Seems as though things must must have gotten exciting while i was emergency shopping. Saw this coming

Chris, I am aghast that a forum member would stoop to bullying such a considerate, gentle, and kindly soul by using harsh vulgarity and other improper verbage.

Yet I'm surprised at your chosen punishment. It must still be bothering you deeply to have found it necessary to respond with such ferocity - in such complete contrast with your gentle nature. Bruised though you may be, rest in the comfort and knowledge that the damage is not permanent - you will survive - you will heal - this shall pass. Most certainly this is not your first "victim".

Our prayers are with you......

"Hmm. I agree there are many knives out there with better blades made of better steels. But if anyone means to imply that Victorinox blades are somehow inadequate for general utility work I'd like to hear some better clarification.

I have folders that hold an edge quite a bit longer but my Victorinox knives have been some of the sharpest blades I've ever owned."


Tom

I have a # of SAK's including the trekker and the forester, as well as some of the slip joint models. I agree that their blades are fine for general utility work, I just wouldn't hold them up as a top notch folder because the blades just are not as high quality as many of the other over-the-counter folders that can be purchsaed at moderate cost.

I've ungraded from a Vic. Alox farmer as my kit knife of choice for a folder, to the Vic One handed Trekker or Forester as the folder of choice for a kit. Convexing the blades turns them into serious cutters and the saw, IMHO, beats the hack out of a wire saw, and will overcome most of the faults of the blade steel. The can and bottle opener screwdriver combinations are high quality and will get the job done. I like the corkscrew on the Forester as it make a fine tool for tough over tight knots. Adding a mini-screw diver to the corkscrew gives a very usable screwdriver for the tiny screws in glasses, fishing reels, firearms, etc.
The toothpick and tweezers get used more often and I care to think about.

Had made his own choices and knew the consequences. Buh-bye.

I did not intend any such implication.

I don't think he was responding to you, just used the quick reply which automatically replies to the last post.

Sorry Brangdon, It was for someone else.

See, this is where I would agree and disagree with you. Yes, the steels available today are better in many ways than 'granpas' even though those knifes still get passed down from generation to generation for a reason.

There are, however, several steels that are worth less than nothing and others that are not what they used to be as manufacturers change processes or ownership and quality.

Just last night I broke a Chinese knock off of a swiss army knife. The logo on the knife was very similar to the swiss version in an obvious intent to deceive. I simply tried to cut soft wood downward and the blade broke upward and no longer locked into any position. This was a gift and I hope the purchaser paid no more than $5 for it. One of the tools it came with was a phillips screwdriver. I tried using it, but it bent and dulled quickly. Cheap ass metal(steel).

A top end steel is 154CM, but the reality is it's manufacturing has been outsourced to China in many cases and the end result is the steel is no longer top grade due to inferior hardening processes. Unless it is American made it is safer to consider it low to mid range steel. There is more to steel than it's name, there is also the manufacturing/hardening process and the name can't tell you how it was hardened.

There remain many knife suppliers charging a premium for their 154CM blades even though they are at best, 420C (not even 440 series) blades. A true rip off.

I could go on, but in my opinion when one wants a blade for a purpose there are quality choices at all price points above cheap chinese knockoffs that offer a good value, but then there are the rip offs.

Buy a knife for the steel above all else. It is the steel that allows the knife to do what you want it to.

Could you put some brand names to those claims regarding 154CM being outsourced to China? AFAIK, most knifemakers get the steel in an annealed state and do the heat treatment in house or send it out to someone like Paul Bos who have earned their reputation by doing HT.

Also, what is 420C? I've heard of 420 and I've heard of 420HC, but not 420C. 440A/B/C are well known, but a step or three up.