440-A Stainless Steel?

[GaryO]

Is 440-A a useful steel for an all purpose drop point hunting knife? Thanks...

 

[CAustin]

It's a great looking knife! I would like a gut hook on it!

 

[Mekaniks]

From Wiki...

• Type 440—a higher grade of cutlery steel, with more carbon, allowing for much better edge retention when properly heat-treated. It can be hardened to approximately Rockwell 58 hardness, making it one of the hardest stainless steels. Due to its toughness and relatively low cost, most display-only and replica swords or knives are made of 440 stainless. Available in four grades: 440A, 440B, 440C, and the uncommon 440F (free machinable). 440A, having the least amount of carbon in it, is the most stain-resistant; 440C, having the most, is the strongest and is usually considered more desirable in knifemaking than 440A[citation needed], except for diving or other salt-water applications.

 

[Velo Dog]

Good looking knife, quite similar profile to the Schrade Models PH I and PH II knives (Model 1 is large and Model 2 is smaller, otherwise they are the same design).

As for stainless steel in general, 440-A or otherwise, I'm not fond of it as a knife blade material, except for a diving knife, of which I do have one for that activity.

So far, in many years of splashing about in the sea, I have only needed it to cut lures I have found, free from tangled fishing line ( a small/cheap pair of stainless scissors from Wall-Mart would have served as well or better).

I find it difficult to sharpen stainless steel knives but, as Mekaniks already said, it does hold an edge very well, once you get it sharp (I have discovered that swear words seemed to help quite a bit, in my efforts to sharpen stainless steel knives).

My preference is for old fashioned tool steel, such as an appropriate size piece, carefully cut from any better quality saw blade, then fashioned into a knife, taking care to re-heat treat it after the cutting, grinding, sanding and finishing process.

IMO, knives look better with a few stains on their blades and conversely look "unsure of themselves" when shiny and bright.

It is just the same as a hunting rifle with no sign of use on it, as compared to one that shows a thorn scratch or two on the stock and bluing rubbed from many miles of carrying in the hands.

 

[Brian]

Good looking knife, quite similar profile to the Schrade Models PH I and PH II knives (Model 1 is large and Model 2 is smaller, otherwise they are the same design).

As for stainless steel in general, 440-A or otherwise, I'm not fond of it as a knife blade material, except for a diving knife, of which I do have one for that activity.

So far, in many years of splashing about in the sea, I have only needed it to cut lures I have found, free from tangled fishing line ( a small/cheap pair of stainless scissors from Wall-Mart would have served as well or better).

I find it difficult to sharpen stainless steel knives but, as Mekaniks already said, it does hold an edge very well, once you get it sharp (I have discovered that swear words seemed to help quite a bit, in my efforts to sharpen stainless steel knives).

My preference is for old fashioned tool steel, such as an appropriate size piece, carefully cut from any better quality saw blade, then fashioned into a knife, taking care to re-heat treat it after the cutting, grinding, sanding and finishing process.

IMO, knives look better with a few stains on their blades and conversely look "unsure of themselves" when shiny and bright.

It is just the same as a hunting rifle with no sign of use on it, as compared to one that shows a thorn scratch or two on the stock and bluing rubbed from many miles of carrying in the hands.

I agree. It takes some bad language to sharpen a stainless knife. (And to stone a stainless trigger sear.) When you roll a moose over in the mud to open him up, a stainless knike will get dull just like a carbon steel knife. Then, it's all about resharpening it to keep on working. That's why the real old pros and trapper/hunters for 200 years in Northern Canada choose the carbon steel Hudson bay style of knife. (See Dexter beef skinner for an example.) Just a few strokes with a steel or an axe file and you are good to go again. A thin blade with lots of curve in carbon steel is my first choice. My next chice is D2 (tool steel ) like the Knives of Alaska.

I must add that the old-school hunter trapper likes a thin blade because it's handier, won't be used for chopping, and he doesn't want the extra weight for skinning. I believe that stainels steel skinning knives are produced and sold by people who don't skin many animals to people who have never skinned a bear, moose or elk in the bush.

There: I feel a lot better now, Brian