carbon12
What measures are you using to say it is "pretty average steel"??
Just my thinking here, but--
I think the steel out of the Solingen region was good quality high carbon steel. I don't think that the production blades were heat treated much more than the mid 50s Rc. That way outdoorsmen could set around the campfire, open a can of beans with their knife without breaking off the tip and then tell stories while sharpening their knives with some spit and a soft Arkansas stone.
I have never tested the Rc of any old production knives, but I would be interested in hearing results if someone has. I have one such knife on hand, maybe I should get it tested.
I did purchase some "Solingen" blades for knives around the early 1990s. I should get one of them that I kept tested too. They were pretty easy to sharpen ----and easy to rust.
When I say average, They perform on par with vintage Old Hickory and vintage Case carbon steel kitchen knives. Not great but not bad either. Easy to sharpen but need a swipe of two on a steel after a few cuts. And like you say, easy to rust.
