Question For Larrin & Magnacut vs LC200N

[Wowbagger]

Every five years or so an intelligent question pops into my mind and then I just have to ask it :
Am I right that LC200N was primarily developed for the bearings etc for machines used in outer space ?
If so will your wonderful Magnacut be heading into space ?

PS: I just bought my first Magnacut , a Para 3 Black / DLC Caribbean Milled G-10 Salt .
THANK YOU !

[Larrin]

The original name of the steel was Cronidur 30, LC200N is later branding by Zapp. It was developed for bearings but I don’t know if space was the main intended application or just one of the potential applications.

[Wowbagger]

Thanks .
I guess I will attempt to read between the lines on a positive note there and wish for you even more success that is out of this world .

[Wowbagger]

Without question you would know better than a bystander such as I but it seems the internet has latched onto this myth and is repeating each other https://edcmall.cn/blogs/blog/what-is-lc200n-steel

[James Y]

I only have 2 knives in LC200N, a PE Caribbean and a SE UKPK Salt. But I like it A LOT.

OTOH, I'm becoming more and more interested in trying out SE Magnacut (or whatever name it'll be going by, by the time I decide to buy another knife again).

Jim

[WilliamMunny]

The original name of the steel was Cronidur 30, LC200N is later branding by Zapp. It was developed for bearings but I don’t know if space was the main intended application or just one of the potential applications.

Larrin,

He does pose and interesting question. The vast majority of steels are made for other applications then adapted to use in knives.

If I am not mistaken your steels were made for knives in mind. So it’s not a far leap to think they may be a large pool of applications to ManaCut/MagnaMax beyond knives. Possibly leading to some big money.

[sal]

Hi Wowbagger,

Interesting link. thanx. I don't think all of the information they provide is entirely accurate?

Being Sailors and Divers, Gail and I had always been looking for a good salt water material for blades. When we first heard of Cronidur 30, we thought it might be ideal. That's how we first learned about "Nitrogen steels".

We contacted the foundry and asked for product. They said they wouldn't sell it to us for 2 reasons; 1) NASA was buying all they could make, and 2) We were an international company and they were afraid that we might sell to an "unfriendly, or dishonorable country" and that they my not honor their patent and reproduce the grade..

Later we found H1 in Japan and went with that for our Salt line.

When Crucible went bankrupt for the first time, and their president was gone, he knew that we wanted Cronidur 30, He set up Zapp to move steel from Europe to the US. The patent was up on Cronidur , so that problem was gone and they were making more Cronidur. So he arranged for Zapp to ship it to us, but we couldn't use the name Cronidur 30 as it was trademarked. We could get the steel, but we had to call it LC200N (which stood for low corrosion). We've been using it ever since.

sal

[Mrj]

That’s amazing @sal thanks for sharing. I love LC200N

[WilliamMunny]

Love the story, I had no idea LC stood for that.

[skeeg11]

I have 6 Spyderco salt knives. 1 MagnaCut PE, 2 LC200N PE, and 3 LC200N Serrated. Love them all, but I LUV LUV LUV Serrated LC200N.

[JoviAl]

@sal That’s the kind of gold nugget of information that wins a pub quiz! Love learning these little bits of background.

[srivats]

Really interesting story on LC200N. Thanks for sharing Sal. I added to the "talking story" thread.

[Danke]

I think it's an amazing steel to use and sharpen. I'm always surprised that its not used by many other makers.

[skeeg11]

I've always been a bit leary or cautious of high carbide and high rockwell steels for serrations and especially toothy serrations. I'm much more comfortable with the balance of properties of LC200N for serrations. While not quite as tough as H1/H2 it has better edge retention without resorting to high carbide with very high rockwell. While I have a PE MagnaCut UKPK my serrated UKPK is LC200N.

[Wowbagger]

we . . .call it LC200N (which stood for low corrosion)

LC200N is a way cooler name anyway

[sal]

I've been carrying UK with a serrated MagnaCut edge. Really a very nice very light High performance matter separator. So can say that MagnaCut works very well with teeth.

Thanx Larrin.

sal

[Wowbagger]

Possibly leading to some big money.

With all the knife companies using it Larrin's well on his way anyway .
In my estimation .
None of my business .
PS : I really dig Larrin's Dad's Damascus . For my money it is the best I've seen . I don't need geometric shapes ; just seriously nice "grain like " appearance .

[sal]

Possibly leading to some big money.

With all the knife companies using it Larrin's well on his way anyway .
In my estimation .
None of my business .
PS : I really dig Larrin's Dad's Damascus . For my money it is the best I've seen . I don't need geometric shapes ; just seriously nice "grain like " appearance .

The "Big money" will not go to Larrin? I think I remember his saying that there were no royalties involved. He can correct me if I'm wrong?

sal

[Brock O Lee]

I've always been a bit leary or cautious of high carbide and high rockwell steels for serrations and especially toothy serrations. I'm much more comfortable with the balance of properties of LC200N for serrations. While not quite as tough as H1/H2 it has better edge retention without resorting to high carbide with very high rockwell.

I'm with you on this one. I also like how easy it is to sharpen.

Looking forward to compare it to Magnacut SE, in the Native Chief.

[skeeg11]

I've always been a bit leary or cautious of high carbide and high rockwell steels for serrations and especially toothy serrations. I'm much more comfortable with the balance of properties of LC200N for serrations. While not quite as tough as H1/H2 it has better edge retention without resorting to high carbide with very high rockwell.

I'm with you on this one. I also like how easy it is to sharpen.

Looking forward to compare it to Magnacut SE, in the Native Chief.

Balance of properties for serrated MagnaCut is fine and dandy for sure. I just get cautious with pointy serrations in steels with high carbides and rockwell like K390 and above. Makes me wonder about J D Spydo's experience with serrated K390 in retrospect.