Custom Survival and SHTF Blades

[DVC357]

Here's the first of three blades i recently commisioned from Brian. I'm doing the patina's and
a friend is doing the sheaths. They are all coming along well. If you dont like the shape, blame
me, as they came out exactly as i drew them.
1/4" 1095 theoretically hardened to over 63rc. 7 1/2" blade, 5 1/2" handle. I like Hard steel
and i'll see how this first pointy one holds up.
I'll chop some limbs, make a pile of shavings, and baton the hell out of it and we'll see.
After all that i actually intend this one to be attached to the molle on the back of my SHTF vest.

[kidicarus13]

Looks good, looks good!

[SuperiorDG]

Kind of looks the knife in "The Hunted"



Only nicer

[DSB OUTDOORS]

Brian?? Screen name please. Nice looking blades. What kind of steel are they?

[hatidua]

hardened to over 63rc.

[Sawin]

Very nice!

[DVC357]

1095 Steel, which can pretty easily be hardened over 62.
There is speculation on difficulty to sharpen when over 62, and
brittleness over 65. But, even the likes of Paul Bos will recommend
62rc for 1095 and D2. I'm just stepping over a tad.
I dont remember the makers screen name, but i'll find out.

[hatidua]

1095 Steel, which can pretty easily be hardened over 62.
There is speculation on difficulty to sharpen when over 62, and
brittleness over 65.

That'd be my concern. I realize it can be hardened to that level but I'm not sure I'd want to spend as long as it'd take to sharpen something that hard. I finally got fed up with the various super-steels and others that are hardened to a point of being a nuisance to sharpen compared to something hardened to 57-59 or so. If my need to sharpen was confined strictly to a workshop/garage and loads of time, that's one thing but there are times when I need to touch up an edge in the boonies and the severely hardened blades lose their allure really quickly at that point.

Good luck with it

[DVC357]

Yeah, Sharpening, is for sure a little more timely.
I've gotten pretty efficient with my sharpening tools. It's been my experience that
i can sharpen hard tool steel (estimated 60-63) almost as fast as a softer
57-60 steel. Really its just a few more passes on a medium or medium coarse stone.
Less then a minute of time. That being said, i only carry diamond stones when i'm out
trekking. Havent carried a natural stone in years. It is a truism, when im anywhere other
then my shop, i'm all about quick, and as little effort as possible.
Now, ive got an REALLY hard blade. Considered xtra hard. An S30v blade reportedly
hardened to 63-65. I've had it for ten years and i havent broken it yet. That blade
must be sharpened with a diamond stone only. It takes 20 minutes with a natural
stone. THAT blade is REAL hard, but, it stays sharp forever.

[hatidua]

Now, ive got an REALLY hard blade. Considered xtra hard. An S30v blade reportedly
hardened to 63-65. I've had it for ten years and i havent broken it yet. That blade
must be sharpened with a diamond stone only. It takes 20 minutes with a natural
stone.

I carried only S30V knives from about '97-2012. During that time I thought it was the cat's meow of steels for my purposes (larger folders used for everything imaginable). That said, I stepped 'back' to 154CM about eight months ago and if I never encounter another S30V knife, I'll be happy as can be. S30V stays usably-sharp for a long time but loses that sticky hair-splitting sharp edge fairly quickly...in my experience.