Spyderco Forums

I know a titanium handled knife in H1 steel has been requested from time to time. Looks like the new Tusk might just be what we have been asking for. The thing is I've never heard of LC 200 N steel. I see from the charts it is similar to H1 as it has Nitrogen in the makeup. What's the deal? How does it compare to H1???or anything else we might be familiar with?

Inquiring minds want to know.

Grizz

http://www.zappnews.com/images/pdfs/LC200NData.pdf

Looks like it can be hardened up to 60 HRC...

Thanks for the chart jalcon! Typical for a sailors knife to be extremely corrosion resistant! Would be interesting for a side-by-side comparison with H1!

I'm interested in this knife too. Not a sailor, it just lookes cool.

Imagine if this is something that has similar properties to h1. We could start fantasizing about "salt" knives based on the Taiwan models! :eek:

Surfingringo wrote:Imagine if this is something that has similar properties to h1. We could start fantasizing about "salt" knives based on the Taiwan models! :eek:

Spyderco Laci Szaltbo! Let the fishes beware :D

Other than that, I can't think of other Taiwan models I'd like to see in LC200N, probably gonna wait until we find out where this steel shines. If it keeps a better plain edge than H1, that opens up a whole world of possibilities

Invective wrote:Spyderco Laci Szaltbo! Let the fishes beware :D

Other than that, I can't think of other Taiwan models I'd like to see in LC200N, probably gonna wait until we find out where this steel shines. If it keeps a better plain edge than H1, that opens up a whole world of possibilities

Agreed!!

Also, Sal has commented before that h1 doesn't work well with a liner/frame lock. Apparently this stuff has no such limitation...opening up even more possibilities. I want to believe that we are getting closer to a Millie "salt"! :D

Nitrogen alloys have been around for some time. Quite a few available.

LC200N looks promising and I would like to have a knife in it. Still happy with my Nirtobe-77 in my Des Horn Imvubu at HRC of 62 with a good heat treat. Nitrobe-77 is also a nitrogen containing alloy.

Hi Grizz,

LC 200 N was probably the first Nitrogen steel made. I first heard about it about 15 years ago when NASA was looking at it. It went by the name of Cronidur 30. It was difficult to get. We've been looking for salt water friendly blade materials for many years. We've tried many steels and ceramics looking for that great salt water material. Being a sailor and a diver, I felt the need. When H1 became available, we felt that the technology was starting to get there.

When Zapp made it available under the LC name, they showed it to us. We had some connections with the people involved. The tusk is our first model with it. Now the "Real world" study begins.

sal

So many "cans of worms" being opened up! So many "irons in the fire"! Sal, how do you and your crew get any sleep?

I would love to do some "real world study"! :D

Edit: I was thinking about this for real and I really would like to test this steel. The tusk looks awesome, but I can't afford to drop that kind of money on a knife just to test the steel. However...if someone were to send me a small piece of this lc200n (say .5"x1.5", polished to same finish as the blade and with a hole in it) I would be happy to attach it via lanyard to my pacific salt for a couple of months. I'm in the kayak about 4 days a week for about 5 hours per trip. When I'm in the kayak, my clothes are soaked in salt water from the launch and the h1 PAC salt is in my waistband bathing in saltwater. Never had the slightest issue with any kind of corrosion. I tried this with the bd1 manix ONCE and by the time I got to shore it was already covered in tiny rust spots. I know it's not laboratory science, but it would be neat to have these two steels side by side for a month or two and see how they compare. Just an idea.

Sal,
Thanks for the reply. I will start saving so that I can participate in the 'real world' study. I don't dive as much as I would like, but I am excited about this knife. It will be fun to put it through it's paces. I often considered getting a marlinspike too. Looking forward to this being released.

Thanks,
Grizz

I think the Tusk would make a good bushcraft/camp knife. Marlin spike for the knots, worry-free steel. Just wonder about the edge holding compared to H1.

I guess we can consider a mule in LC?

sal

sal wrote:I guess we can consider a mule in LC?

sal

Now we're talking!

sal wrote:I guess we can consider a mule in LC?

sal

Absolutely! If you build it, we will come!

Cronidur 30 data sheet is available here: http://www.progressivealloy.com/pdf/cronidur30.pdf

LC 200 N data sheet is available here: http://zappnews.com/images/pdfs/LC200NData.pdf

I don't buy many mules, but I'd buy that one.