Mr Collins, I own a number of your knives in Abe-l and have owned a number of knives in “super steels”, as you have demonstrated, on a number of occasions now, in real world, simpler steels just seem superior for daily and harder use. The high alloy steels only seem to be superior on paper and lab tests. For ultimate abrasive wear 10v type steels seem to rule the roost, however edge stability and ease of sharpening are out the window! I appreciate all you have shared and contributed to knife users, through your designs and testing. A sincere thank you, Steve
I have no idea why AEB L is run at 57-59 hrc on so many knives. Complete waste of AEB-L. I haven't messed with it yet (I just piddle around with making my own knives for feral hog hunting... skinning and such). I like my 10V, but I'd think a substantially thinner edge on AEB L will be similar and easier to touch up. I'm hoping an alcohol and dry ice bath after plate quench will be good enough to get good hardness from AEB L without losing too much toughness... compared to having liquid nitrogen (I don't have that).
I can't imagine there being anything much to top the formula that you are using on your AEBL. It does everything I need and does it perfectly. I guess if there was a steel that never needed sharpening, was break-proof and was impervious to all elements then maybe I would be interested but I don't believe that will ever exist lol. I couldn't be happier with the formula you are using. Your blades have consistently performed and do so flawlessly for me over the long term. If anyone has been on the fence about trying a WC blade, do it and you will never regret it.
I love how you are always trying to improve your product rather than just sell what you like. It means your products are always the best. Get well my friend.
I am not sure where you are getting your info from. At 10:35 (and 13:20) you said that the claim to fame (about Magnacut) is that it is tougher than AEBL. That is just patently false. AEBL is WAY WAY tougher than Magnacut. Magnacut at 60.5HRC is about 18ft lbs. AEBL at the same hardness is 40ft lbs. However, a rope cut test is more about wear resistance, and Magnacut is considerably more abrasive resistant than AEBL, being closer to CPM 4V or Vanadis 4E. AEBL at 61HRC will cut about 360 cards in the CATRA edge retention tests. Magancut at the same hardness will cut about 510. Something is way off in your Magnacut heat treatment, geometry, sharpening, something. I don't know what your HT protocol is for Magnacut, but make sure your austenitizing temp is ~2050°F with a 20 minute soak, plate quenched, directly into cryo, and then triple temper, 2 hours each at 300°F for ~63HRC. If you are not using cryo, and if you are using the upper temper temperatures (secondary hardening), you won't get the performance that Magnacut offers. AEBL is a great steel. But it in no way should out cut Magnacut in a rope test. Just by chemical composition alone (in other words, a relative lack of carbides compared to Magnacut). In another way, AEBL only has ~6% chromium carbide. Magnacut has 4% vanadium carbide plus 2% niobium carbide, both of which are much harder than even the K2 chromium carbide. And if corrosion resistance is a factor to be considered, Magancut is almost as corrosion resistant as LC200N, H1, Vanax. Magnacut is super expensive, especially compared to AEBL. A 12" bar of 0.093" x 1.5" is about $70. AEBL is pennies in comparison. That is for sure.
Appreciate your information. Many have commented the same info and there have been at least two follow up videos to this. I do use cryo and have a Rockwell tester in my shop as recommended by Crucible. Magnacut is a good steel, check out the follow up videos and comparison edge test. And yes I had some bad info. AEB-L is a very tough steel.
@@wcknives What Stuart left out is the fact that when Magnacut is heated to RC 65, it has comparable toughness to AEB-L. Dr. Thomas said this himself on Knife Nerds.
@@wcknives Don't get me wrong, I got nothing against AEB-L, in fact I don't own any knives in that steel so I have no experience with it. With that said, I wanted to correct people acting like Magnacut was some gimmick overhyped steel undeserving of it's high praise. It is a fantastic steel that checks every box rather well. It is one of the few steels that can do it all, and for that purpose is what makes it special. When people finally work out how to get the most out of it heat treat wise, it's going to be a top tier steel. Sadly it's so new, people are still trying to work that part out.
@@bluegrasssurvival9423 I have several follow up videos on this steel as I have gotten to know it better. It is a great steel and lab results prove that. In day to day use compared to my AEB-L, can’t speak for other makers, it is hard for me to see a noticeable difference. Is it worth the money???? I think each customer will have to make that decision. That is what I am saying in my test comparisons. I use a couple Magnacut knives on a day to day basis with a RC of 64 and I also use AEB-L with a RC of 63 and I am happy with either one. Neither seams to out perform the other in daily use. JMHO! But as I said each customer has to make the decision if the extra money is worth it. My profit margins stay the same, as a maker so it doesn’t mater which steel the customer chooses but I feel it is my obligation to the customer to share my thoughts and findings.
@@wcknives yes, I jumped the gun a bit, but that was one of the design principles, the other elements in the alloy allows for high corrosion resistance due to non chromium carbides being formed, allowing the chromium to prevent oxidation. Well obviously the chromium oxidises as it’s a super oxidiser, the other think about the powder steel is you theoretically get a better distribution of alloys, meaning less chance of pockets or voids in the steel. Still loving the 01 wcsk you made me.
William, was hoping you would do test run on Magnacut. Similar to what other people have said it's a great steel, just not sure if the squeeze is worth the juice. If take a well made (great heat treat) carbon steel every day. I've got several knives from my grandfather and great-grandfather that will perform just as well as any modern steel. AS LONG AS I TAKE CARE OF THEM. still loving the slick by the way.
The carbon steels are great and very capable. Be a very expensive test run without doing some comparisons. I don’t jump to new steels quickly without lots of testing.
I do not give out heat treat formulas because each piece of equipment is different and climate is different. I have three different kilns and each one have different soak times and temps for the same steel type. Every supplier has a basic heat treat formula for steel as a starting point. That is a good place to start and adjust as needed for your equipment and climate. I recommend getting a good Rockwell tester to find your optimum formula.
@@wcknives Just watched it. I tend to agree that Magnacut has been wildly overrated by the knife industry for its performance. At an optimal heat treat it will have marginally better edge retention than AEB-L. Is that worth the cost? Not to me, as I tend to prefer tool steels like Cruwear and M4. That said, I do think Magnacut makes a good option for an upgrade over LC200N in salty/highly corrosive environments, as it is virtually stainproof.
Magnacut was preforming amazing at 60 to 62. They only moved it up because people wanted it higher which may give it a slightly higher blade retention but it loses toughness. Pete did a rope cut test on the 60-62 version Magnacut Hogue Deka and it got 800 cuts with the factory then 1200 with his resharpened blade. If it already averages at around 1000 rope cuts at 60-62 then why push it to 62-64? That already has a unbelievable retention so with the lower heat treating no need to take the risk of losing toughness. I don't jump to the newest steels either but MagnaCut is something special.
@Arrowhead Guys I have knives in almost all of the so called super steels and for me personally MagnaCut has been the best steel I've used. If I could get everything in I gladly would. We all have different experiences and opinions though I understand.
Appreciate the suggestion but very happy with AEB-L’s cost, ability to take and hold an edge but more so with its ease in resharpening. The only reason I was trying Magnacut is because of the publicity it was getting but in truth head to head most steels compared to properly heat treated AEB-L is not worth the money IMHO so I think I will stay with the steels that I know and not chase the newest unicorn. 😂😂😂
This is what Dr. Thomas said about Magnacut's toughness versus AEB-L. "And the steel did significantly better than the common powder metallurgy stainless steels such as 20CV, M390, S30V, S35VN, CPM-154, S90V, etc. It is not as tough as a steel like AEB-L at 61 Rc because AEB-L has less carbide and therefore higher toughness and less wear resistance. However, somewhat surprisingly, MagnaCut matches the toughness of AEB-L at high hardness. At maximum hardness (~65 Rc), MagnaCut matches the toughness of the best PM stainless steels when they are at only 60-61 Rc, like S35VN and Vanax. And significantly better toughness than steels like M390 and S30V at their typical hardness levels."
Go ahead and buy you a small strip of Cpm-10V or Cpm-REX121 and then if you follow protocol for heat treating them and get em hard enough then you will have found a great all arounder in 10V with incredible edge holding "better than anyting you've tested" and then withthe rex121 you will not find another steel that can possibly hold an edge longer period.... Also 14c28n is an improved Aeb-L so you may just like that one if you love Aeb-L so much...
@@wcknives indeed indeed, what it really boils down to is the intended use of the knife as really any decent steel can be heat treated in a way to gain extra strength or edge retention... I find it funny that everyone wrote off traditional ol 440C when in reality if done right it can be an amazing blade steel- example I have a discontinued "Benchmade Feint" large fixed blade chopper in 440C and I was just goofing around testing it out when I first got it by chopping away at a hardwood pallet and I ended up missing my intended point of impact and hitting a nail instead with a very hearty swing behind it thought for sure the knife was ruined and either would have a huge chip or roll in the edge requiring a great deal of steel to be removed in order to repair it well I looked closely at the blade and I literally saw zero damage at all then I was blown away when I looked down and saw that I'd clipped the side of that nail head clean off and the knife still sliced paper cleanly afterwards! Granted it left a mark where it had removed a bit of the blade coating but it did nothing to the factory edge! I've used and abused that knife quite alot since and believe it or not she's still wearing the factory edge lol all I've done is stropping and nothing more to it....
@@kevinAuman1 yep, all knife steels will perform well with proper heat treat and edge geometry. Some may do better in lab test but in most cases it is difficult to tell a major difference in day to day use other than tool steel Vs stainless in patina or corrosion. Use what works for you and fits your budget.
10v and Rex121?!? Can you imagine the frustration and cost increase in producing such knives for poor old WC if he did that? It'd be through the roof! Haha. I mean, do you hate the man? Lol. Talk about wrecking some belts trying to grind in a Rex121 knife! Yikes! As for 14c28n being an improved AEB-L, I'd like to try some but hear that it's not really any better and likely worse as it has a reputation for having lots of retained austenite which obviously is typically not desireable in a knife. AEB-L fares better there I'm sure.
"How tough do you need a knife...?" I don't know man... People expect them to cut through steel, bone and rock and be untouched all while remaining hair popping sharp. People expect way to damn much of knives these days... People are forgetting the purpose/use of knives.
Depends on the application. Unless all you're going to do is slice soft media, there has to be some balance between wear resistance, geometry and toughness. Batoning kindling is not an unreasonable task for a mid-size field knife. If that knife has decent cutting geometry and you hit a knot with steel that has poor toughness, it's probably going to damage the edge. Knives cut primarily on geometry. Within reason, tougher steel can allow for better cutting geometry and still maintain a broader set of tasks for a single knife.
MagnaCut has NEVER been claimed to be tougher than AEB-L. MagnaCut is around the same toughness as CruWear, CPM 4V, & Vanadis 4E. None of which are tougher than AEB-L. However, in comparison to AEB-L, MagnaCut does have superior edge retention and corrosion resistance. MagnaCut is one of those steels where HRC is VERY important when observing it’s performance. Not only is the HRC number important but, the actual method of getting to that HRC is substantial. MagnaCut can flex into different roles due to having well balanced properties and it’s effective range is 60-65 HRC. According to lab results provided by Larrin Thomas (creator of MagnaCut), AEB-L is rated quite a bit higher in terms of toughness. As for CPM 3V, I believe 3V and AEB-L are similar in toughness. Ultimately, AEB-L is a smidge tougher, more corrosion resistant, and easier to sharpen. 3V has the advantage in edge retention. That said, I’d love to see you compare Delta 3V and AEB-L.
Thanks for your review, AEB-L wins again. Mold allergies wrecked me when I was in Cedar Park, N. Austin. My Dr. said leave the area for a while. So I went to Cancun. Dr.'s orders. lol p.s. have you tried the Nette' pot. It's a way to douche your nose.
LOL, yes do the sinus rinse couple times a day. It does help. Lived around Austin for five years. The cedar bloom there is horrible. Had to get a steroid shot every year because of allergies.
I think you underestimate yourself! You're definitely the nicest guy in the business. I think the William Teddy Bear would sell out in less than 24 hours. 😄
Funny thing is just few days ago i was watching some knife video about magna cut, and wondered your opinion on it. Since the video was more sales pitch just hyping the steel, but you seem to have knowledge, and more real opinions.
It's so funny to see people are able to show their own steel is the best. Magnacut has several times better edge retention than AEB-L. Less than 100 cuts on that rope is nothing. 500+ on magnacut is typical.
LOL, perhaps this follow up video will ease you concerns a bit. Perhaps you should try my AEB-L. There is a difference in how steels are heat treated. ua-cam.com/video/ttfDxuTaTt4/v-deo.html
Hey dip em in candle wax with a little cotton on the end...never know.😂 That guy from the Cedric and Ada channel, Pete, in Australia coulda made a mint by now he's cut up so much rope. Got a buddy with an African Gray parrot who very consistently produces pounds of viable tinder materials for him😂
excuse me Sir, I do not understand your conclusion, because AEB-L is officially way tougher than Magnacut, and Magnacut has officially way better edge retention than AEB-L, and well the test you made I see not much performance of ether both knives because you didn't measure the sharpness and didn't wear the edge off of none of both knives, also the paper test is not a great test because most cheap knives that are almost sharp cut through this type of paper, well maybe you can do a other test explain me why you think than the official numbers aren't correct .. maybe you can do an other test or tell my your thoughts now after a year how the knives performed with time, well thank you anyway if you want to answer some of my questions .. god bless dear friend
Appreciate your view and comment. This test was intended to be day to day use not lab results. That has been done already. AEB-L is tougher that is correct. I was using incorrect information when I made this early video and as comments prior to yours has addressed. I did a follow up video, shockingly I have made more than one video on this. I like Magnacut, is it worth the additional cost of properly heat treated AEB-L that is a customer’s choice. Here is another day use test not a lab test. ua-cam.com/video/ttfDxuTaTt4/v-deo.htmlsi=rOae9QDGsD0n7bE9
@@wcknives ok thank you, I checked out the link to your other video, the testing was a lot better executed, what I mean by that the cutting test was a lot more conclusive to my eyes, like in comparison I like to see some more convincing testing like this one, hmm I appreciate though that you responded very quick, and your honesty .. you know in our time there is a lot of junk on the internet, but you proved by your attitude in response, to be good person, I thank you for that, ok dear friend be safe under god
LOL, I think you need to watch the video again. I said they claim. Are you a metallurgist or just regurgitation what a guy in a lab coat said in a video? Everything is speculative and dependent on many circumstances so who knows who is right so how can you be so sure anything is truly a FALSE statements. Go with the steel you want to pay for and stop making claims anyone is false.
I'm sorry, and I am trying to be polite here, but you guys are fan gurling the hell out of AEB-L. The math doesn't add up. If you put both steels up in a fair test with two knives of the same sharpness, blade geomentry, ect, AEB-L would not win. Also, I would bet money that AEB-L would not be as tough at a higher Rockwell like Magnacut is. MC is literally as tough as AEB-L at a higher RC, plus it has the hardness to support thinner edge geomentry. I own knives made from everything from INFI Steel from Busse to Magnacut from Chris Reeves and Demko. I'm pretty sure Chris Reeves Knives didn't switch from S35VN, to 4V, to Magnacut due to a gimmick.
i'm sorry but this cut test proves nothing. just because your ht on aebl is good (which i guess is the case), that doesn't mean your ht on magnacut is good too. to what hardness was your mc treated? have you tested the hardness after ht? aeb-l is a fine, simple & cheap steel, it can hold a sharp edge for a decent time and has very good edge stability, that's about it. magnacut is just so much more (when treated correctly), it can become almost impervious to the salts and acids we encounter on a daily basis, its toughness may not be as high as that seen on well ht'd aeb-l but it's decent enough. the edge retention...it can be amazing, pete from cedric & ada also did a rope cut test with magnacut, only his result was 1550! until it stopped slicing paper and not 80 like yours. here's the video:ua-cam.com/video/bvPdb-n3__Q/v-deo.html also from my experience based on using it on several pro-tech and hogue knives, the edge retention held up extremely well, far better than the aeb-l on my boker barlow bff. i can easily get a week to 10 days hard use out of my mc knives but i have to sharpen my aeb-l boker every second day when i use it for the same tasks. there's definitely something off with your testing, ht, whatever, 80 is laughable low for magnacut.
Mr Collins, I own a number of your knives in Abe-l and have owned a number of knives in “super steels”, as you have demonstrated, on a number of occasions now, in real world, simpler steels just seem superior for daily and harder use. The high alloy steels only seem to be superior on paper and lab tests. For ultimate abrasive wear 10v type steels seem to rule the roost, however edge stability and ease of sharpening are out the window! I appreciate all you have shared and contributed to knife users, through your designs and testing. A sincere thank you, Steve
Some people don't realize there is AEB-L and then there is WC AEB-L. The difference is staggering!!!
That’s what I hear.😁 Thanks!
Agreed! Totally!.
I have no idea why AEB L is run at 57-59 hrc on so many knives. Complete waste of AEB-L. I haven't messed with it yet (I just piddle around with making my own knives for feral hog hunting... skinning and such). I like my 10V, but I'd think a substantially thinner edge on AEB L will be similar and easier to touch up. I'm hoping an alcohol and dry ice bath after plate quench will be good enough to get good hardness from AEB L without losing too much toughness... compared to having liquid nitrogen (I don't have that).
I can't imagine there being anything much to top the formula that you are using on your AEBL. It does everything I need and does it perfectly. I guess if there was a steel that never needed sharpening, was break-proof and was impervious to all elements then maybe I would be interested but I don't believe that will ever exist lol. I couldn't be happier with the formula you are using. Your blades have consistently performed and do so flawlessly for me over the long term. If anyone has been on the fence about trying a WC blade, do it and you will never regret it.
I love how you are always trying to improve your product rather than just sell what you like. It means your products are always the best. Get well my friend.
I am not sure where you are getting your info from. At 10:35 (and 13:20) you said that the claim to fame (about Magnacut) is that it is tougher than AEBL. That is just patently false. AEBL is WAY WAY tougher than Magnacut. Magnacut at 60.5HRC is about 18ft lbs. AEBL at the same hardness is 40ft lbs. However, a rope cut test is more about wear resistance, and Magnacut is considerably more abrasive resistant than AEBL, being closer to CPM 4V or Vanadis 4E. AEBL at 61HRC will cut about 360 cards in the CATRA edge retention tests. Magancut at the same hardness will cut about 510. Something is way off in your Magnacut heat treatment, geometry, sharpening, something. I don't know what your HT protocol is for Magnacut, but make sure your austenitizing temp is ~2050°F with a 20 minute soak, plate quenched, directly into cryo, and then triple temper, 2 hours each at 300°F for ~63HRC. If you are not using cryo, and if you are using the upper temper temperatures (secondary hardening), you won't get the performance that Magnacut offers. AEBL is a great steel. But it in no way should out cut Magnacut in a rope test. Just by chemical composition alone (in other words, a relative lack of carbides compared to Magnacut). In another way, AEBL only has ~6% chromium carbide. Magnacut has 4% vanadium carbide plus 2% niobium carbide, both of which are much harder than even the K2 chromium carbide. And if corrosion resistance is a factor to be considered, Magancut is almost as corrosion resistant as LC200N, H1, Vanax. Magnacut is super expensive, especially compared to AEBL. A 12" bar of 0.093" x 1.5" is about $70. AEBL is pennies in comparison. That is for sure.
Appreciate your information. Many have commented the same info and there have been at least two follow up videos to this. I do use cryo and have a Rockwell tester in my shop as recommended by Crucible. Magnacut is a good steel, check out the follow up videos and comparison edge test. And yes I had some bad info. AEB-L is a very tough steel.
@@wcknives What Stuart left out is the fact that when Magnacut is heated to RC 65, it has comparable toughness to AEB-L. Dr. Thomas said this himself on Knife Nerds.
@@bluegrasssurvival9423 AEB-L is one of his top three steels. ua-cam.com/video/3XFTmB-OFs4/v-deo.html I agree with him.
@@wcknives Don't get me wrong, I got nothing against AEB-L, in fact I don't own any knives in that steel so I have no experience with it. With that said, I wanted to correct people acting like Magnacut was some gimmick overhyped steel undeserving of it's high praise. It is a fantastic steel that checks every box rather well. It is one of the few steels that can do it all, and for that purpose is what makes it special. When people finally work out how to get the most out of it heat treat wise, it's going to be a top tier steel. Sadly it's so new, people are still trying to work that part out.
@@bluegrasssurvival9423 I have several follow up videos on this steel as I have gotten to know it better. It is a great steel and lab results prove that. In day to day use compared to my AEB-L, can’t speak for other makers, it is hard for me to see a noticeable difference. Is it worth the money???? I think each customer will have to make that decision. That is what I am saying in my test comparisons. I use a couple Magnacut knives on a day to day basis with a RC of 64 and I also use AEB-L with a RC of 63 and I am happy with either one. Neither seams to out perform the other in daily use. JMHO! But as I said each customer has to make the decision if the extra money is worth it. My profit margins stay the same, as a maker so it doesn’t mater which steel the customer chooses but I feel it is my obligation to the customer to share my thoughts and findings.
I’m glad to see a honest review without the hype about this steel.
Nice video and thanks for such an unbiased review. Im still hoping for some neon green or bright green suretouch handles.
I have the WCSK in AEBL and is everything William says it is and is super easy to sharpen. My favorite knife!
EEEWWW! You got Covid!!!!!!! Just kiddin, Love you brother! Keep grindin n feel better.
Personally I'd take your Aeb-l over Magnacut any day. Great video 👍
The magna cut will also be more rust resistant due to having more free chromium in solution.
I mention that in the video and also talk about our corrosion test on the AEB-L.
@@wcknives yes, I jumped the gun a bit, but that was one of the design principles, the other elements in the alloy allows for high corrosion resistance due to non chromium carbides being formed, allowing the chromium to prevent oxidation. Well obviously the chromium oxidises as it’s a super oxidiser, the other think about the powder steel is you theoretically get a better distribution of alloys, meaning less chance of pockets or voids in the steel.
Still loving the 01 wcsk you made me.
@@ShelleyRaskin that’s what the lab test say. AEB-L is also very corrosion resistant per our test as well.
William, was hoping you would do test run on Magnacut. Similar to what other people have said it's a great steel, just not sure if the squeeze is worth the juice. If take a well made (great heat treat) carbon steel every day. I've got several knives from my grandfather and great-grandfather that will perform just as well as any modern steel. AS LONG AS I TAKE CARE OF THEM. still loving the slick by the way.
The carbon steels are great and very capable. Be a very expensive test run without doing some comparisons. I don’t jump to new steels quickly without lots of testing.
Looking at the Bradford guardian 3.2 in aebl . Seems like it will work for me .
Not familiar with that brand but like the AEB-L if heat treated properly.
AEB-L you have proved it too be a winner, Ty for sharing…..get better soon…
William's AEB-L is the winner not al AEB-L is created equal.
Love that knife dang William .I'm not up on my steels but iv seen nothing but good on the abel
Thanks, Wlliam.
Super steel = super marketing.
Truth.
If you are insinuating that Magnacut is a gimmick, then I will have to disagree with you.
Hi William hope you are better soon.
What is your recipe for aeb-l?
I do not give out heat treat formulas because each piece of equipment is different and climate is different. I have three different kilns and each one have different soak times and temps for the same steel type. Every supplier has a basic heat treat formula for steel as a starting point. That is a good place to start and adjust as needed for your equipment and climate. I recommend getting a good Rockwell tester to find your optimum formula.
Magnacut is supposed to be heat treated to 63-64 to get the performance out of it as advertised. ITs edge retention below that is rather lackluster.
That is what I kept hearing so I did a follow up comparison. ua-cam.com/video/ttfDxuTaTt4/v-deo.html
@@wcknives Just watched it.
I tend to agree that Magnacut has been wildly overrated by the knife industry for its performance. At an optimal heat treat it will have marginally better edge retention than AEB-L. Is that worth the cost? Not to me, as I tend to prefer tool steels like Cruwear and M4.
That said, I do think Magnacut makes a good option for an upgrade over LC200N in salty/highly corrosive environments, as it is virtually stainproof.
Magnacut was preforming amazing at 60 to 62. They only moved it up because people wanted it higher which may give it a slightly higher blade retention but it loses toughness. Pete did a rope cut test on the 60-62 version Magnacut Hogue Deka and it got 800 cuts with the factory then 1200 with his resharpened blade. If it already averages at around 1000 rope cuts at 60-62 then why push it to 62-64? That already has a unbelievable retention so with the lower heat treating no need to take the risk of losing toughness. I don't jump to the newest steels either but MagnaCut is something special.
@@BenCase88 I had 3 early knives in Magnacut at 60-62 and they were god awful.
@Arrowhead Guys I have knives in almost all of the so called super steels and for me personally MagnaCut has been the best steel I've used. If I could get everything in I gladly would. We all have different experiences and opinions though I understand.
William, have you tried to get 13c26 from sandvik instead of aeb-l? Would think it's cheaper and is a pretty pure alloy analog to it
Appreciate the suggestion but very happy with AEB-L’s cost, ability to take and hold an edge but more so with its ease in resharpening. The only reason I was trying Magnacut is because of the publicity it was getting but in truth head to head most steels compared to properly heat treated AEB-L is not worth the money IMHO so I think I will stay with the steels that I know and not chase the newest unicorn. 😂😂😂
@@wcknivesAppreciate the testing. I look forward to trying your knives out.
The guy that designed magnacut acknowledges that AEBL is tougher. Magnacut is of intermediate toughness between AEBL and s35vn.
This is what Dr. Thomas said about Magnacut's toughness versus AEB-L. "And the steel did significantly better than the common powder metallurgy stainless steels such as 20CV, M390, S30V, S35VN, CPM-154, S90V, etc. It is not as tough as a steel like AEB-L at 61 Rc because AEB-L has less carbide and therefore higher toughness and less wear resistance. However, somewhat surprisingly, MagnaCut matches the toughness of AEB-L at high hardness. At maximum hardness (~65 Rc), MagnaCut matches the toughness of the best PM stainless steels when they are at only 60-61 Rc, like S35VN and Vanax. And significantly better toughness than steels like M390 and S30V at their typical hardness levels."
BTW, what AEBL knife is that? Fieldlore?
Yes, both are Fieldlore’s.
@@wcknives Very mad I missed the fieldlore sale. :(
@@mrletternumber have these two in a sale this Friday. Look for the presale video Thursday.
@@wcknives Thanks for the heads up!
Go ahead and buy you a small strip of Cpm-10V or Cpm-REX121 and then if you follow protocol for heat treating them and get em hard enough then you will have found a great all arounder in 10V with incredible edge holding "better than anyting you've tested" and then withthe rex121 you will not find another steel that can possibly hold an edge longer period.... Also 14c28n is an improved Aeb-L so you may just like that one if you love Aeb-L so much...
There is always something better out there.
@@wcknives indeed indeed, what it really boils down to is the intended use of the knife as really any decent steel can be heat treated in a way to gain extra strength or edge retention... I find it funny that everyone wrote off traditional ol 440C when in reality if done right it can be an amazing blade steel- example I have a discontinued "Benchmade Feint" large fixed blade chopper in 440C and I was just goofing around testing it out when I first got it by chopping away at a hardwood pallet and I ended up missing my intended point of impact and hitting a nail instead with a very hearty swing behind it thought for sure the knife was ruined and either would have a huge chip or roll in the edge requiring a great deal of steel to be removed in order to repair it well I looked closely at the blade and I literally saw zero damage at all then I was blown away when I looked down and saw that I'd clipped the side of that nail head clean off and the knife still sliced paper cleanly afterwards! Granted it left a mark where it had removed a bit of the blade coating but it did nothing to the factory edge! I've used and abused that knife quite alot since and believe it or not she's still wearing the factory edge lol all I've done is stropping and nothing more to it....
@@kevinAuman1 yep, all knife steels will perform well with proper heat treat and edge geometry. Some may do better in lab test but in most cases it is difficult to tell a major difference in day to day use other than tool steel Vs stainless in patina or corrosion. Use what works for you and fits your budget.
10v and Rex121?!? Can you imagine the frustration and cost increase in producing such knives for poor old WC if he did that? It'd be through the roof! Haha. I mean, do you hate the man? Lol. Talk about wrecking some belts trying to grind in a Rex121 knife! Yikes!
As for 14c28n being an improved AEB-L, I'd like to try some but hear that it's not really any better and likely worse as it has a reputation for having lots of retained austenite which obviously is typically not desireable in a knife. AEB-L fares better there I'm sure.
@@wcknives Haha, the "love" is for not having to grind your life (and sanity!) away on a single CPM Rex 121 blade! 😂
"How tough do you need a knife...?" I don't know man... People expect them to cut through steel, bone and rock and be untouched all while remaining hair popping sharp. People expect way to damn much of knives these days... People are forgetting the purpose/use of knives.
Agree!
Depends on the application. Unless all you're going to do is slice soft media, there has to be some balance between wear resistance, geometry and toughness. Batoning kindling is not an unreasonable task for a mid-size field knife. If that knife has decent cutting geometry and you hit a knot with steel that has poor toughness, it's probably going to damage the edge.
Knives cut primarily on geometry. Within reason, tougher steel can allow for better cutting geometry and still maintain a broader set of tasks for a single knife.
MagnaCut has NEVER been claimed to be tougher than AEB-L. MagnaCut is around the same toughness as CruWear, CPM 4V, & Vanadis 4E. None of which are tougher than AEB-L. However, in comparison to AEB-L, MagnaCut does have superior edge retention and corrosion resistance. MagnaCut is one of those steels where HRC is VERY important when observing it’s performance. Not only is the HRC number important but, the actual method of getting to that HRC is substantial. MagnaCut can flex into different roles due to having well balanced properties and it’s effective range is 60-65 HRC. According to lab results provided by Larrin Thomas (creator of MagnaCut), AEB-L is rated quite a bit higher in terms of toughness. As for CPM 3V, I believe 3V and AEB-L are similar in toughness. Ultimately, AEB-L is a smidge tougher, more corrosion resistant, and easier to sharpen. 3V has the advantage in edge retention. That said, I’d love to see you compare Delta 3V and AEB-L.
Responded to your other comments in a different video. Appreciate your view and comment.
Thanks for your review, AEB-L wins again. Mold allergies wrecked me when I was in Cedar Park, N. Austin. My Dr. said leave the area for a while. So I went to Cancun. Dr.'s orders. lol p.s. have you tried the Nette' pot. It's a way to douche your nose.
LOL, yes do the sinus rinse couple times a day. It does help. Lived around Austin for five years. The cedar bloom there is horrible. Had to get a steroid shot every year because of allergies.
I want a big teddy bear with a beard and a bandana on it's head that says "Hey everybody, this is William" when you squeeze it.
LOL, you don’t want much!😁
I think you underestimate yourself! You're definitely the nicest guy in the business. I think the William Teddy Bear would sell out in less than 24 hours. 😄
@@mrletternumber 🤣🤣🤣 thanks!
I personally like cpm-m4 and k390.
Abe-l i own (not your knives) i think is not well heat treated.
Would be curious to see how they would perform in the same rope test. I tried M4 once but not the k390.
Funny thing is just few days ago i was watching some knife video about magna cut, and wondered your opinion on it. Since the video was more sales pitch just hyping the steel, but you seem to have knowledge, and more real opinions.
AEBL is very pure steel.
It's so funny to see people are able to show their own steel is the best. Magnacut has several times better edge retention than AEB-L. Less than 100 cuts on that rope is nothing. 500+ on magnacut is typical.
LOL, perhaps this follow up video will ease you concerns a bit. Perhaps you should try my AEB-L. There is a difference in how steels are heat treated. ua-cam.com/video/ttfDxuTaTt4/v-deo.html
I would be interested in watching the video where Magnacut lasted through 500 cuts though. If you can send me a link I would appreciate it.
If it ain't broke.... AEB-L hasn't failed me yet!
Put that cut rope in small plastic containers and sell on the internet. I’m sure someone would buy it. WC firestarters. lol
LOL!
Hey dip em in candle wax with a little cotton on the end...never know.😂 That guy from the Cedric and Ada channel, Pete, in Australia coulda made a mint by now he's cut up so much rope. Got a buddy with an African Gray parrot who very consistently produces pounds of viable tinder materials for him😂
Great video. Try elmax!!!
I have!
excuse me Sir, I do not understand your conclusion, because AEB-L is officially way tougher than Magnacut, and Magnacut has officially way better edge retention than AEB-L, and well the test you made I see not much performance of ether both knives because you didn't measure the sharpness and didn't wear the edge off of none of both knives, also the paper test is not a great test because most cheap knives that are almost sharp cut through this type of paper, well maybe you can do a other test explain me why you think than the official numbers aren't correct .. maybe you can do an other test or tell my your thoughts now after a year how the knives performed with time, well thank you anyway if you want to answer some of my questions .. god bless dear friend
Appreciate your view and comment. This test was intended to be day to day use not lab results. That has been done already. AEB-L is tougher that is correct. I was using incorrect information when I made this early video and as comments prior to yours has addressed. I did a follow up video, shockingly I have made more than one video on this. I like Magnacut, is it worth the additional cost of properly heat treated AEB-L that is a customer’s choice. Here is another day use test not a lab test. ua-cam.com/video/ttfDxuTaTt4/v-deo.htmlsi=rOae9QDGsD0n7bE9
@@wcknives ok thank you, I checked out the link to your other video, the testing was a lot better executed, what I mean by that the cutting test was a lot more conclusive to my eyes, like in comparison I like to see some more convincing testing like this one, hmm I appreciate though that you responded very quick, and your honesty .. you know in our time there is a lot of junk on the internet, but you proved by your attitude in response, to be good person, I thank you for that, ok dear friend be safe under god
According to the lab results MagnaCut is NOT tougher than AEBL. Check the lab results before making false statments
LOL, I think you need to watch the video again. I said they claim. Are you a metallurgist or just regurgitation what a guy in a lab coat said in a video? Everything is speculative and dependent on many circumstances so who knows who is right so how can you be so sure anything is truly a FALSE statements. Go with the steel you want to pay for and stop making claims anyone is false.
According to the lab results, when Magnacut is heated at a higher Rockwell Hardness of around 65, they are comparable.
Go away designer steal queens, magnacut was failing within 20 cuts
I'm sorry, and I am trying to be polite here, but you guys are fan gurling the hell out of AEB-L. The math doesn't add up. If you put both steels up in a fair test with two knives of the same sharpness, blade geomentry, ect, AEB-L would not win. Also, I would bet money that AEB-L would not be as tough at a higher Rockwell like Magnacut is. MC is literally as tough as AEB-L at a higher RC, plus it has the hardness to support thinner edge geomentry. I own knives made from everything from INFI Steel from Busse to Magnacut from Chris Reeves and Demko. I'm pretty sure Chris Reeves Knives didn't switch from S35VN, to 4V, to Magnacut due to a gimmick.
i'm sorry but this cut test proves nothing. just because your ht on aebl is good (which i guess is the case), that doesn't mean your ht on magnacut is good too.
to what hardness was your mc treated? have you tested the hardness after ht?
aeb-l is a fine, simple & cheap steel, it can hold a sharp edge for a decent time and has very good edge stability, that's about it.
magnacut is just so much more (when treated correctly), it can become almost impervious to the salts and acids we encounter on a daily basis, its toughness may not be as high as that seen on well ht'd aeb-l but it's decent enough.
the edge retention...it can be amazing, pete from cedric & ada also did a rope cut test with magnacut, only his result was 1550! until it stopped slicing paper and not 80 like yours.
here's the video:ua-cam.com/video/bvPdb-n3__Q/v-deo.html
also from my experience based on using it on several pro-tech and hogue knives, the edge retention held up extremely well, far better than the aeb-l on my boker barlow bff.
i can easily get a week to 10 days hard use out of my mc knives but i have to sharpen my aeb-l boker every second day when i use it for the same tasks.
there's definitely something off with your testing, ht, whatever, 80 is laughable low for magnacut.
Check out this follow up video. I have made more than one video on this. ua-cam.com/video/ttfDxuTaTt4/v-deo.html