Posted: Sun Sep 18, 2011 1:25 am
Sal, Dan did contact me. Thank you. I was and still will properly address that in a thread. It means a great deal to me.It tested ok. Don't want to say too much until you guys are using them. That's what it's all out, right?
Grinding did surprize us and we did have to adjust plans. Once hardened, grinding is quite difficult.
Dan should have contacted you?
I'm thinking about making a model with the stuff. Pete Gerber did that now and then. Smart man Pete Gerber.
Yes, I wouldn't want to grind on a wear resistant fully hard tool steel any more than I had to. Looking at the composition one could think it would be easy compared to some of the steels you have had to work on before. It sure doesn't work that way in real life though, and each has to be approached as a different problem with a different set of solutions.
I'd love to see a folder in this steel. We'll see how people react to it. It might be the most disliked steel yet in the mule team program. It might not though, and do well. Time will tell. IMO, it would be nice using a model that allows it to play to it's strengths, and isn't too expensive. As long as we're talking Joe's wish list, Wood or Linen micarta (dark red or burgundy, gloss ).
Wood would be a straight grain, no burl something like Blood wood. Alternately Red Oak, walnut or cherry. Mahogany if a good source of high quality with good color is found without having to pay Too awful much. Ironwood is always a great choice IMO. A bolster sure would be nice.
Back to reality though :) Something that was a fairly heavy duty knife. I'd like a design that will not develop blade play when ham handed people begin torquing down on their DMT and other stones trying to hurry the sharpening process as invariably happens with D2 ( ingot) and other hard to sharpen steels.
I guess the steel rules out the Caly 3.5. I'd still love seeing it in a lock back. This is sort of a throwback design.
I do believe that Mr. Gerber was ahead of his time with this steel, and some others like L6 and M2. There are a lot more sharpening tools that can handle a steel like Cruwear now than in 1981. More experienced , knowledgeable users now thanks to the internet.
Likewise there are a lot more ways of getting the information to the potential market now on what is available and what the needs and expectations are for the new models. The internet wasn't something Mr. Gerber had available in that time period. That means a lot IMO. In 1984 there were two or three knife magazines and a few gun magazines that ran the monthly knife article. It seems like we are really way past that now and for the better,
Joe