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High-Performance Blades Sharing ideas for getting the most out of our steel.

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  #1  
Old 07-10-2003, 08:27 PM
Jason Cutter Jason Cutter is offline
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Thumbs up Testing RWL-34. A bit of fun...

Been testing my RWL-34 blades. I am reasonably impressed with the way it works. The hunters I made knives for late last year are reporting good edge holding and ease of sharpening. I was more concerned with edge toughness since I like my blade ground thin for good slicing. On my combat models, I am going to be using a modified Michael Price grind to beef up the tip. No matter what you tell users, someone is going to use the knife to pry at some stage.

My wife and I used my personal T-5 clipped point tactical model to help with pruning my lemon tree. I gave my wife the task of trying to break the knife with glancing and uneven chopping strokes - it hasn't happened yet. This knife is ground to 1/32inch thickness behind the edge which has a 20degree edge bevel - very thin but that didn't seem a problem.

It already passed the edge flex tests earlier on. The only photos I have were of my wife whacking some branches. The goal was to cut all the branches down to 18inch lengths so they could be bundled. We cut up 6 large bundles without sharpening the edge during the session. Also tried to break the tip - hammered 1/2inch into the tree and tried to pry it off - it flexed and returned to true, didn't break. The chopping took its toll on the original shaving sharp edge quickly but the edge was still very serviceable and still did well in the kitchen afterwards.

This is of course not an exhaustive side-by-side test but its the most abusive test on this small and thin knife so far, and I'm happy it held up. I'll keep you guys posted with developments as I go through TTD (test-to-destruction) with this knife. Thanks Jason.



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  #2  
Old 07-11-2003, 09:09 PM
KandS_KNIVES KandS_KNIVES is offline
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Thumbs up

Jason do you have a readily available supplier for the RWL-34, there in AU. If so, what is their pricing?

Ken Beatty


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  #3  
Old 07-12-2003, 03:07 AM
Jason Cutter Jason Cutter is offline
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More tests...

Haven't got the photos yet but in sequence ---

1) Dropped point first onto driveway concrete from 3 feet. The tip crumbled but less than 1/64inch off the tip. Not even a flat, just rounded.

2) Dropped point first AGAIN from 5 feet. NOTHING HAPPENED !

3) Dropped point first 2nd time from 5 feet. Again there was no more damage. The little rounded tip looked EXACTLY THE SAME.
Now have 3 x 1/2inch wide gouges in my garage driveway concrete.

4) Stabbed full force in reverse grip into wall bricks TWICE. This DID take a little more off the tip. It now has lost 1/32inch off the tip. gouged 1/8inch deep holes in the bricks

5) Got some old deer skull bone and whacking at it with the edge 15times - should AT LEAST simulate nicking bone while skinning, gutting. Checked the edge with a magnifying glass - ONE small shiny flat along the main belly curve about 1/16inch wide. NB.- THIS IS THE FIRST FLAT ON THE EDGE THROUGHOUT THE TESTING.

6) Whittled some more lemon branches till there was a 6inch high pyramid of small shavings - lovely smell. Still push cut nicely and easy to control.

7) Slashed open a soft drink can twice. If the edge is not "rippy" enough it won't bite into the aluminium to cut.

8) Cut some vegetables for my pet guinea pigs - I noticed some drag now. Passed the ripe tomato cutting test 3 out of 4. Had to saw a bit on one tomato, but it still sliced all the way through once the cut started.

Throughout the entire 3 day testing including the chopping of 6 bundles of branches the knife was never sharpened or touched up in any way. The tip is of course not pointy anymore but I was still amazed there wasn't more damage. It still shaved hair !! OF COURSE NOT !! But overall, the knife was still very servicable and it would of course work as a hunting knife or camp knife in the field. I observed safety throughout - steel cap boots, glasses on, taught my wife safe swinging technique etc. I'll point out again that this knife has only a 5inch blade, 1/8inch thick and is less than 1/32inch behind the steep 20degree edge bevel, so this is no powerhouse knife. The HT was commercially done but with cryo and triple tempering - this is readily available these days.

In other words - nothing special was done to this knife. Most beefed up "tactical" and "camp" knives would likely do even better. Again, not a side by side test, but as a stand-alone knife steel - Shheesh, it has more than met my criteria.

I am going to do some sharpening by hand tomorrow side by side with one of my O-1 bowies which also passed the same tests just as well some months ago.

My supplier in Australia is Keith and Joan Spencer of Australian Knifemaker's Supplies. Their link is on my website :-

http://www.jcbknives.com


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Last edited by Jason Cutter; 07-12-2003 at 03:17 AM.
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  #4  
Old 07-20-2003, 10:27 PM
Jason Cutter Jason Cutter is offline
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Sharpening.

Final part of this testing info.

Did some sharpening by hand to touch up all the minor damage from the testing. Used an EZELAP diamond coated hone - the one on a stick (red, fine- about 600grit). The O-1 blade was easier to sharpen, but both were very quick to touch up to a ripping sharpness, I then refined the edge with a Spyderco medium (grey) stick to shaving sharpness. A quick few strops and it was back to shaving sharp.

Overall, it takes 50% longer to sharpen than O-1. That doesn't say much I guess, as its all very quick anyhow, even done by hand. Just for the record, both RWL-34 and O-1 blades were single quenched, cryogenically treated and triple tempered. I tested the O-1 blade much earlier in the year.

Hope someone found this useful. It was fun doing the testing. Jason.


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  #5  
Old 07-21-2003, 02:45 AM
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JensJ JensJ is offline
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Hi Jason,

yep, I found it useful-haven't seen much testing of RWL 34.

I use this steel all the time (read-10 knives so far ), because a knifemaker here in Germany told me it was a good allround stainless steel, workable with hand tools, and it takes a nice finish.
I only 'test' my knives with everday cutting chores (can't make myself do a destructive test after all the hard work put into each knife), but I have come to the conclusion that it compares well to the commercial knives I have in ATS 34 and 440C...that may be nothing much, but for a beginner in knifemaking it is nice to see that the blade geometry etc. of ones own creations work.

Thanks again and keep us posted!

Jens.


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Old 07-21-2003, 02:55 AM
Jason Cutter Jason Cutter is offline
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Oh almost forgot.

The other reason I chose to test RWL-34 vs. O1 was that both blades were tested at 60HRC. Personally, I don't believe in breaking the blade (except to examine the grain) but do believe in bending tests to see how the blade puts up with lateral stress. I still profess my leaning towards carbon steels but if I had to use one stainless steel it looks like it would be RWL-34. Jason.


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