Re: crkt choices
cheapo said:
ok... now, reading that, i would like to know.... can you point out to me similar knives but made with harder metals? I am really looking into somthing that i would rarely have to sharpen.
this knife is harder isnt it> :
http://crkt.com/elock.html
-David
I would guess that it isn't as good as the byrd at edge retention, but better than the point guard (it does list as being harder than the point guard, but not as hard as the byrd). Keep in mind that this is only a guess. I base this guess on my experience with my CRKT M-18-02R (which is also AUS8 at the same hardness as the e-lock). Based on that experience, the byrd holds an edge better but is slightly harder to sharpen.
Truth is, there is more than just hardness that goes into how well a knife holds it's edge. I can only speek from the experience that I have. I've had three different CRKT's in AUS6 that didn't hold an edge very well by my standards. I have one CRKT in AUS8 that I found to be satisfactory in that area. The E-lock may be better, or it may be worse. If it's worse, then it isn't because of the steel IMHO.
I will say that if you can get a Spyderco Delica 4 for close to the same price then that is your best bet. I've used knives from two different manufactures with VG-10 blades, and have formed the opinion that that is my best option. It holds an edge better that the others mentioned, but isn't very hard to sharpen for some reason (probably the make up of the steel).
For some people, the AUS6 isn't a bad deal. They may not use the knife much and prefer the softer steel for sharpening. People usually look for a "harder steel" knife because they don't want sharpen as often. This can sometimes be due to a lack of sharpening skills on thier part. Problem is that the knife will eventually get dull, and need sharpening. Then, it's harder to sharpen. If you will be using the knife frequently enough, you'll probably have to invest in a sharpening system (that's what I did), or improve your sharpening skills. for someone who won't be using the knife that much, the AUS6 wouldn't be a bad choice. There are always tradeoffs. I personally believe that the AUS8 would be better, and the VG-10 even better than the AUS8.
At the price of the Point Guard, it may well be a good knife to improve your sharpening skills on. Cheap enough that you won't mind messing up, the steel is soft so that if you do mess up it isn't so hard to repair. IMHO, at that price it would be worth buying just to practice sharpening serrations.