SE MagnaCut Testing Thread

[Evil D]

@EvilD I love these threads, but what would make them more useful is if you would do the testing side-by-side with the same knife (or a similar one when that isn't possible) with more common steels that people have been using for a long time. For this test probably the best control would be the serrated S30V Native 5.

Yeah that would be great especially with this model since it does come in a couple different steels. A lot is already well known about S30V and VG10 though. I think on a lot of these tests the edge damage is inevitable, especially with how thin a serrated edge is. My son and best friend both carry combo edge Native 5s in S35VN and I can tell you the serrations on those don't seem to hold up as well as this knife did, but then those two are probably abusing those knives even harder than these tests do.

Eventually I'd like to come up with a more traditional cutting method like guys do with plain edge and manila rope, but the way serrations scratch on a cutting board is a bit of a roadblock. I have an idea to get around it, just always looking for the time to work it out.

About the cutting board, have you considered an end-grain cutting board? The damage is far less severe because the knife edge merely separates the fibers without severing them.

Actually I want one for my kitchen in general, but my issue with testing is just that I want the whole scallop of the edge to be able to cut against a surface the same way PE would on a cutting board, or just not at all. I think I'm gonna make something to feed some rope through that has a slot that the blade can move through that'll hold the rope in place during the cut. Another idea is just a block of wood with a hole drilled through and push some rope out and cut it flush against the wood, then push more through and repeat. I don't know if it would be a fair comparison vs PE rope cutting since the board must play a part in the edge wear too.

[Bill1170]

@EvilD I love these threads, but what would make them more useful is if you would do the testing side-by-side with the same knife (or a similar one when that isn't possible) with more common steels that people have been using for a long time. For this test probably the best control would be the serrated S30V Native 5.

Yeah that would be great especially with this model since it does come in a couple different steels. A lot is already well known about S30V and VG10 though. I think on a lot of these tests the edge damage is inevitable, especially with how thin a serrated edge is. My son and best friend both carry combo edge Native 5s in S35VN and I can tell you the serrations on those don't seem to hold up as well as this knife did, but then those two are probably abusing those knives even harder than these tests do.

Eventually I'd like to come up with a more traditional cutting method like guys do with plain edge and manila rope, but the way serrations scratch on a cutting board is a bit of a roadblock. I have an idea to get around it, just always looking for the time to work it out.

About the cutting board, have you considered an end-grain cutting board? The damage is far less severe because the knife edge merely separates the fibers without severing them.

Actually I want one for my kitchen in general, but my issue with testing is just that I want the whole scallop of the edge to be able to cut against a surface the same way PE would on a cutting board, or just not at all. I think I'm gonna make something to feed some rope through that has a slot that the blade can move through that'll hold the rope in place during the cut. Another idea is just a block of wood with a hole drilled through and push some rope out and cut it flush against the wood, then push more through and repeat. I don't know if it would be a fair comparison vs PE rope cutting since the board must play a part in the edge wear too.

I agree that cutting on a board isn’t fair when compared to cutting in the air next to the wood with a hole jig. It would be fairer if you compared SE cuts to PE cuts on the same jig. SE has an advantage in the “hole in the wood” jig because you can feed rope from the right and the chisel grind of SE puts the edge closer to the wooden support than a symmetrically-ground PE can get.

[Evil D]

I agree that cutting on a board isn’t fair when compared to cutting in the air next to the wood with a hole jig. It would be fairer if you compared SE cuts to PE cuts on the same jig. SE has an advantage in the “hole in the wood” jig because you can feed rope from the right and the chisel grind of SE puts the edge closer to the wooden support than a symmetrically-ground PE can get.

Yeah in the end it may never be a clear comparison between edge types but at least it can be used to compare different steels in SE.

Where does everyone get their manilla rope? Gotta be cheaper somewhere than buying it from a hardware store.

[tonijedi]

Once I retire, in about 25 years, I'll do some playing and tests using rope and cordage from the beach. Free testing material and you clean the beach at the same time!

[Steeltoez83]

In my current line of plain edge testing I use sandpaper shop rolls from red label abrasive. I have cutting edge length guidelines based on the 1 inch, the 1.5 inch and the 2 inch diameter rolls. I'm currently using angle guides to set a 13 degree micro bevel as my overall testing edge. The cutting motion is a draw cut in air to avoid cutting surfaces. I average about 1800 cuts on 1 roll of 50 yards and those rolls about 25 bucks. Red label discounts more rolls purchased so bulk purchase will save up to 25% if you buy 5 or more. I use a 100 grit but that's what I've chosen for my plain edge testing. I've rope tested over a bathroom scale to measure force as the deciding factor when the testing ended. Cutting felt unnatural to me and I stopped after 19 tests. I've learned later on that rope needs humidity control measures to validate test results. Plus it was a pain cleaning up all the stray fray ends all over the place. I have a serrated police k390 I plan on testing eventually but I haven't decided what a good test for serrations actually is. Or when the test actually fails my guidelines I've established. I'm curious where your testing leads to. In my own brainstorming I'd like to have a combination of a hard material like a dense plastic or wood combined with a fibrous material like carpet/towel. And externally add my own abrasive material to the carpet/towel like sand, dirt, or other abrasive grain material. I haven't decided anything just yet, I still have many more plain edges to test first. Just my 2 cents.

[Kevinim82]

Hi hi, Kevin here,
First time caller, long time listener …to this thread.

N5 Magnacut; my 4th SE Spyderco …How I stopped worrying and learned to love… the serrated edge…

I would like to thank our host EvilD for making this thread possible.

Being a plain edge junkie, I have forgotten:
1. You don’t move the teeth, the teeth move you. With delicate work the teeth bite and go through things much easier if I guide the knife and not power it through material, like cardboard.

2. The teeth/chisel grind like to guide cuts “to the right to the right”.

and with said knowledge I am on to my SE Magnacut journey... I’ll get to business after the dye job. See you all next week with a little cutting knowledge.

What a tall bevel!

[Evil D]

I’ll get to business after the dye job. See you all next week with a little cutting knowledge.

I'm really struggling with the yellow for some reason with this knife. It's not that I dislike it but the urge to modify it in some way is really eating at me. I've even been eyeing my Maxamet Native thinking about a scale swap, I think that gray will look good with the black hardware and clip. I'll see how long I can resist the urge.

[Kevinim82]

I’ll get to business after the dye job. See you all next week with a little cutting knowledge.

I'm really struggling with the yellow for some reason with this knife. It's not that I dislike it but the urge to modify it in some way is really eating at me. I've even been eyeing my Maxamet Native thinking about a scale swap, I think that gray will look good with the black hardware and clip. I'll see how long I can resist the urge.

The FRN scales take rite dye really well. Yellow is a good primer for the canvas.

[Evil D]

I’ll get to business after the dye job. See you all next week with a little cutting knowledge.

I'm really struggling with the yellow for some reason with this knife. It's not that I dislike it but the urge to modify it in some way is really eating at me. I've even been eyeing my Maxamet Native thinking about a scale swap, I think that gray will look good with the black hardware and clip. I'll see how long I can resist the urge.

The FRN scales take rite dye really well. Yellow is a good primer for the canvas.

Yeah you're not kidding. I went ahead and took the plunge, I had a few bottles of dye already and started with the same "graphite" color that I did my Caribbean in but it turned jet black.




I have dyed a couple yellow Salts black before and I already know the dye wears through, and I had seen the distressed look on some other colors and liked it, and I had wanted to send down and soften the edges on this knife anyway so it got sanded down.








I'm already eyeballing my wife's Tiffany blue Native

[ladybug93]

that looks super cool.

[Josh Crutchley]

Wow! That looks awesome. I would be doing this right now to my Rex45 N5 if it would have came out orange so I could have a cream sickle!

[Evil D]

Wow! That looks awesome. I would be doing this right now to my Rex45 N5 if it would have came out orange so I could have a cream sickle!

I got the idea off the Facebook group, and that guy did a Rex45 Manix 2. I'm not sure if he's a member here or not. He dyed it black though so not really the same I guess.

[SaltyCaribbeanDfly]

I’ll get to business after the dye job. See you all next week with a little cutting knowledge.

I'm really struggling with the yellow for some reason with this knife. It's not that I dislike it but the urge to modify it in some way is really eating at me. I've even been eyeing my Maxamet Native thinking about a scale swap, I think that gray will look good with the black hardware and clip. I'll see how long I can resist the urge.

The FRN scales take rite dye really well. Yellow is a good primer for the canvas.

Yeah you're not kidding. I went ahead and took the plunge, I had a few bottles of dye already and started with the same "graphite" color that I did my Caribbean in but it turned jet black.




I have dyed a couple yellow Salts black before and I already know the dye wears through, and I had seen the distressed look on some other colors and liked it, and I had wanted to send down and soften the edges on this knife anyway so it got sanded down.








I'm already eyeballing my wife's Tiffany blue Native

Man that mod job looks awesome Evil D…and while I’m here might as well say this to you-I’m very impressed with your passion for these tests and serrations in general…I know it takes a lot of time and materials not to mention patience to do this sort of thing and I along with everyone else greatly appreciates it…what we can read in no time at all takes you hours I’m sure …anyway keep up the good work and even though I only have a couple se knives there will be many more in my future …and fortunately for me I like yellow

[Wartstein]

that looks super cool.

+ 1 !!!

[Senfkarte]

Impressive tests and a nice write up. Thanks for all the abusive cuts.

[Mushroom]

That dye job looks really cool, nicely done!

[Brock O Lee]

Striking dye job! I may copy that method for my yellow LC200N UKPK. That yellow FRN is just screaming for attention.

[olywa]

Gotta nickname that one "Yellowjacket". Looks fantastic!

[Evil D]

Gotta nickname that one "Yellowjacket". Looks fantastic!

I was leaning towards Murder Hornet but I may go with Yellowjacket on this one and save Murder Hornet for my MagnaCut Chief Salt if/when they make it.

[olywa]

Too many pictures, I couldn't hold out any longer. I almost sprung for the green LC200N SE as well, just so I could swap 'em out on arrival. Yellow's fine, but that green just calls to me. Thinking about doing the same with the SE UKPK Salts. Must resist...