Tasman Salt excelling at garden center

PaulVB · #1

Just thought I'd post a quick update about how well my Tasman Salt is doing at the garden center where I started working 3 weeks ago. I posted a poll asking whether I should get the Tenacious or Persistence to thrash at work and everyone was really helpful with recommendations on what would be a great work knife. A few of you suggested I get a Tasman Salt serrated edge because of all the water I'd always be around and the nature of the materials I would be cutting (burlap, twine, cardboard, zipties).
I already had a Tasman Salt SE and I decided to try it out and I haven't taken any other knife to work yet. The Tasman is fantastic and the people I work with all think it is really cool. I can open up 90 fir trees and just put it back in my pocket without worrying about water or sap screwing up the H1 steel. It's like a pocket chainsaw and blows through twine and all the plastic wrap and cardboard in the pallets I'm constantly opening.

I finally had to sharpen it tonight after 3 weeks of heavy work and I can't wait to put it to work tomorrow.

Thanks again for everyone's input and advice on hardworking knives. The Tasman Salt is a real winner.

Iris223 · #2

I remember that post, i'm really glad it worked out for you! The serrated hawkbills are MEAN when it comes to stuff like that.

Now, perhaps you can answer a question, based on your experiences...

Some people have noted that H1, in its non serrated form has a retention below VG-10, while the serrated H1, due to its extra work hardening from the serration process has a pretty good retention. Is this your experience? When I was doing a similiar job, I found my persistence needed to be touched up about weekly, and my Delica needed touching up every 2-3 weeks, depending on cutting habits. Any thoughts on the matter?

Thanks!

PaulVB · #3

Iris223 wrote:I remember that post, i'm really glad it worked out for you! The serrated hawkbills are MEAN when it comes to stuff like that.

Now, perhaps you can answer a question, based on your experiences...

Some people have noted that H1, in its non serrated form has a retention below VG-10, while the serrated H1, due to its extra work hardening from the serration process has a pretty good retention. Is this your experience? When I was doing a similiar job, I found my persistence needed to be touched up about weekly, and my Delica needed touching up every 2-3 weeks, depending on cutting habits. Any thoughts on the matter?

Thanks!

Iris223, I don't have any experience with non-serrated H1 because I only have the spyderedge Tasman. I can say that I have really pushed this knife hard at work and I finally noticed a reduction in ease of cutting towards the end of my second week of work. It was covered with pine sap last Friday and I couldn't get it all off. I noticed after work today that all the sap was gone because I was cross-cutting so much 2 ply cardboard. So I know that the knife is being realistically tested. I am pleased with the serrated H1's edge retention and can't recommend the Tasman Salt enough.
I guess to answer you question, the serrated H1 seems to keep its edge as well as my VG 10 knives. I am no steel expert though. Thanks for your interest.

Iris223 · #4

PaulVB wrote:Iris223, I don't have any experience with non-serrated H1 because I only have the spyderedge Tasman. I can say that I have really pushed this knife hard at work and I finally noticed a reduction in ease of cutting towards the end of my second week of work. It was covered with pine sap last Friday and I couldn't get it all off. I noticed after work today that all the sap was gone because I was cross-cutting so much 2 ply cardboard. So I know that the knife is being realistically tested. I am pleased with the serrated H1's edge retention and can't recommend the Tasman Salt enough.
I guess to answer you question, the serrated H1 seems to keep its edge as well as my VG 10 knives. I am no steel expert though. Thanks for your interest.

Very cool, thanks. Pretty sure i just found an excuse to add a serrated Tasman Salt to my daily backpack. :D

PaulVB · #5

My pleasure. I tend to baby my knives too much, so it's nice to really put one to work and watch it exceed my expectations. Hope you enjoy it too.

Iris223 · #6

PaulVB wrote:My pleasure. I tend to baby my knives too much, so it's nice to really put one to work and watch it exceed my expectations. Hope you enjoy it too.

I'm exactly the same way. Before I got a retail job, I babied my knives religiously. "Oh no! That mail delivery box left a miniscule piece of packing tape residue on my Delica! MUST CLEAN ASAP."

And then I picked up a job in retail for the summer, and suddenly lost that need to baby the knife when I saw what it could do. It would come home after dozens of boxes and zip ties, caked in tape residue and other crap. Some days I wouldn't even wipe it down. I'd just put it back in my pocket and go at it again the next day. I really put it through its paces, nothing like wilderness survival of course, but certainly enough to justify the money spent, and enough to appreciate the brilliant engineering, precision, and materials that all go into making a Spyderco knife.

While I still do baby my Sage 1 (So pretty with those carbon handles, and smooth opening!), my Delica and other knives certainly earn their keep. There is just something so satisfying about using a such a fine knife on the job.

akaAK · #7

Good choice on the Tasman Salt, glad it is working out for you. I used mine on the weekend to do general cleanup and some pruning. Afterwards I took some advise I read on this site (can't remember who's) but just placed it on the shower floor. After my shower it was super clean. Let it dry and then a drop of mineral oil on the pivot and good as new.

gull wing · #8

Man you have to show us a picture of that cutting machine, don't clean it up. :)

PaulVB · #9

It's looking pretty right now since I sharpened it and using it at work wore away the tree sap. Next time it's filthy I'll post a picture (should be soon).

white cloud · #10

the tasman salt is my real "go to" knife for daily chores. with a tasman salt and the right sak you have most bases cover imho.

gunnut35 · #11

I use my tasman all the time to trim the lower brances of my trees and bushes. It is the knife that i use for all my yard work.

jezabel · #12

Nice to hear the Tasman's working out for you.
FWIW I used to work several months of the year at wholesale nursery where I lived with my Se 440v Millie glued to my hand. I literally was doing thousands of cuts a day propagating yuccas mostly or weeding and re potting while working off the back of a pickup truck.

At the time I only shy ed away from the Tasman because I prefer FFG for that sort of work. Now If the Superhawk came serrated it would have been a different story...

J