In my experience, 8Cr13Mov is definitely better than 3Cr13, 5Cr15, cheap 420, etc. However, edge retention is usually worse than 12C27, 14C28N, AUS-8, Acuto 440, 9Cr18Mov, Chinese D2, etc. Of course, that's all anecdotal from my regular EDC use.
Have I turned you guys on to Outpost 76's YouTube channel? He does controlled cut testing on different knives and different steels. He has been doing it for a while, using a standard edge on a standard medium with a taped off section of blade. He sharpens down several edges to start with fresh steel and then tests subsequent edges to get repeatable results.
His results have confirmed my experiences with some of these steels. Coincidentally, I sent him some 9Cr18Mov for a recent test. Not only did it smoke a lot of the Chinese D2, it did as well as some of the production-level S35VN and M390. That might seem insane but it says a lot about composition vs heat treatment. Steels like 9Cr18Mov and 14C28N are both decent in composition and well-suited to big-batch heat treatment. S35VN and M390 have more impressive compositions but they require a lot more care in their heat treatments.
Any other black Friday deals out there?
I’ve carried one or two for a couple of years now and even the 8CR model holds a decent edge.
I just bought a bunch more for gifts.
Has anyone bought TwoSun knifes from Aliexpress “twosunt cuttlery” store?
I made two orders and tracking shows nothing after a month on both… (post NL)
I feel that way about a lot of Kershaw’s Chinese-made Kershaws in 8Cr13Mov. The Atmos and Fraxion are prime examples.
As we’ve seen, 14C28N is just a terrific budget steel. While it was originally made for Kershaw, now we are seeing Chinese companies like Ruike using it at Kershaw’s 8Cr13Mov prices.
With a proper heat treatment, 9Cr18Mov can be good too. I don’t know who Kershaw uses for their Chinese manufacturing but I have a hard time believing that they couldn’t get a better entry-level steel. Then again, they still make overpriced knives in 4Cr14 and 3Cr13. :confounded:
BTW, have you seen WE’s new bottom-tier brand, Sencut? They’ve got a new knife in 9Cr18Mov for $32.
Can anyone comment on the 9Cr18MoV used in the Civivi line (eyeing off the ORTIS model for a bit of a pocket thrasher). They’re rating it at 57-59 HRC.
It’s a good budget steel and Civivi does amazing things with it. I shared this 9Cr18Mov showdown a few posts back. Spoilers: The sample from Real Steel did better than a lot of Chinese D2. The samples from Civivi ranked right up there with some of the production M390 and S35VN coming out of China.
Anyone know of a way to tighten up side play in a Boker Kalashnikov. Tried tightening up the screw till the knife wouldn’t deploy but even then it still had the same amount of side play, so backed off till it just would deploy. Seemed no amount of screw adjustment changed anything in the blade side play. Can shims be added…?
Or is this just the way these cheap autos are…? To bad, as its a light easy to carry edc that deploys with authority. Got the Boker Strike Plus and it has no side play, none, but feels much heavier…?
Could it be because I got the left handed Kalashnikov…? I’m ambidextrous so got the Strike in right hand and Kalashnikov in left handed for $34 at Grindworx. Would that make a difference in side play…?
Guess even with the .015” side play still like the knife, especially for the budget price. It feels good in the hand.
Do you have some recommendations about knives with that quite rare set of characteristics (and yes, i think there are not so many ones like this) :
- (required) Knife being openable with a flipper mechanizm
- (required) Lock system being either axis-lock, button-lock, … but neither liner-lock nor frame-lock
- (required) Knife to still be easily internationaly orderable
- (would be nice) No thumb stud
(would be nice) Not too expensive
There is really not a lot of models with these characteristics (obviously because the flipper / axis-lock combination is maybe a bit “contradictory”, with the lock system reducing the effectiveness of the flipper opening) :
Other than that, a few models have been produced, but rather difficult to find nowadays (like a few Benchmade models, for example the “Benchmade Axis Flipper”, sadly discontinuied as far as i know Amazon.com).
Was about to write that. Btw OP, the Mordax is sold by drop.com
There is also the Protech Malibu which has gotten great reviews, but doesn’t seem to be in stock anywhere atm.