of patina with M2 blades: it’s soft. Could it be the fine grain of the alloy, the tungsten carbids ? You can find set of chisels and woodturning tools in M2, some of high quality made in Sheffield, UK, but their main marketing quotes is that they last 6 times more than carbon steel which means nothing IMHO unless they use very soft low carbon steel for comparaison.
As M2HSS is not used anymore my present favorite knives are often made of CPM M4.

When the AFCK M2HSS was provided, its blade was coated. But where was the fun ? Patina is a much better coating in my book. The idea was to give to a very thin pointy knife more strenght as the current production was using mainly ATS-34. IMHO they had killed two birds with one stone by upgrading the steel to a non-stainless-steel.

wp-image-258869882Bud Nealy Pesh Kabz or Travel Knife in M2 the coating has been removed and the Mantra 2.

I was very happy with the Caly 3 in Super Blue Steel (until I lost her) but it was not as good as HS steel. Very angry edge for sure but not lasting like M2 or of course the hyper CPM M4. So for good measure I have invested in a Endura with HAP40: “Spyderco C10WDP Endura 4 Folding Knife 3.8″ HAP40/SUS410 Satin Plain Blade, Mahogany Pakkawood Handles, KnifeCenter Exclusive”.  I’m not in business with Howard of the Knifecenter but back in the 90’s I had designed their Logo !
HAP40 is an Hitachi steel which looks a lot like CPM M4 but with added 8% Cobalt and it is technically exactly what a High Tech Peasant Knife should be.
More to come when I will review it next week !