I was going thru my custom knives the other day > 100 . Most were made by Texas knife makers. they have all been used at one time or another

And what i realized - My High carbon steel Damascus knives or just plain High Carbon Knives have a few pros & cons

1) Don't really get used that much
2) upkeep for field use is a Must - clean & oil Every Time - forget one time or stay in field without proper oil and clean - they get trashed
3) should not store them in a leather sheath for long period of time they get trashed
4)they don't really seem to keep a edge any better than D2 tool steel especially using them on pigs as in in more than one at a time( we had a trap and 5 or more pigs was common)
5) As chief Dan George said they are for looking at - At least for me now anyway - we have been on a West Texas lease for last 7 years the red / iron oxide dirt plays hell with Guns/Knives etc. i just quit using them up there.

Stainless Damascus/ Dama Steel (from Sweden) : https://shop.damasteel.com/shop/category/12/damascus-patterned-steel

I have 2 DamaSteel knives made by 2 different makers on THF - both made from Billets of DamaSteel from Sweden

Cons:

1) more expensive than regular Damascus
2) more labor intensive for the Knife Maker tempering & etching are different than regular Carbon Damascus

Pro:

1)They are just as beautiful as regular Carbon Damascus
2) No problem with corrosion / Storage etc just wipe the blade down when your done Water/soap/oil it doesn't seem to matter
3) They hold a edge for a very long time


this is one of the billets i picked out - hakkapella


my everyday ; beat em up knives ;

1) various and made with different steels / higher chromium content on some of them
2) they all work well - if not i don't keep them very long they get re gifted
3) i have some just plain D2 tool steel knives that are awesome

edge geometry:

seems most knives have form +/-25 degree to +/-40 degree bevel

they work fine but one edge i really like for being sharp and lasting a long time

one of the Texas Knife makers his specialty is a 12 degree asymmetrical edge - you only sharpen it on one side ( too bad the maker is somewhat out spoke and can be a Ahole at times or he would probably have a wider following .


All this is just my opinion nothing more .

hetman(aka Steve)

Wants for next blade:

Titanium Damascus fixed blade http://timascus.com/

Has any of our Knife Maker made one yet ? Pros & con

1) major con is one billet for a fixed blade may be >$450



this is just one of many patterns




This pattern is called Texas Wind

M390 steel has been my every day carry for three years now. It is as hard as woodpecker lips, and rust free. It is the steel I want all my future knives to be made out of.

What is M390 Steel?
M390 steel is termed as an ultra-premium or super stainless steel produced by Bohle-Uddeholm ( an arrangement of Udderholm, a Sweden-based company, and Bohler, an Austria-based firm). It is a kind of martensitic steel that consists of a high amount of chromium and vanadium. It is made utilizing the latest generation PM (Powder Metallurgy) technology to make sure additional resistance to rust, wear corrosion, and deterioration.

According to Bohler, M390 stainless steel is micro-clean as it has an ultra-fine structure of grain size and can have a mirror-like finish to provide an amazing and cool appearance. Technically speaking, M390 is tool steel, and like other types of super steels out there, it was particularly intended for hard application amidst the threat of tear and wear.

One reason it was created is to ensure high opposition to shocks and vibration, giving good reason for widely used in producing industrial tools like barrels, screws, and injection molding.

This is super stainless steel as it has 13 percent chromium. Other essential elements included in this steel are as follows:

Carbon 1.9%: For enhanced hardness as well as a higher capability to keep rust and wear at bay than anticipated.
Chromium 20%: For improved hardness, edge retention, tensile strength, toughness as well as resistance to wear and rust.
Vanadium 4%: For toughness, hardness as well as boosted resistance to shock loading.
Molybdenum 1%: For better strength as well as improved machinability.
Tungsten 6%: For better toughness and amazing strength.
Silicon 0.7%: For enhanced strength
Manganese 0.3%: For better tensile strength, hardenability, forgeability as well as resistance to wear.
Benefits of M390 Steel
There are a lot of benefits offered by M390 steel. This is also termed as the super stainless steel available on the market today. Some of the benefits provided by this steel are as follows.

Susceptible to Rust and Deterioration
One amazing benefit of this material is that it is not susceptible to deterioration and rust. The combination of some elements like Chromium, MO, and Manganese makes this knife both extremely resistant to rust and enhances hardening during the process of heat treatment. M390 corrosion resistance feature makes it simple to care for steel. Not like other steel, you don’t have to oil it or care for it any particular way to avoid rust and deterioration. Just wipe it using a clean cloth and let it dry, and it will last for many years of use.

Unique Metallurgical Structure
This metal has chromium and vanadium, and as chromium is lower, the vanadium carbide can add more to its wear resistance feature. The toughness and grindability enable the knife to be honed with ease at a low amount without worrying about harm and damage. With the addition of Manganese, its corrosion resistance feature was further improved, and the final solution provided enhanced hardness during the treating phase.

Capability to Sharpen With Ease
It was formulated and developed with the input of knife manufacturers and companies and the heat treaters and steelworkers, which would influence the steel. It was particularly made to provide the most excellent compromise possible. The outcome was wear-resistant which can retain machinibility. This results in M390 having a good grindability; thus, it can be honed and sharpened with less tool wear as well as expense.

Amazing Capability to Hold Its Edge
Various testing has revealed that M390 has a remarkable capability to hold its edge for a long time in relation to other correspondingly made knife steels. This steel scores below the same formulation of steel; it does so just in the marginal way, with less than ten percent differences. This holds an edge very well because it is defiant to warping and chipping.

Fantastic Toughness
M390 steel is tough. The defiant to cracking, chipping, and breaking under pressure is higher than many other types of steel available on the market with a similar level of hardness. Some may argue that this steel isn’t the toughest, while true; it can’t be denied that it is hard enough for all forms of outdoor knives and blades.

Extreme Resistant to Weakening: This super stainless steel exhibits high resistance to weakening under stress or impact. This is due to the high amount of chromium in the steel.

For kitchen, I can go either way. I use both daily and the high carbon takes an edge better/easier. Only downside is that I have to wash and then promptly dry to prevent rust.

On steak and other serrated blades, I go with stainless from the store. Too much trouble to make them.

For hunting/skinning, high carbon every time.

Quick personal observation.

Custom Knives are cool but IMO, not for working knives.

Working knives should be good old carbon steel kept SHARP and oiled.

For game maintenance, replaceable blade knives are hard to beat and make great gifts to leave with a guide.

Those fancy custom Damascus are cool to look at and fondle, oil, etc.

IMO

How's that Damasteel I made for you working out bro? Nice to get feed back, especially from new steel. It was at time.

They worked out Awesome!

they have none of the negatives of corrosion of carbon steel
they are beautiful just like regular Damascus
they even appear to hold a edge better than the carbon
they are my favorite hunting/EDC/ show off knife

Job well done !!!!!!!!!!!!


ok you ready to try something new?

Titanium Damascus http://timascus.com/

Any pros & cons on Titanium Damascus?

That finish is not going to stay on a blade, mostly used for folder scales. That's a lot of money for a handle bro. It's purdy!

I sure wouldn't want to do this on a finished blade. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JAqrnbCjhbU

I’m sure much like your guns, they’ll never see enough use to be an issue.

I love my custom knives. They are all different and come from 3 or 4 makers here on the forum. I couldn’t begin to tell you what the blades are right now, and the only one I’ve had tarnish I was told it would if I left it in the leather sheath. It looks cool though and doesn’t hinder performance.

All my Damascus blades with exotic scales get used just as much as the store bought Buck Or replaceable blade knives.

Why, in your opinion, is a custom/handmade knife not a good working knife?

Dang man 100 knives ? I think I have 5

Timascus is intended for fittings and handles. Not for the cutting edge. Titanium is wear resistant, but not hard enough to maintain a keen cutting edge. It is primarily used on custom high end folding knives that the price exceeds $1,000 for the knife.

Hetman send me some pics of the Damasteel knives I made for you please I forgot which ones they were.

Powdered metal technology has found its way to my woodworking chisels, and that’s some good, tough, edge holding steel. Not cheap.

Going up to Michigan in September, to visit friends and to deliver a Jank knife that Bob made at my request a couple of pre-virus years ago. Beautiful knife in a Texas scabbard. I want this Michigan Yankee (nice guy, though back in the day my ancestors shot Yankees) to have a Texas knife on his hip.

[quote


one of the Texas Knife makers his specialty is a 12 degree asymmetrical edge - you only sharpen it on one side ( too bad the maker is somewhat out spoke and can be a Ahole at times or he would probably have a wider following .



hetman(aka Steve)

[/quote]

Yep he is a pain and according to him he's the best in the world... he's no longer on here.

Wendling, I see no difference in a factory vs hand made for every day use. I use mine, kitchen knives, daily. I also have built some skinning, hunting and utility knives for use when I need them. My kitchen drawer has a bunch of them. I’ve made and given away a lot of hunting and skinning knives to young hunters, family and buddies.

I get 90% of my raw material, carbon steel blades especially, from Jantz . I can do my own blades but really can’t improve on what I can buy and I no longer have to be creative. From a strictly utility standpoint I prefer the high carbon material. I no longer use stainless of any kind. Admittedly, I kick myself when I forget to promptly dry them after washing.

What I don’t get is the feeling of accomplishment that I did when I did my own.

I expect that what these guys are alluding to is the beautiful, hand made, knives that we see here that can almost be classified as jewelry. They are a testimony to the makers skills and are works of art. But, I would be reluctant to use a $500+ knife as an every day tool.

Yep he is a pain and according to him he's the best in the world... he's no longer on here.
[/quote]
I've got a couple of his knives and they have been used and abused for 11 years and have held up beautifully. If I had to go to war again, I'd take one or both of them to the jungle or the desert. He is strongly opinionated, but he delivers a great product so the fact that he holds strong feelings on how a knife should be built does not bother me. I've known a few other knife artists that have an "edgy" personality, but I'm not looking for a wife, I'm looking for a knife.

I label myself as a user/colletor and I mainly skins hogs more than anything else.

IMHO, doing so is a good test of different makers heat treating and a steel's edge retention,
plus the makers seem to very much enjoy seeing pix/vids of their creations being used for the purpose for which they were created.

Consequently I usually ruin the collector value of most of my knives. LOL





A2 steel is my favorite, and I typically have the maker do an 'etched finish......



as it dulls the patina that develops after good use.





I have also recently been impressed with CPM M4







ya!

GWB