DCA's value to knife center is incredibly high. Total subject matter expert now launching into (more or less) business reporting and industry commentary.
He’s actually the best… And he’s a real knifer not a RUclips reviewing collector that never uses the knives at all. DCA is the bomb! Seth is darn darn good too! These are real knife pros.
You have to assume that Crucible is being severely mismanaged considering their products are in extreme demand for a business that has only grown in recent years.
As a knifemaker who uses primarily Cruwear and Magnacut, its definitely concerning. Cutlery steel is a small fragment of Crucible's business, so I'm concerned at the priority knife steels will get, and on top of that priority will probably be given to large production companies like Spyderco/Benchmade/etc who will likely be buying up everything they can get their hands on in the coming months to prevent loss of production, and as a small time custom maker steels that are already hard for us to get is about to be a nightmare.
Crucible also had to file for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy back in '09 and they made it out the other side with some significant tweaking. Hopefully they can work things out to stay afloat and be successful again. While they're not the only high end steel manufacturer here in the states, they're by far the most prolific in the knife market. I highly doubt Carpenter & Latrobe have the capacity or want to fulfill the quantities needed for the knife industry at its current pace (Heck, supply issues were the primary reason Cold Steel switched from CTS-XHP to CPM-S35VN years back). Bohler-Uddeholm make great stuff, but it's always good to have healthy competition and it'd be sad to see even more of the cutlery manufacturing market exit North America.
It's proven by science though, lol. I don't understand all of the old boomers who don't think it's real XD. You can literally watch cedric and ada do tests where magnacut cuts 10x more rope than 1095 but people still deny it like it's the moon landing.
Dear Dave, I hope this might help someone asking about comparing performance of a Magnacut blade to another quality blade steel. I've used a Benchmade Barge with a 154CM blade and a Houge Deka with a Mangnacut blade for over a year now on cardboard, plastic banding and other misc. packing materials . For my use the Magnacut is only slightly better than the 154CM for edge holding. I've tried different edge preps. and finishes and a 12-15 degree edge angle being finished with 800 grit SiC wet paper gives me the best performance with either knife. Merry Christmas to all at Knife Center.
Newer to knife collecting (unless you count mtech from 2002), so I actually did really appreciate that Magna-Cut explanation, as I'm still learning about all this stuff! Thanks! Maybe I'll retroactively complain about it in older videos while I catch up, hah.
Go look up knifesteelnerds. You can very quickly learn all about 95% of the steels you are ever likely see in knives. Larrin Thomas, the Metalurgist who made MagnaCut, has a bunch of charts, graphs, and articles about steels. He also has a youtube channel. Oh yeah, his dad basically pioneered modern damascus and it was his life dream to make his own knife steel. Id say he hit it out of the park! life dream achieved! And so young too! HIGHLY recommend watching or reading his stuff. No need to guess how good a steel is, or take opinions from people who only use their knives to open amazon boxes. Larrin Thomas will let you know exactly how good each steel is when it comes to toughness, hardness, the balance of the 2 at different hardness levels.... as well as the balance of toughness and edge retention, and how well each steel resists corrosion. He has all sorts of charts and graphs that will tell you the ideal hardnesses for ideal properties, and even tempering and heat treatment tips and everything in between. He single handedly changed the whole knife industry. not just with MagnaCut but with all the easy access hes providing to accurate and incredible information.
If theres anything I want in this channel videos beyond DCA and Thomas, its another look at Svotd Carcass Splitter. I been wanting one over a year, but still haven't pulled the trigger! If i do it's definitely coming with me if I go car camping! It would also be kept in plain view so I could admire it often every day
My pocket knife goes thru hell daily. S30v was the first good knife I bought the egde chipped all the time. I'm on cpm4 it's awesome hold a edge forever
Harder to rate because it depends on your sharpening Medium. 99% of things sharpen easily with diamond plates The 1% being my HIC cermaic but even that works with some elbow grease
I used to have about a dozen of those K55s back in the 60s and 70s. I couldn't even find a store in the Bronx that sold the Buck 110s and just about everyone had K55s. They were only about $2 back then and available in cigar and candy stores in every neighborhood. Like I write, almost everyone had one. Students, Boy Scouts, teachers, moms, garage mechanics, etc. Cheap disposables. With hard use the rivets could pop and sometimes the lock would fail and finger slices would occur. Throw it away and grab another. Eventually all of mine had failed by the end of the 1970s and they had pretty much disappeared from commerce (as had the small cigar stores and candy stores that used to be so prolific in NYC). In 77 I moved away and found a store that had Buck 110s.
I think you’re looking for S35VN as the previous contender for most well rounded steel before MagnaCut. Good toughness, good edge retention, plenty stainless (for the most part). Magnacut just stretches all of that out to a degree we didn’t think was possible without taking a dump on one of the other points.
@ as stated, all other points. You can stretch toughness, wear resistance, or stain resistance, but one has to suffer for the other to make headway. Magnacut pulls on all points without making one suffer.
Of all the crucible products MagnaCut is the *least* likely to be impacted…because the formula belongs to Larrin Thomas. I believe his article he just had crucible/Niagara produce/distribute it for him. That would just go elsewhere.
I honestly have been extremely sad about Crucible since I heard they might be shutting down a weak ago! Was about to drain bank account to buy my favorite knives in favorite steels! Crucible makes all my favorites 😢
Can you discuss grip characteriatics of higher end scales like CF or Titanium? I feel like I'm paying more for a more slippery grip, is there something I'm missing?
I'm still holding out for micro-electric machine edge knives that can cut a Ford F150 truck in half. If Crucible goes under there will be some other foundries that pick up some of the slack and most of the damage to the industry could be short term, although its a crappy time of year to get that kind of news if you work there. We'll probably lose a few types of steel that don't get picked up by someone else or because they don't get produced in large enough quantities anymore. There could be tool steel from Europe and Japan to offset things, but I don't think the prices will go down as a result.
Mr. DCA....when is your folder going to be available at Knife Center? I've been waiting patiently as I'm sure so have others. Could possibly be my last purchase. I'm not getting any younger!!! Great job to all the crew there at Knife Center.
On the topic of steels: How does knife center decide on the materials for its special edition/sprint runs? Which one is DCA's favorite? Thomas, keep the on screen antics coming! The thumbs up Clarkston was quality commentary.
Probably more so on "what will sell quicker." A lot of knife models that are in Magnacut can be really overpriced for no reason, just because it's made with a "super steel". However they shouldn't be. I.E: Hogue Deka, Kershaw Bel Air. I still remember in the mid 2010's how hyped D2 steel was. Look at it now. Easily a $45 to $55 knife.
@@nicholasevans9627The Bel Air in MC does make sense, the thinness of that blade can be extreme for more brittle steels, but MC can still hold up well if it’s put to harder use than it should be. $150 also covers the origin of manufacture and fit and finish. Speaking of D2, The Irridium and Mini Irridium would be the non super steel Kershaw crossbar lock model I would choose if my budget was less. And would be perfectly fine for most people’s EDC needs. I like the variety, personally. Oh, and re: D2 being awesome back in the ‘10s, I remember when Knives of Alaska were one of the few brands that used it and everyone in my circles drooled over their offerings. Then, the Rat 1 had some limited edition releases in D2 and I got one of each color lol. It was kind of a big deal lol. Yeah it was definitely pumped up more than someone just getting into knives and steels today would probably believe.
As a hobby knifemaker, it takes quite a while to get up to speed on a new steel. I've been using mostly S35vn, and Magnacut...I may have to move along to another quality steel. That being said... I have a nice stash, but it won't last for years.
So I have a question for you DCA, I own a couple of knives one is vanex steel the other is Magnacut. I'm just wondering which is tougher and holds an edge better one last thing which is easier to sharpen when it comes time. Love the channel thanks for everything.
Probably the wrong video for this but can you make your website search have an “exclude” button? Like I want to look at every blade type but hawkbill. Currently I have to slowly click on all of the other blade styles one at a time and wait for the site to reload with each selection just to remove one style. It’s very cumbersome.
Vanax Steel would also be another high performing steel, it actually does a little better in corrosion resistance and edge retention than magnacut per Larrin Thomas' rankings on his site, while having similar toughness to S35VN. He even specifically calls it out as his recommendation for applications requiring extreme corrosion resistance.
Greetings Knife FAQ team, I live in a rural Colorado mountain community where carrying a fixed blade daily is not uncomfortable on either side of the carry, and I often pair a Helle Didi Galgalu with a We Banter 2 to be the most preferred EDC for me with the knife I’ve found to be most my most preffered ‘If I only had one’, and I am curious which two knives you would pair for the same conceptual pairing?
CPM Magnacut is the first innovative alloy in generations. It pleased makers and users the way 440C did in it's heyday. CPM Magnacut actually is good because it eliminates or reduces formation of Chromium Carbides! No one knew how or wanted to try to before Dr Thomas developed it. There's yet more innovation in the future still to be had, it just takes gumption and effort.
Dave et al, long been a fan of the old smaller Gerber Guardian. Are there similar modern tactical fixed blade knives of a similar size and cool factor? For me this has long been a favorite but tech marches on and there may be developments and knives in this niche that are under my radar. (Name pronounced Tree-Oh-Low with nice Sicilian accent on the second syllable.)
I live in a region where knives that can be opened via centrifugal force are illegal. In essence, if the knife can be opened via momentum or via something like a cross-bar lock, it is prohibited. Can you recommend some pocket knives that meet these requirements (excluding slip joints). The Spyderco Delica, for example, meets the requirements.
You can have a cross bar lock in Canada from what I understand. You may not import as an individual. The CRKT redemption for example is available at House of Knives in Canada. They must be imported by a business with a firearms license. Bass Pro Shops in Canada also carry flippers.
@@aaronh305 unfortunately, there are some incorrect assumptions here. Just because these types of knives are sold in Canada, it doesn't mean they are legal. If you read the legislation, cross-bar locks are 100% prohibited. Same with the compression locks from Spyderco and any button lock systems. Frankly, I think the law is insane and produces no value - much like the bulk of Canadian jurisprudence. If you can flick the knife open with centrifugal force, it's illegal. But, spydey-flicking a Native 5, for, example is fine. The lock-back and lack of pivot bearings make it impossible to shake/or flick open.
This will probably be the best year for knife sales in history, with folks buying knives while they are available, before the new suppliers charge a fortune and jack up the price 25%.
Crucible Industries does not do only knife steel. They also supply tool steel for so many manufacturers. Hopefully they can get some help like HD and auto manifacturers. We must keep our companies open in the U.S. to rebuild the economy.👍🏻😁
Hi Sir Building from the "steel peak!" question. Does the constant evolution of CPM products risk devaluing or undermining their previous successes? I mean, does Magnacut make S30V look budget and reduce its profitability? Let's hope that Crucible comes through this intact Take care Graham
I was waiting for a reason to add their 3.2 and that was it. They used to do soft ass magnacut, then recently added proper hrc magnacut, then finally added the prototype steel. I have 3 guardian 3s, now. Lol
Thanks for the heads-up, and now await my order of hrc 63-64 "magnatuff" Guardian 3.2. According to Larrin's father, this prototype steel is like a stainless K390, which is AWESOME in my opinion! I love Magnacut and K390, so having the extra edge retention, would be stellar.
I remember Carpenter at one point having a proprietary equivalent to S30V. I had to pause and look it up because I could only remember part of it but it was called CTS-BD30P. Never owned any of it, although I do feel like I remember Spyderco using it at one point maybe.
Hey, just starting to get into sharpening. Are there any benefits or downsides to having a high edge angle on one side and a low edge angle on the other? And whats the lowest you should go on an edge angle?
Answering from a woodworking perspective - basically all my cutting tools are chisel-ground (no angle on the back and all the angle on the bevel side), which is very helpful in that context. If I want to use the large back of the chisel to cut a tenon flat, I want the cutting edge to be in line with that back. Alternately, if I'm chiseling a curve, I use it bevel-down which allows the chisel to ride the curve better. The same thing applies to whittling/carving knives, which is why so many have a full scandi grind. If you had a pocket knife with a full chisel grind (to take your question to the extreme), you might find yourself needing to hold it in one hand or the other depending on the direction you needed to make the cut and whether you wanted the flat back or bevel edge down. If it were less extreme, you'd still find that the blade would be pushed in the direction of the lower angle side, which may have its uses, but in general probably isn't what you want.
@@Jake-bt3fc he asked about a high edge angle on one side and a low edge angle on the other side. A chisel grind is the extreme end of that situation, where one angle is 0° and the other is 25°-30°. Thanks for the opportunity to clarify!
I'm just going to point out that nearly all serrated edges are beveled only on one face. The reality is, most of the time it doesn't matter that much so long as it's sharp, it's just fun to geek out on the stuff - steels, bevels, sharpening techniques, so forth. I'm guilty too, with my KME sharpener and CRK collection.
I’m not an expert but, depending on how extreme of a difference you are talking, foresee edge roll over being a possible downside (basically making it go dull faster than it should). I.e. if you have one side with lots of “beef” behind it, and the other with less, I reckon it is possible that the edge might roll over the less beefy side. Again, I’m not an expert but hope that makes sense and gives you something to think about 😊
Question: DCA help! My nephew's son is having a Bar Mitzvah. I don't know much about the kid (soon to be young man) but I believe that every man should carry a knife. Swiss army knife? Barlow? What would be a good edc knife for him?
I believe Vanax is probably the best all-rounder after Magnacut. Slightly better wear resistance and corrosion resistance than Magnacut (according to Larrin Thomas himself), and similar toughness to S35VN.
Thank you DCA, and also curses. Even if I'm not in the mood for a new knife, you show it off and make it so interesting I have to go spend money... LOL Great job as always!
Hey DCA, could you recommend some EDC knives that don't have a micro bevel that can be sharpened by laying flat on each side, on a strop? Have had good luck with SAKs and Opinel, but they do have a micro bevel. Thoughts?
I think you're describing a Scandi grind, but I'm not aware of any Scandi grind folders they're usually medium size fixed blade "bushcraft" knives. Maybe there's a few. Why the want to find a knife that can be sharpened that way, rather than just sharpening a secondary bevel? It would be faster too, because you don't have to remove so much material along the whole primary bevel, especially if you're using something as slow as a strop.
@@kinguin7 Full flat grind was what I had in mind. The method is simple, cheap and idiot proof. Very little metal is removed, so the blade would last forever. Strops work nicely with softer steels such as the SAK and Opinel inox. Embracing limitations can lead you in interesting directions.
There must’ve been some serious levels of managerial/financial incompetence for a company like them to go under when they have such a strong hold on the knife market’s steels.
Very very very expensive to make steel. Knife purchases don't even put a dent in it. Then with china and all these other countries with cheaper labor, its rough.
The knife market is only a very very VERY small part of crucibles revenue. But crucible isn't going anywhere someone will buy out and restructure, it's to large or a business for it to not happen. Or someone will buy out the IP (compositions) and produce them but cpm steels aren't going anywhere.
Price, looks, comfort, heat treat, geometry, and brand reputation and trust are all more important to me than steel choice after years of experience in skilled trades. Also, lets remember that 1095 can cut through steel pans without damage and its not even considered a very tough steel. People really get caught up in the marketing and worry about things that arent very important
Thank you for all the information DCA. I hope Crucible Industries can turn things around. I see Bradford Knives is experimenting with a Crucible steel they are naming MagnaTUFF. Maybe we should buy those up and help both companies out?
I'd say the S series steels are like a lower performing cousin in MagnaCut. S30V et al have good corrosion resistance, good edge retention, and toughness. Before the S series steels I'd say 154 CM held that niche position.
IMO Vanax would be the steel most analogous to Magnacut. It's not quite as tough, but has slightly better edge retention and it's even more corrosion resistant. The main downside is cost, and it can't achieve hardness over 61-62 hrc.
Random, but that Bill Gates quote was 640KB of RAM which was the most addressable amount at the time without using EMS/XMS trickery , not 16MB... although there's no documented proof that it was ever said at the supposed conference in '81 and Bill Gates also denies saying it, so it's most likely one of those Mandela Effects being passed around at this point.
I’ve got a 440 mystery steel knife from the 80’s. It’s been through heck and back. People need to get out of the super steels cult and realize the old stuff keeps on going.
No doubt brother! I recently got a Civivi Yonder with 14C28N and it definitely performs as well as any of my blades having S35 maybe just not as long in its edge retention only is slightly less than so called high end steels. Honestly what is everyone cutting with their knives where they need a super blade still such as Magnacut. To me it just makes the newer blades coming out cost way way more than they really should. That Yonder has become my favorite daily carry blade thanks to the geometry of the blade itself having so much belly compared to say a Bugout with S35 and the Yonder’s blade slices far better than the Bugout for sure. I’m excited to see what comes out as Magnacut may get harder to get in a blade so many folks will be able to afford something in the 14C rather than the Magnacut stuff out there. Point is for most people 14C is a fantastic steel that has plenty of edge retention. Just saying
The song, “Johnny come lately, there’s a new kid in town” reminds me of these super steels. Before you know there will be a new steel for 2025 and magnacut will be passed by like Cruwear.
I doubt it. Before Magnacut there were incremental improvements -- S30V to S45VN. Its unlikely anything can be be cooked up that combines all the desirable elements of Magnacut and does it even better. Unlikely but not impossible!
There may be an interruption in the supply chain, but I highly doubt the steels will go away. The decision to shut down is financial. For the same reasons, the company will most likely look to sell or license the recipes to other steel manufacturers. Crucible already has a few agreements like this in place although not necessarily for these compositions.
I too think of Magnacut as a better version of S35VN. If I'm looking at a smaller knife, I might prioritize edge retention and go S90V. But for various uses, Magnacut is great. It will be interesting as AI becomes more powerful if some of that power helps create new steels that are even better. Larrin did a video recently about AI, but the queries people were using weren't very well constructed. It takes a lot of strong prompt inputs to get strong responses. And steel data isn't hugely publicly available like other subjects. As for Crucible, apparently they tried to sell off to someone in April and those bidders were just waiting for them to go into bankruptcy to get them for cheap. So even if they do have to file for bankruptcy, it looks like there are many bidders and they will continue to exist likely. They are saying demand has been quite soft and some "reports from former employees suggest that maintenance and investment in equipment have declined, possibly affecting production efficiency".
(Nearly) first comment, repeated question: why do most modern knife manufacturers seem to prefer laser-etched tang markings over stamping, which looks way better imo? Is it simply that the lasers are cheaper?
Cheaper, more effective, less issues with warping, faster, easier and on and on. Just makes the custom knives with what you love more valuable and appreciated
They would have to have multiple stamps for multiple different steels to stamp tangs, some steels are a lot harder than what their letter dies are capable of stamping. It's more econmical to laser etch the tangs.
Didn't hear it mentioned here but ive heard knife sales are a small part of crucibles sales. Knife production is larger than ever so I doubt we are the problem.
Certain business relationships may include grants of unlimited license/ intellectual property rights in the case where the partner closes/goes out of business. The most important form of intellectual property will be patents and any trade secrets around foundry processes or the like. Possibly escrow via lawyers
Sounds like some people are about to get extremely rich. Somebody with vision and drive will swoop in and solve all these issues and ours at the same time. 🙏🙏🙏 I'll meet them @ the top one day.
Dear God how will we ever open our Amazon packages without magnacut.
😂
I think you mean Knifecenter packages
Crucible makes a whole lot of the steels, not just MC
I get the sarcasm, but I just don't open packages. Magnacut came in strong for me at work. It's a massive improvement for me.
Sad. We will open them sad .
DCA's value to knife center is incredibly high. Total subject matter expert now launching into (more or less) business reporting and industry commentary.
he really is quite good
He’s actually the best…
And he’s a real knifer not a RUclips reviewing collector that never uses the knives at all. DCA is the bomb! Seth is darn darn good too! These are real knife pros.
Dude has so much knowledge in his head!
I like when he gets into the weeds lol
You have to assume that Crucible is being severely mismanaged considering their products are in extreme demand for a business that has only grown in recent years.
That's a fair assumption. I mean they literally cannot make the stuff quickly enough to meet demand. So, what's going on?
@@velvetine74 Off-shoring
Knife steels are a small portion of their overall business.
@@billclancy4913 a very tiny portion
I’d be surprised if knife steel is 15% of their production.
As a knifemaker who uses primarily Cruwear and Magnacut, its definitely concerning. Cutlery steel is a small fragment of Crucible's business, so I'm concerned at the priority knife steels will get, and on top of that priority will probably be given to large production companies like Spyderco/Benchmade/etc who will likely be buying up everything they can get their hands on in the coming months to prevent loss of production, and as a small time custom maker steels that are already hard for us to get is about to be a nightmare.
And the cost to obtain said steel will probably skyrocket
@craigslater2321 yeah I'm already seeing the few people who have Magnacut in stock mark it up.
China will be making their own version of MagnaCut steel in 3...2...1... Any day now.
Is Benchmade even on the MC bandwagon yet? I know they dipped back into D2...
@squarebody4546 yeah they got quite a few models in MC
Crucible also had to file for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy back in '09 and they made it out the other side with some significant tweaking. Hopefully they can work things out to stay afloat and be successful again.
While they're not the only high end steel manufacturer here in the states, they're by far the most prolific in the knife market. I highly doubt Carpenter & Latrobe have the capacity or want to fulfill the quantities needed for the knife industry at its current pace (Heck, supply issues were the primary reason Cold Steel switched from CTS-XHP to CPM-S35VN years back).
Bohler-Uddeholm make great stuff, but it's always good to have healthy competition and it'd be sad to see even more of the cutlery manufacturing market exit North America.
I hope China doesn’t buy Crucible.
@DamionJR4923 i just commented with the same thing -- please not a Chinese buyer!
Knife steel is astrology for men
H😂LY SHIIIIIT
...this felt personal 😂
It's proven by science though, lol. I don't understand all of the old boomers who don't think it's real XD. You can literally watch cedric and ada do tests where magnacut cuts 10x more rope than 1095 but people still deny it like it's the moon landing.
Except steel quality has an actual effect in the real world.
Ha ha
take that back or i'll have to find a blade with a good balance of edge retention and toughness for you
Dear Dave, I hope this might help someone asking about comparing performance of a Magnacut blade to another quality blade steel. I've used a Benchmade Barge with a 154CM blade and a Houge Deka with a Mangnacut blade for over a year now on cardboard, plastic banding and other misc. packing materials . For my use the Magnacut is only slightly better than the 154CM for edge holding. I've tried different edge preps. and finishes and a 12-15 degree edge angle being finished with 800 grit SiC wet paper gives me the best performance with either knife. Merry Christmas to all at Knife Center.
8:00 What about Vanax 37? Basically the same as magnacut, just a bit better corrosion resistance.
Newer to knife collecting (unless you count mtech from 2002), so I actually did really appreciate that Magna-Cut explanation, as I'm still learning about all this stuff! Thanks! Maybe I'll retroactively complain about it in older videos while I catch up, hah.
Go look up knifesteelnerds. You can very quickly learn all about 95% of the steels you are ever likely see in knives. Larrin Thomas, the Metalurgist who made MagnaCut, has a bunch of charts, graphs, and articles about steels. He also has a youtube channel. Oh yeah, his dad basically pioneered modern damascus and it was his life dream to make his own knife steel. Id say he hit it out of the park! life dream achieved! And so young too! HIGHLY recommend watching or reading his stuff. No need to guess how good a steel is, or take opinions from people who only use their knives to open amazon boxes. Larrin Thomas will let you know exactly how good each steel is when it comes to toughness, hardness, the balance of the 2 at different hardness levels.... as well as the balance of toughness and edge retention, and how well each steel resists corrosion. He has all sorts of charts and graphs that will tell you the ideal hardnesses for ideal properties, and even tempering and heat treatment tips and everything in between. He single handedly changed the whole knife industry. not just with MagnaCut but with all the easy access hes providing to accurate and incredible information.
Honestly, i have more concern for the few hundred employees than some crazy specific steals.
steels*
It is 153 employees.
Amazon is hiring
@@davidgarrett5671 What's crazy is that they had >1,500 employees when they went bankrupt last time.
They will get other jobs. How do you people not understand basic economics
If theres anything I want in this channel videos beyond DCA and Thomas, its another look at Svotd Carcass Splitter. I been wanting one over a year, but still haven't pulled the trigger! If i do it's definitely coming with me if I go car camping! It would also be kept in plain view so I could admire it often every day
I went from S30V which was the gateway drug and now I'm mainlining Magnacut... my wallet cannot handle this addiction!
My pocket knife goes thru hell daily. S30v was the first good knife I bought the egde chipped all the time. I'm on cpm4 it's awesome hold a edge forever
@@bopeacock1943s35vn is the direct upgrade and a lot better than just the standard s30.
As long as the 14C28N is still around, I'm good 😎✌️
Best steel. Happy living neighbour country from Sweden
Don’t forget “ease of sharpening” in the edge retention,toughness and corrosion resistance values.👍👍👍
Harder to rate because it depends on your sharpening Medium.
99% of things sharpen easily with diamond plates
The 1% being my HIC cermaic but even that works with some elbow grease
I used to have about a dozen of those K55s back in the 60s and 70s. I couldn't even find a store in the Bronx that sold the Buck 110s and just about everyone had K55s. They were only about $2 back then and available in cigar and candy stores in every neighborhood. Like I write, almost everyone had one. Students, Boy Scouts, teachers, moms, garage mechanics, etc. Cheap disposables. With hard use the rivets could pop and sometimes the lock would fail and finger slices would occur. Throw it away and grab another. Eventually all of mine had failed by the end of the 1970s and they had pretty much disappeared from commerce (as had the small cigar stores and candy stores that used to be so prolific in NYC). In 77 I moved away and found a store that had Buck 110s.
I think you’re looking for S35VN as the previous contender for most well rounded steel before MagnaCut. Good toughness, good edge retention, plenty stainless (for the most part). Magnacut just stretches all of that out to a degree we didn’t think was possible without taking a dump on one of the other points.
Which other point
@ as stated, all other points. You can stretch toughness, wear resistance, or stain resistance, but one has to suffer for the other to make headway. Magnacut pulls on all points without making one suffer.
Of all the crucible products MagnaCut is the *least* likely to be impacted…because the formula belongs to Larrin Thomas. I believe his article he just had crucible/Niagara produce/distribute it for him. That would just go elsewhere.
@@Jake-bt3fcsounds like we get Magnacut 2 then.
But, still need to find someone to manufacture it....
@@kinguin7 many manufacturers would jump at the opportunity to "own" one of the most desireable knife steels out there
@@kinguin7 It is like a golden goose so everyone would want to have it
I honestly have been extremely sad about Crucible since I heard they might be shutting down a weak ago! Was about to drain bank account to buy my favorite knives in favorite steels! Crucible makes all my favorites 😢
Nice to see you feature Otter, but you missed the iconic Ankermesser. One of my favorites.
Can you discuss grip characteriatics of higher end scales like CF or Titanium? I feel like I'm paying more for a more slippery grip, is there something I'm missing?
I'm still holding out for micro-electric machine edge knives that can cut a Ford F150 truck in half. If Crucible goes under there will be some other foundries that pick up some of the slack and most of the damage to the industry could be short term, although its a crappy time of year to get that kind of news if you work there. We'll probably lose a few types of steel that don't get picked up by someone else or because they don't get produced in large enough quantities anymore. There could be tool steel from Europe and Japan to offset things, but I don't think the prices will go down as a result.
Mr. DCA....when is your folder going to be available at Knife Center? I've been waiting patiently as I'm sure so have others. Could possibly be my last purchase. I'm not getting any younger!!! Great job to all the crew there at Knife Center.
On the topic of steels: How does knife center decide on the materials for its special edition/sprint runs? Which one is DCA's favorite?
Thomas, keep the on screen antics coming! The thumbs up Clarkston was quality commentary.
Probably more so on "what will sell quicker."
A lot of knife models that are in Magnacut can be really overpriced for no reason, just because it's made with a "super steel". However they shouldn't be. I.E: Hogue Deka, Kershaw Bel Air.
I still remember in the mid 2010's how hyped D2 steel was. Look at it now. Easily a $45 to $55 knife.
@@nicholasevans9627The Bel Air in MC does make sense, the thinness of that blade can be extreme for more brittle steels, but MC can still hold up well if it’s put to harder use than it should be. $150 also covers the origin of manufacture and fit and finish. Speaking of D2, The Irridium and Mini Irridium would be the non super steel Kershaw crossbar lock model I would choose if my budget was less. And would be perfectly fine for most people’s EDC needs. I like the variety, personally.
Oh, and re: D2 being awesome back in the ‘10s, I remember when Knives of Alaska were one of the few brands that used it and everyone in my circles drooled over their offerings. Then, the Rat 1 had some limited edition releases in D2 and I got one of each color lol. It was kind of a big deal lol.
Yeah it was definitely pumped up more than someone just getting into knives and steels today would probably believe.
If it helps your description of the bolster on the Three Rivit, if that shape is used on a grip it is typically referred to as “waisted”.
As a hobby knifemaker, it takes quite a while to get up to speed on a new steel. I've been using mostly S35vn, and Magnacut...I may have to move along to another quality steel. That being said... I have a nice stash, but it won't last for years.
I looove me an Otter Mercator! 💪🥰👍
Always nice to see one!
So I have a question for you DCA, I own a couple of knives one is vanex steel the other is Magnacut. I'm just wondering which is tougher and holds an edge better one last thing which is easier to sharpen when it comes time. Love the channel thanks for everything.
I’m making all my tactical folders from 1080 from now on out. I’m spray painting them to avoid rust.
Other than the gerber prybrid X using the exact blade which holders do you carry?
Probably the wrong video for this but can you make your website search have an “exclude” button? Like I want to look at every blade type but hawkbill. Currently I have to slowly click on all of the other blade styles one at a time and wait for the site to reload with each selection just to remove one style. It’s very cumbersome.
Yessss @Knifecenter add this! Or a select all button that checks every box, so we can un-check one box.
Vanax Steel would also be another high performing steel, it actually does a little better in corrosion resistance and edge retention than magnacut per Larrin Thomas' rankings on his site, while having similar toughness to S35VN. He even specifically calls it out as his recommendation for applications requiring extreme corrosion resistance.
Hey DCA, what would your recommendation be for a straight razor? Also, does knife center have any double edge safety razors and double edge blades?
Greetings Knife FAQ team, I live in a rural Colorado mountain community where carrying a fixed blade daily is not uncomfortable on either side of the carry, and I often pair a Helle Didi Galgalu with a We Banter 2 to be the most preferred EDC for me with the knife I’ve found to be most my most preffered ‘If I only had one’, and I am curious which two knives you would pair for the same conceptual pairing?
Where does Elmax fall in regard to Magnacut/S45VN in your opinion?
CPM Magnacut is the first innovative alloy in generations. It pleased makers and users the way 440C did in it's heyday. CPM Magnacut actually is good because it eliminates or reduces formation of Chromium Carbides! No one knew how or wanted to try to before Dr Thomas developed it. There's yet more innovation in the future still to be had, it just takes gumption and effort.
16:59 into the video. How does one slice cheese or veggies with a light saber?
Looking forward to getting one in Magnacarp.
Magnacrap*
Question for DCA do you have an oversized keyboard?
Dave et al, long been a fan of the old smaller Gerber Guardian. Are there similar modern tactical fixed blade knives of a similar size and cool factor? For me this has long been a favorite but tech marches on and there may be developments and knives in this niche that are under my radar.
(Name pronounced Tree-Oh-Low with nice Sicilian accent on the second syllable.)
Why is the channel mascot not mounted on the wall for these videos?
@@ligaar0849 they have a mascot?
They don't want to scare the normies.
I live in a region where knives that can be opened via centrifugal force are illegal. In essence, if the knife can be opened via momentum or via something like a cross-bar lock, it is prohibited. Can you recommend some pocket knives that meet these requirements (excluding slip joints). The Spyderco Delica, for example, meets the requirements.
What region would that be? 🤔
@johnruiz6743 the region of Canada. The great state of no freedom lol.
You can have a cross bar lock in Canada from what I understand. You may not import as an individual.
The CRKT redemption for example is available at House of Knives in Canada. They must be imported by a business with a firearms license. Bass Pro Shops in Canada also carry flippers.
@@aaronh305 unfortunately, there are some incorrect assumptions here. Just because these types of knives are sold in Canada, it doesn't mean they are legal. If you read the legislation, cross-bar locks are 100% prohibited. Same with the compression locks from Spyderco and any button lock systems. Frankly, I think the law is insane and produces no value - much like the bulk of Canadian jurisprudence.
If you can flick the knife open with centrifugal force, it's illegal. But, spydey-flicking a Native 5, for, example is fine. The lock-back and lack of pivot bearings make it impossible to shake/or flick open.
This will probably be the best year for knife sales in history, with folks buying knives while they are available, before the new suppliers charge a fortune and jack up the price 25%.
Crucible Industries does not do only knife steel. They also supply tool steel for so many manufacturers. Hopefully they can get some help like HD and auto manifacturers. We must keep our companies open in the U.S. to rebuild the economy.👍🏻😁
Hi Sir
Building from the "steel peak!" question.
Does the constant evolution of CPM products risk devaluing or undermining their previous successes?
I mean, does Magnacut make S30V look budget and reduce its profitability?
Let's hope that Crucible comes through this intact
Take care
Graham
The Otter Messer knives are quality knives, I love the German Mercator K55K (Black Cat) in carbon steel.
I’ve heard LC200N is arguably tougher than magnacut but not quite as good of edge retention at the same hardness. That true?
a new magnacut is already in the works. Bradford knives had some for sale recently..!
Still did as of late last night. If I had an extra $200 rn I would've grabbed one
@@mrmouse-ol9pw yea I didn't get one either just looked hah
Are you referencing "Magnatuff?" If so, that was a joke name they gave to a proto steel.
I was waiting for a reason to add their 3.2 and that was it. They used to do soft ass magnacut, then recently added proper hrc magnacut, then finally added the prototype steel.
I have 3 guardian 3s, now. Lol
Thanks for the heads-up, and now await my order of hrc 63-64 "magnatuff" Guardian 3.2.
According to Larrin's father, this prototype steel is like a stainless K390, which is AWESOME in my opinion!
I love Magnacut and K390, so having the extra edge retention, would be stellar.
love my old carbon steel not sweating it
What about elmax? Isn't it fairly well rounded with slightly lesser capabilities in each 3 catagories?
I remember Carpenter at one point having a proprietary equivalent to S30V.
I had to pause and look it up because I could only remember part of it but it was called CTS-BD30P. Never owned any of it, although I do feel like I remember Spyderco using it at one point maybe.
Absolutely right! I have a Manix 2 (sprint run) with this steel.
Hey, just starting to get into sharpening. Are there any benefits or downsides to having a high edge angle on one side and a low edge angle on the other? And whats the lowest you should go on an edge angle?
Answering from a woodworking perspective - basically all my cutting tools are chisel-ground (no angle on the back and all the angle on the bevel side), which is very helpful in that context. If I want to use the large back of the chisel to cut a tenon flat, I want the cutting edge to be in line with that back. Alternately, if I'm chiseling a curve, I use it bevel-down which allows the chisel to ride the curve better. The same thing applies to whittling/carving knives, which is why so many have a full scandi grind.
If you had a pocket knife with a full chisel grind (to take your question to the extreme), you might find yourself needing to hold it in one hand or the other depending on the direction you needed to make the cut and whether you wanted the flat back or bevel edge down.
If it were less extreme, you'd still find that the blade would be pushed in the direction of the lower angle side, which may have its uses, but in general probably isn't what you want.
@@Jake-bt3fc he asked about a high edge angle on one side and a low edge angle on the other side. A chisel grind is the extreme end of that situation, where one angle is 0° and the other is 25°-30°. Thanks for the opportunity to clarify!
I'm just going to point out that nearly all serrated edges are beveled only on one face. The reality is, most of the time it doesn't matter that much so long as it's sharp, it's just fun to geek out on the stuff - steels, bevels, sharpening techniques, so forth. I'm guilty too, with my KME sharpener and CRK collection.
I’m not an expert but, depending on how extreme of a difference you are talking, foresee edge roll over being a possible downside (basically making it go dull faster than it should).
I.e. if you have one side with lots of “beef” behind it, and the other with less, I reckon it is possible that the edge might roll over the less beefy side.
Again, I’m not an expert but hope that makes sense and gives you something to think about 😊
Cruwear, elmax, S35VN are some of my favorite steels.
Question: DCA help! My nephew's son is having a Bar Mitzvah. I don't know much about the kid (soon to be young man) but I believe that every man should carry a knife. Swiss army knife? Barlow? What would be a good edc knife for him?
I believe Vanax is probably the best all-rounder after Magnacut.
Slightly better wear resistance and corrosion resistance than Magnacut (according to Larrin Thomas himself), and similar toughness to S35VN.
Vanax is also significantly more expensive and they don’t make a huge amount of it.
@Cry42 that's true. I said that in terms of performance only.
Thank you DCA, and also curses. Even if I'm not in the mood for a new knife, you show it off and make it so interesting I have to go spend money... LOL Great job as always!
Hey DCA, could you recommend some EDC knives that don't have a micro bevel that can be sharpened by laying flat on each side, on a strop? Have had good luck with SAKs and Opinel, but they do have a micro bevel. Thoughts?
I think you're describing a Scandi grind, but I'm not aware of any Scandi grind folders they're usually medium size fixed blade "bushcraft" knives. Maybe there's a few.
Why the want to find a knife that can be sharpened that way, rather than just sharpening a secondary bevel? It would be faster too, because you don't have to remove so much material along the whole primary bevel, especially if you're using something as slow as a strop.
@@kinguin7 Full flat grind was what I had in mind. The method is simple, cheap and idiot proof. Very little metal is removed, so the blade would last forever. Strops work nicely with softer steels such as the SAK and Opinel inox. Embracing limitations can lead you in interesting directions.
Is Vanax Superclean a Magnacut competitor?
It is crazy that magnacut at 63hrc has the same toughness as cruwear at its max toughness, and it’s super stainless to boot.
Is the carcass splitter for sale
There must’ve been some serious levels of managerial/financial incompetence for a company like them to go under when they have such a strong hold on the knife market’s steels.
Very very very expensive to make steel. Knife purchases don't even put a dent in it. Then with china and all these other countries with cheaper labor, its rough.
The knife market is only a very very VERY small part of crucibles revenue. But crucible isn't going anywhere someone will buy out and restructure, it's to large or a business for it to not happen. Or someone will buy out the IP (compositions) and produce them but cpm steels aren't going anywhere.
Something fundamental must have been wacky. Most businesses cannot sustain wacky. 😂
Quality might go.
First ive heard.. don't they have major government contracts too?? how???
Dave, can you recommend a 3 inch EDC knife with a finger hole around $60 that comes with a Kydex sheath. Keep up the good work.
The Kizer Cabot is a nice one
Price, looks, comfort, heat treat, geometry, and brand reputation and trust are all more important to me than steel choice after years of experience in skilled trades. Also, lets remember that 1095 can cut through steel pans without damage and its not even considered a very tough steel. People really get caught up in the marketing and worry about things that arent very important
We need steel made in our Country for more important things then knifes this company isn't closing.
I hope 20cv survives this and m4 both under appreciated
Hey, DCA and Thomas. I'm looking for an old-school classic looking Italian "switch blade" automatic. HELP!
Perhaps Crucible should relocate to a business friendly state like Texas🤷♂️
Thank you for all the information DCA.
I hope Crucible Industries can turn things around. I see Bradford Knives is experimenting with a Crucible steel they are naming MagnaTUFF. Maybe we should buy those up and help both companies out?
HRC 63-64 "magnatuff" Guardian 3.2 is on it's way....
Love showing support to Bradford and Crucible!
I hope Crucible can get their business in order.
@@TheScotchaholic Nicely done! ! I've ordered a 3.2 in the MagnaTuff myself. These will be epic knives.
I'm hoping for the best for Crucible as well.
I'd say the S series steels are like a lower performing cousin in MagnaCut. S30V et al have good corrosion resistance, good edge retention, and toughness. Before the S series steels I'd say 154 CM held that niche position.
IMO Vanax would be the steel most analogous to Magnacut. It's not quite as tough, but has slightly better edge retention and it's even more corrosion resistant. The main downside is cost, and it can't achieve hardness over 61-62 hrc.
Random, but that Bill Gates quote was 640KB of RAM which was the most addressable amount at the time without using EMS/XMS trickery , not 16MB... although there's no documented proof that it was ever said at the supposed conference in '81 and Bill Gates also denies saying it, so it's most likely one of those Mandela Effects being passed around at this point.
I knew it was a laughably small number by today's conventions. Best I could remember off the top of my head. --Thomas
@@knifecenter It's all good, keep doin' what yo doin', we appreciate ya!
Same ratios but less? Was 440 C.
Sort of looking forward to getting a pocket knife in super high hardness 80crv2.
Glad I got a recon 1 in magnacut before they go out 😂
So what steel is tops if stainlessness is not a consideration? Corrosion is relative when it comes to tool steels.
CPM Cruwear, 3V, or M4 are solid options. Udenholm makes a steel called Sleipner which is a significantly cheaper alternative that I also enjoy.
K390 right at the top, for that question.
My German cousin gave me a Meerkat many years ago - it's a really cool critter!
😂
why is spyderco disconinuing k390??????
Back to 1095 and 440C lol.
We survived for years on them. I love Buck's 420hc.
I’ve got a 440 mystery steel knife from the 80’s. It’s been through heck and back. People need to get out of the super steels cult and realize the old stuff keeps on going.
K390 it is.
And d2 😂
7:56 14C28N. It's not gonna hit the edge retention as hard but close enough. It's cheaper too.
No doubt brother! I recently got a Civivi Yonder with 14C28N and it definitely performs as well as any of my blades having S35 maybe just not as long in its edge retention only is slightly less than so called high end steels. Honestly what is everyone cutting with their knives where they need a super blade still such as Magnacut. To me it just makes the newer blades coming out cost way way more than they really should. That Yonder has become my favorite daily carry blade thanks to the geometry of the blade itself having so much belly compared to say a Bugout with S35 and the Yonder’s blade slices far better than the Bugout for sure. I’m excited to see what comes out as Magnacut may get harder to get in a blade so many folks will be able to afford something in the 14C rather than the Magnacut stuff out there. Point is for most people 14C is a fantastic steel that has plenty of edge retention. Just saying
Another 14c28n fan boy here 😊
I think Vanax does pretty good on balance
The song, “Johnny come lately, there’s a new kid in town” reminds me of these super steels. Before you know there will be a new steel for 2025 and magnacut will be passed by like Cruwear.
I doubt it. Before Magnacut there were incremental improvements -- S30V to S45VN. Its unlikely anything can be be cooked up that combines all the desirable elements of Magnacut and does it even better. Unlikely but not impossible!
There may be an interruption in the supply chain, but I highly doubt the steels will go away. The decision to shut down is financial. For the same reasons, the company will most likely look to sell or license the recipes to other steel manufacturers. Crucible already has a few agreements like this in place although not necessarily for these compositions.
I too think of Magnacut as a better version of S35VN. If I'm looking at a smaller knife, I might prioritize edge retention and go S90V. But for various uses, Magnacut is great. It will be interesting as AI becomes more powerful if some of that power helps create new steels that are even better. Larrin did a video recently about AI, but the queries people were using weren't very well constructed. It takes a lot of strong prompt inputs to get strong responses. And steel data isn't hugely publicly available like other subjects. As for Crucible, apparently they tried to sell off to someone in April and those bidders were just waiting for them to go into bankruptcy to get them for cheap. So even if they do have to file for bankruptcy, it looks like there are many bidders and they will continue to exist likely. They are saying demand has been quite soft and some "reports from former employees suggest that maintenance and investment in equipment have declined, possibly affecting production efficiency".
(Nearly) first comment, repeated question: why do most modern knife manufacturers seem to prefer laser-etched tang markings over stamping, which looks way better imo? Is it simply that the lasers are cheaper?
Cheaper, more effective, less issues with warping, faster, easier and on and on. Just makes the custom knives with what you love more valuable and appreciated
They would have to have multiple stamps for multiple different steels to stamp tangs, some steels are a lot harder than what their letter dies are capable of stamping. It's more econmical to laser etch the tangs.
Do you think Crucable are going to send the licences of all their steels to other steel companies ..?
Didn't hear it mentioned here but ive heard knife sales are a small part of crucibles sales. Knife production is larger than ever so I doubt we are the problem.
Supply goes down demand goes up. limited supply offered at higher prices, less imported alternatives due to expensive tariffs.
It's a huge deal in Syracuse, where I live. Hopefully they figure out what to do. They are a big employer.
Certain business relationships may include grants of unlimited license/ intellectual property rights in the case where the partner closes/goes out of business.
The most important form of intellectual property will be patents and any trade secrets around foundry processes or the like. Possibly escrow via lawyers
How wonderful. Another so-called justification to increase prices even further. Merry Christmas to all and to all a good price.
My wife asked me if there is a best time to get a good price on knives...like vehicles tend to be cheaper when there's a model change.
Sounds like Niagra is actually the key player. And the exact same boutique steels will still be available just different brand names.
What about 154CM?
I was flying with Otter so many times, somehow it’s not alarming, comfortable for cheep backpack trevels
On could argue that (on a lower level but still) 154CM and maybe 420HC/440C are "old school balanced steels"
Hi DCA, great stuff! What brands are you keeping an eye on for 2025?
Vosteed, Kershaw, Karbon. -DCA
Wouldn't Vanex come close to magnacut just a little less toughness but better edge retention and corrosion resistance?
Vanax Superclean is definitely equal to magnacut! Though it's not as tough, but a bit superior corrosion resistance and edge retention! 🤔
@@johnruiz6743higher edge retention and lower toughness, means its an inferior steel, more brittle.
Larin Thomas owns the formulation. He could get carpenter or boker to make it
Sounds like some people are about to get extremely rich. Somebody with vision and drive will swoop in and solve all these issues and ours at the same time. 🙏🙏🙏 I'll meet them @ the top one day.
There is a tool in the book Battlefield Earth that manipulates metal particles; the first setting separates and the second setting welds.
As long as there is M390. I'm all gooood! 😊
Damn, never thought I’d be buying myself a new knife four days before Christmas. Gotta get that Bel Air before it’s gone, tho. 😬😂