Postby Ed Schempp » Wed Jan 30, 2013 10:40 pm
Yes, Cliff, you are spot on, I concur with your estimates. The emails I exchanged years ago with Dick Barber included recommendations much like you have given me, except from the line of steel they manufacture. There are some considerations besides function in getting a product to market. The clad had to be in process or in inventory for the experiment to take place. The marketing of 154 CM has been around a long time. There is some synergy between the clad and core. Because of the CPM process the 154 is very nice to work and grind. It polishes very well, better than most stainless knife steels. This laminate should out perform many of it steel competitors for their given applications. This stuff is cool and it is pretty. When you look at Halle Berry do you wonder how fast she runs 100 yards? It is not always about performance it is nice to have a high performance piece of steel in your pocket that you are intrigued and amazed by. If this material sells then maybe the next generation of material will show up down the road. This whole project has availability, convenience, marketability as priorities and increased function trailing behind, yet still advantageous.
Nobody paid me for my recommendation, Spyderco didn't get preference on the initial test billet, all the players got some. This is about opening a horizon that will give us new cooler, and best of higher performance steels, that are made in the USA...Take Care...Ed