my blade fetish is becoming mental

[Geno]

American made is the best way for knives. Thats best i have for u. Anywhere else uses a cheaper metal that isnt as tough.

[Paytience]

Originally Posted by Chill Phil

There's a place called Scheel's out here...it's a one stop shop for all redneck needs. Guns, ammo, knives, sports hats and jerseys, energy drinks, beef jerky, animal calls, there's even a Ferris wheel for kids.

Anyway, I bought a pistol there and they had some really nice blades there. They can get pretty expensive, but I don't know enough about blades to make a smart purchase. After I sold my gun I've been really wanting a good blade that keeps it's edge...but again, I don't even know what direction to even go in.

I've been to a scheels I think. What state is that?
And what are you looking for in a knife? What use? What size range? Price range? etc. I could shoot you out a bunch of recmmendations. Or you could get a mora companion for 15 bucks an dbe done with it. Seriously...I've had Mora deckhanding in Alaska, usee the same one to start a fire glacier hiking...used the same one to clean deer at home and to pig hunt in Texas. And I skin my bros apples with it. Just get a mora companion.

Edge holding is good for most jobs, and it's really easy to sharpen snce it's a scandi grind. Just put the edge flat on a rock and scrape it. Rea0eat n the other side.

[Paytience]

Originally Posted by Genocide

American made is the best way for knives. Thats best i have for u. Anywhere else uses a cheaper metal that isnt as tough.

This isn't true. Swedish, Norwegian and Japanese made knives are all excellent steels. And half the steels in american knives are made in China. Quality control is better in the u.s., but a lot of u.s. companies manufacturing overseas, and have tightened down their qc a lot.

What you pay for with u.s. knives is a guaranteed fit and finish and a guaranteed quality of build and heat treat. Toughness of steel is an adjustable thing and the desired toughness/hardness/resistances of each steel varies or is adjusted accordngly. Buck 420hc is tougher than Aogami blue. That doesn't mean it's better...the aogami blue is gonna have far superior sharpness and edge holding. You trade...batch steels in China can have issues, but for the most part steel quality is really good world wide.

Heat treating is the biggest difference, and that is internally controlled by each company.