When I get a new steel or a knife with questionable geometry, I take aluminum wire and copper wire, and I hammer my newly sharpened edges through to test edge stability and to make sure I completely removed the burr if that's in question, it's a great test, if it makes it through the thick copper wire I move on to 1/16" aluminum wire, all straight down hits, then I tilt the blade at an slight angle but still hammer straight down, that really tests edge stability, strength, and whether that specific steel is just going to chip everytime I hit a staple in cardboard or something else, every step that passes this test well I have never had problems with chipping or rolling edges, it's a quick and dirty way to test real world abuse or mishaps
I definitely love to get outside and do knife stuff, i was just outside the apartment with a waterstone and a kitchen knife sitting at a picnic table. Nice and relaxing
Erica you can still sharpen the one that you said it has no more edge , put a bevel and sharpen no problem you already have good experience all the very best like always
Facts. Come to think of it the only knives I’ve ever snapped were Leatherman’s 420HC (high toughness steel low hrc). One was literally my first knife ever and I batoned with it locked in place lol. Broke at the pivot. The other somebody else asked if I had a knife on me then proceeded to jimmy at something with it like it didn’t have flat head screwdrivers on it 🤦♂️ snapped the tip.
Looks like they all held up very well. Hope your fingers are okay. Thanks for sharing this, it really makes you think what is going on. I think some of it might be manufactures just don't want to change. Have a great day and God Bless.
Curious, why did you add a secondary bevel to the Barkie instead of leaving it full convex? I do the opposite to my bushcraft/outdoor knives. I convex V edge knives as I find convex edges hold up and feather stick much better. Also, I love just taking a few knives out and seeing what they can do, either out in the woods or just in the backyard. A one stick fire in a small biomass stove(Bushbuddy/firebox) and morning coffee is my zen way to the start the morning.
There is no good reason for running the steel soft on a bushcraft or an edc knife. All you do is sacrifice edge retention and make it a pain to sharpen. However, there is a place for running steel softer for something like a machete or large chopper where you expect powerful swings to be hitting rocks, cement, or steel. It happens all the time with that kind of work. Damage is expected and sharpening is done with an angle grinder, so cheap and replaceable is a great option. Just trying to come up with one valid reason for heat treats in the 50's. Ohhh and there is a process for "hardening" your bones including fingers, but it doesn't involve heat treating 😂
couple questions: What kind of wood is this? Do you think the type of wood of the hammering piece makes a difference? (how much shock it can absorb) Do you have any knives with Vanax? Also, it would be great to see a tip test as well.
@@CptShelby I actually said what it is! It’s maple I just cut yesterday🥰 it’s all maple. I do not have Vanax. I have used it though! I already have a tip test. It’s called “Trying To Break My Own Knife Design!” I hope you check it out! It’s under my knife testing footage playlist.
I think it costs more money and time to harden to a higher HRC. Takes away from the profits. I think that's the real reason for the lower HRC attained.
Great content. I really appreciate your honesty and no apologies conclusion. Their should be a more authoratative "stndards board" for things like hrc by steel. I know each maker can encounter or introduce variables in heat treatment, but that is true of all engineeringprocesses. They can still agree to application specific standards such as knife blades. There is a lot of money spent on these numbers and manufacturers are not even agreed on a standard. Buyer beware indeed! Thanks for your contribution to our "wild west" community of no-rules, knife selling. Jim
I’m sure it’s already been said, but companies don’t do high hardness to save money on abrasives and tooling. And then lie saying it’s for toughness to make excuses that sound legit. Most anyone who disagrees is making excuses for people/companies putting out product that isn’t nearly as good as it could be. Enjoyed the torture testing, keep up the good work!
I have to take a limited "Devil's advocate" position on this because of repeated experience with one large company's product. They have used 420 stainless for a very long time and they temper to a high hrc. They are known for it and they are also known for being brittle. I have reground a few that lost tips and have heard of complete breaks across the blade. For years they put a steep bevel on their knives to reinforce the edges. I suspect that their mass produced knives with the well known brittle issues may have contributed to the myth. Myths usually have a kernel of truth at their core. I suspect that there are some steels that can be brittle but, like many things, all knife steels got painted with a broad brush. Logic and experience tells me that all steels are obviously not the same therefore an arbitrary hrc number, as a ceiling for "strength" is pointless. Glad to see someone challenging the status quo. Given some of the steels used for knives were actually designed for some very difficult purposes in a very hard state, D2 for example started out being used for planer blades in lumber mills, it makes little sense to say "they have to be softer to be tough enough for a knife." Now that we have more steels designed for knives I think we are safe in raising the bar. I was really glad to see how well the 80CRV2 performed. Good work.
The convex grind of Bark River knives make their knives combo axes. It’s almost cheating, even for a skinner. But I am shocked at the positive results of the other knives. I would have expected chips at that HRC.
I play with knives all the time. Broke the handle on a truck brush today so I busted out my OTF knife and ferro rod and made a fire 😂 No fair using Allen's steel. That man's stuff is cheat level. Even his old school steels beat a lot of makers' super steels. Remember the fish and the 80crv2 Hunter's EDC? Now imagine what Allen's Magnacut is capable of
@@ericasedc I have had his Magnacut. Shit's nuts. I used the fuck out of it and never sharpened it but it still had a psycho edge on it the day I mailed it to the guy who bought it off me
You didnt say the wood is not abrasive thing! So clearly everything here is invalid, your shorts are infused with diamond compound and the racoon was a paid actor.
You'd only notice a benefit to toughness in extreme situations or with extremely thin geometry at which point it wouldnt be suitable for "bushcraft" anyway. That being said, wood isnt very abrasive or hard and none of this really matters anyway. We tend to obsess about things that simply dont matter. Geometry is king with most anything we'll be doing with knives. Its the same with folders, who cares about toughness when the design itself isnt suited for anything that requires it? Lets be honest, though, the main way people would be able to tell them apart is to sharpen them, which is why companies would rather make sharpening easier to give a more overall pleasant experience for their product. Like you said, sell what you want but just price accordingly. I do wonder how much the differences would shine with a zero grind like a scandi with no micro bevel or something. That would be cool to see.
" wood isnt very abrasive or hard" compared to? depends on the species, some types have higher silica content and wreck havoc on tooling. For wood carving K390 is my favorite out of the handful of steals I've tried.
@@taylorhickman84 I don’t bother even trying with the “wood isn’t abrasive” crew haha they all say the same thing and it’s sorta irrelevant here anyway. 🤣
Great video, I have one VGKC knife in the 80crv2, and was happy to see it performed well. Thanks for sharing this.
Cheers!🎉
When I get a new steel or a knife with questionable geometry, I take aluminum wire and copper wire, and I hammer my newly sharpened edges through to test edge stability and to make sure I completely removed the burr if that's in question, it's a great test, if it makes it through the thick copper wire I move on to 1/16" aluminum wire, all straight down hits, then I tilt the blade at an slight angle but still hammer straight down, that really tests edge stability, strength, and whether that specific steel is just going to chip everytime I hit a staple in cardboard or something else, every step that passes this test well I have never had problems with chipping or rolling edges, it's a quick and dirty way to test real world abuse or mishaps
@@DerekeBennett-j9q thanks so much for sharing!
I definitely love to get outside and do knife stuff, i was just outside the apartment with a waterstone and a kitchen knife sitting at a picnic table. Nice and relaxing
@@powerai LOVE hearing that!!!
Erica you can still sharpen the one that you said it has no more edge , put a bevel and sharpen no problem you already have good experience all the very best like always
@@hanikaram3351 no. It’s getting too thick at this point. Luckily I have 2 more!🤣
What I like about Erica’s videos is that her perspective comes nearly exclusively from that of a knife user rather than a collector or steel nerd.
@@nandayane thank you so much my friend🥰🥰🥰🥰
Facts. Come to think of it the only knives I’ve ever snapped were Leatherman’s 420HC (high toughness steel low hrc). One was literally my first knife ever and I batoned with it locked in place lol. Broke at the pivot. The other somebody else asked if I had a knife on me then proceeded to jimmy at something with it like it didn’t have flat head screwdrivers on it 🤦♂️ snapped the tip.
@@Passively-Prepared Exactly! Soft steel is not tough. It’s a marketing scheme and cop out🤣
THREE ERICA VIDEOS IN THREE DAYS?!? CHRISTMAS CAME EARLY!
Jokes aside, love your videos! Keep up the solid work!
@@dannycsaszar5011 I have been really trying to pump the content out for this series!!!
Looks like they all held up very well. Hope your fingers are okay. Thanks for sharing this, it really makes you think what is going on. I think some of it might be manufactures just don't want to change. Have a great day and God Bless.
Hint- it’s greed and laziness. Less time. Less belts. Less money spent on their end.
All looking good
@@kathleensmith370 they all did awesome!
What was the angle with which you profiled the edges? 20⁰? 17⁰? (If you said it in the vid and I missed it, I apologize.)
@@louzher6968 I think 17 for the BR
I want that spade and the slater looks amazing
I can highly suggest both!
Curious, why did you add a secondary bevel to the Barkie instead of leaving it full convex? I do the opposite to my bushcraft/outdoor knives. I convex V edge knives as I find convex edges hold up and feather stick much better. Also, I love just taking a few knives out and seeing what they can do, either out in the woods or just in the backyard. A one stick fire in a small biomass stove(Bushbuddy/firebox) and morning coffee is my zen way to the start the morning.
@@shamitoson for testing🥰
Sometimes in the outdoors, you run into a task that requires lateral stress. How do the harder steels hold up to that compared to 1095, O1, etc
@@SaltyMike396 better than ever
At equal hardness, the “super steels” annihilate simple carbon steel in toughness.
@@matthewf1979 LOL no. what? holy shit what? based on what do you make that insane claim
Good morning Ms E. Good to see you playing out in the yard. Enjoy your day. 🇺🇲🌲🔥🔪
@@jasonaffeldt7838 have a good one man!
Watch out for your fingers E! Haven’t they been through enough over the years?😂
Bahahaha clearly I need to break the other half of my fingers!😂
Do you know if any of your knives have had cryogenic treatments to get the most out of the HRC and toughness?
@@jaxonbeilner9258 yes some did
There is no good reason for running the steel soft on a bushcraft or an edc knife. All you do is sacrifice edge retention and make it a pain to sharpen. However, there is a place for running steel softer for something like a machete or large chopper where you expect powerful swings to be hitting rocks, cement, or steel. It happens all the time with that kind of work. Damage is expected and sharpening is done with an angle grinder, so cheap and replaceable is a great option. Just trying to come up with one valid reason for heat treats in the 50's. Ohhh and there is a process for "hardening" your bones including fingers, but it doesn't involve heat treating 😂
@@LastChanceKnives that was a good one Ken! Always appreciate you brother!!
couple questions:
What kind of wood is this?
Do you think the type of wood of the hammering piece makes a difference? (how much shock it can absorb)
Do you have any knives with Vanax?
Also, it would be great to see a tip test as well.
@@CptShelby I actually said what it is! It’s maple I just cut yesterday🥰 it’s all maple. I do not have Vanax. I have used it though! I already have a tip test. It’s called “Trying To Break My Own Knife Design!” I hope you check it out! It’s under my knife testing footage playlist.
@@ericasedc yeah, I checked back after some time not watching; will definitely look at the video you mentioned , thanks
@@CptShelby thanks so much. I appreciate you
👍good content, thanks
@@Mark--Todd I appreciate you!
I think it costs more money and time to harden to a higher HRC. Takes away from the profits. I think that's the real reason for the lower HRC attained.
Nailed it. Greed!
Take care of yer fingers. They are a bit important in many situations. Takes a long time to heal if broken
:)
I have broken most of them (bet that isn’t surprising after watching this!)😂😅
Watch your finger fave❤
@@CIGARURI I smashed my fingers so many times🤣
Great content. I really appreciate your honesty and no apologies conclusion. Their should be a more authoratative "stndards board" for things like hrc by steel. I know each maker can encounter or introduce variables in heat treatment, but that is true of all engineeringprocesses. They can still agree to application specific standards such as knife blades. There is a lot of money spent on these numbers and manufacturers are not even agreed on a standard. Buyer beware indeed! Thanks for your contribution to our "wild west" community of no-rules, knife selling.
Jim
@@soushores495 thank you so much for watching and commenting! This series has been really fun- and we still have a ways to go!!!
Great stuff hun ❤😎😊
Hey thanks Greg!!!❤
Good stuff, E!👍👍
I appreciate you D!!!
I’m sure it’s already been said, but companies don’t do high hardness to save money on abrasives and tooling. And then lie saying it’s for toughness to make excuses that sound legit.
Most anyone who disagrees is making excuses for people/companies putting out product that isn’t nearly as good as it could be.
Enjoyed the torture testing, keep up the good work!
@@nfitzsim yes I am aware haha that’s what I was hinting at!
@@ericasedc I’m a little slow on the uptake! Lol
I have to take a limited "Devil's advocate" position on this because of repeated experience with one large company's product. They have used 420 stainless for a very long time and they temper to a high hrc. They are known for it and they are also known for being brittle. I have reground a few that lost tips and have heard of complete breaks across the blade. For years they put a steep bevel on their knives to reinforce the edges. I suspect that their mass produced knives with the well known brittle issues may have contributed to the myth. Myths usually have a kernel of truth at their core. I suspect that there are some steels that can be brittle but, like many things, all knife steels got painted with a broad brush. Logic and experience tells me that all steels are obviously not the same therefore an arbitrary hrc number, as a ceiling for "strength" is pointless. Glad to see someone challenging the status quo. Given some of the steels used for knives were actually designed for some very difficult purposes in a very hard state, D2 for example started out being used for planer blades in lumber mills, it makes little sense to say "they have to be softer to be tough enough for a knife." Now that we have more steels designed for knives I think we are safe in raising the bar. I was really glad to see how well the 80CRV2 performed.
Good work.
Thanks so much for watching!
Where’s the 10V?
The 10V and 1095 are getting their own test together in a separate video☺️
Nice
@@davegoodridge8352 thanks Dave!
Your fingers are softer for toughness right?🤣
@@reedconzemius5382 YES. 🤣
The convex grind of Bark River knives make their knives combo axes. It’s almost cheating, even for a skinner. But I am shocked at the positive results of the other knives. I would have expected chips at that HRC.
Right! Very nice results
Did you ever broke a knife with your batonning adventures ? I have been bitten by a gadfly
I have chipped edges very badly but no actual breaks🎉
I play with knives all the time. Broke the handle on a truck brush today so I busted out my OTF knife and ferro rod and made a fire 😂 No fair using Allen's steel. That man's stuff is cheat level. Even his old school steels beat a lot of makers' super steels. Remember the fish and the 80crv2 Hunter's EDC? Now imagine what Allen's Magnacut is capable of
@@dualsportoutdoors I wish I had it!
@@ericasedc I have had his Magnacut. Shit's nuts. I used the fuck out of it and never sharpened it but it still had a psycho edge on it the day I mailed it to the guy who bought it off me
Are you a fan at all of Montana knife company?
Absolutely not.
How about bradford knives??
@@wyno7078 No comment about that one
@@wyno7078 The one experience I had was very poor but I cannot base my opinion off of that one knife.
@@ericasedc What are your thoughts on Bark River's heat treatment? Do you have any experience with their Cruwear?
Please be careful with your fingers 😂
They actually hurt😂
Be careful with your fingers Erica, I doubt 🧐 mosi people don't like "smashed" finger steak.😮
They all still hurt😂
Whoever reading this Erica Baton’ed your mom too hahaha
I love you
You didnt say the wood is not abrasive thing! So clearly everything here is invalid, your shorts are infused with diamond compound and the racoon was a paid actor.
Ah dang it you’re right I did forget!!!!!! I AM A FRAUD😂
You'd only notice a benefit to toughness in extreme situations or with extremely thin geometry at which point it wouldnt be suitable for "bushcraft" anyway. That being said, wood isnt very abrasive or hard and none of this really matters anyway. We tend to obsess about things that simply dont matter. Geometry is king with most anything we'll be doing with knives. Its the same with folders, who cares about toughness when the design itself isnt suited for anything that requires it? Lets be honest, though, the main way people would be able to tell them apart is to sharpen them, which is why companies would rather make sharpening easier to give a more overall pleasant experience for their product. Like you said, sell what you want but just price accordingly. I do wonder how much the differences would shine with a zero grind like a scandi with no micro bevel or something. That would be cool to see.
Thanks for watching!🎉
" wood isnt very abrasive or hard" compared to?
depends on the species, some types have higher silica content and wreck havoc on tooling. For wood carving K390 is my favorite out of the handful of steals I've tried.
@@taylorhickman84 I don’t bother even trying with the “wood isn’t abrasive” crew haha they all say the same thing and it’s sorta irrelevant here anyway. 🤣
I'm mad at you for putting a bevel on your Bark River...
@@nostalgicmusicbox muahaha
@@ericasedc Ok. My apologies. I overreacted. I'm not mad, I'm just disappeared.