what Grade Steel Knife Should I get.

Im Going to be getting Two Knives.

Im looking for Cheap but Reliable.

I heard 440c Was the Strongest of the 440's.

i want two 12 inch Bowie Knives or a Serrated and a straight Ka-Bar.

help me out here!

Im trying to Build my Kit on a Budget

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Go with 1095 carbon steel Very Happy

eric

That is a loaded question Shocked

lol. All depends on what your going to be doing.
There are many types & grades of steels. 440 is used most in an average blade.
Carbon is the way to go, or a D2 type steel, very nice. Cool

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A Knifeless Man is a Lifeless Man
Canadian To The Core
We are Known By The Tracks we Leave Behind
Carry Less by Knowing More
Knowledge Weighs Nothing

thanks

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This is something you should explore further. Some of the blade guys here(Fonly, Normark) could help out here better than I can, but I will say this: Don't buy on impulse.

You need to think about what you need the knives for and then decide which knives fit those needs. Don't just say "I want the biggest, baddest knife there is". See what I mean?

I would recommend a Buck 119 Special and a KA-BAR. Smile

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Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend. - Prov. 27:17

The way the blade is ground is equally as important as the steel that it's made of. Some grinds will allow the blade to slice better or hold up better while chopping.

Some are better suited for wood cutting & some are better suited for things like hunting.

Here are some examples of blade shapes for you to consider:

1: Hollow Ground- can be made very sharp , but may not be the best for stuff like chopping. Good for a hunting knife though.
2: Flat ground- Great for woodworking.VERY easy to resharpen.Single bevel from spine to edge.
3: Sabre ground- This one is like a flat ground blade , but the grind starts lower on the blade. Should go longer before it needs sharpening (generally speaking). Most of the Scandinavian blades (Puukko-Mora) are ground this way.
4: Chisel grind- Only ground on one side of the blade. This one is used on some good Japanese chef/kitchen knives , but for outdoor woods use it's not really the right choice.
5: Compound bevel- A secondary bevel can be used on any type of blade grind. Less apt to chip if used heavily , but may not be as sharp as a blade with a more acute edge. A LOT of production knives are ground this way.
6: Convex grind- Has a lot of metal behind the edge so you can get the blade very sharp & keep a strong edge. Like the flat grind , this one is very easy to resharpen. Fallkniven & Bark River are two manufacturers that use this grind.
So...having said all that...you need to decide what you want to do with the kinfe & then pick one with the right steel & grind to suit your needs.
No blade will do eveything equally well & everybodies needs are different.
Cliff

^nice chart. My machete I convex ground.

I too would recomend carbon steel. I believe it to be cheaper than 440C, and it is stronger. Cool

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Yes, grind is very important, too. There are many aspects to look in to. Size isn't always the most important. Cool

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Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend. - Prov. 27:17

Somthing your going to find is most of the Good production choppers are going to have flatgrinds, once in a while, you going to find big knives with hollow grinds ex. Chris Reeve's knives.

Why the two big knives?

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God I love comedy. Very Happy

If its not shaving, its not sharp.

This'll give ya something to read.
http://fourseasonssurv.s3.bizhat.com/viewtopic.php?t=1018

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God I love comedy. Very Happy

If its not shaving, its not sharp.

Is 420 harder than 440? I asked a guy at the sporting goods store, and he said 420 was. I always thought 440 was. Confused

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Ok, I looked it up. 440 is harder than 420. As I presumed the guy at the sporting goods store didn't know what he was talking about. Confused

I'll wait till the marines guy works the counter to ask any questions then. Wink

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