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Old 01-07-2002, 02:09 PM
JHossom
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I think they're about equal, since they are inter-related. The best steel is worthless without decent heat treating. Edge profile can make a lousy steel better and a good steel bad, though I'm not sure if you're speaking of edge or blade grind there. The blade shape makes it work or not.

The bottom line IMO is that whatever steel the knifemaker starts with, it is his responsibility to use it to best advantage. You design the knife to suit the steel's strength and weaknesses - i.e. no 440C swords or 52100 diving knives. You shape the edge to provide the best cutting and performance for a knife of the style you're making - no hair popping swords (though I've made a few. ) You ensure it gets the best possible heat treat, bringing the steel to the hardness that's best for the application and whatever balance of wear resistance and impact toughness the steel's capable of - no Rc65 swords either. And you stamp your name on the blade, taking responsibility for all of those things together.

This is really one of the issues I have with many of the "what steel is best comments" on other forums. It also reflects on forming judgements about any single quality in a knife, especially the steel, when everything else that went into the knife mitigates that quality.

If this weren't just a little bit complex, we'd all be making the same knife, from the same steel, at the same hardness, with the same edge profile...
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