Thanks, not the first time I've heard that. If you go with stainless, I'd much rather have my CPM154 than Randall's 440C. Good grief..what were they thinking? Of course, that was basically all they had back in the day...they just never changed. Like their O1 carbon..but feel there are better choices there too.
Thanks for the kind words.
You only live once, but...if you do it right, once is enough.
Thanks, not the first time I've heard that. If you go with stainless, I'd much rather have my CPM154 than Randall's 440C. Good grief..what were they thinking? Of course, that was basically all they had back in the day...they just never changed. Like their O1 carbon..but feel there are better choices there too.
Thanks, not the first time I've heard that. If you go with stainless, I'd much rather have my CPM154 than Randall's 440C. Good grief..what were they thinking? Of course, that was basically all they had back in the day...they just never changed. Like their O1 carbon..but feel there are better choices there too.
Thanks for the kind words.
Randall is using 440B, not 440C. Sadly.
B? Lord they might as well be grinding pot metal.
You only live once, but...if you do it right, once is enough.
Honestly, I can't figure out why they stay with that steel. Well, other than the fact that they sell every knife they make and have a 5 year waiting list.
I would not rate 440B as a bad steel. And I would not be surprised if Randall has the chemistry of the steel it buys tweaked to their own specs. Other makers have done such. Sometimes giving the steel their own name.
Wondering? Any reports of Randalls not holding an edge???
Last edited by michiganroadkill; 08/22/17.
"The significant problems we face cannot be solved at the same level of thinking we were at when we created them." Albert Einstein
At Khe Sanh a sign read "For those who fight for it, life has a flavor the protected never knew".
I think you could tweak and heat treat the chit outta 440B and still beat it easily by miles with a dozen other steels. Chris Reeve uses S30V but ran it at 57-58 Rc. What's the point of that? Easy to touch up but at 58 Rc you aren't coming near the potential for S30V.
Every normal man must be tempted, at times, to spit on his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin slitting throats.
With all those high priced, long wait period knives out there, I just wondered if there were any reports on Randall 440B edge holding. I am sure to OP would like to know the same. Anyone know the Rc they heat treat to?????
For reference 440B spec is .75-.95 % carbon content and 440C is .95-1.2 % carbon content. The rest of the specs are the same.
Also for ref: 154CM is 440C with 4% less Chromium, 0.5% less Manganese and 3.5% more Molybdenum. S30V has 0.4% more Carbon, no Manganese, 4% more Vanadium and 2% less Molybdenum than 154CM.
But OMG what a big difference in performance to the user in the field. Yeah right. They are Not miles apart.
Geometry and heat treat is often miles apart.
Just my own thoughts.
"The significant problems we face cannot be solved at the same level of thinking we were at when we created them." Albert Einstein
At Khe Sanh a sign read "For those who fight for it, life has a flavor the protected never knew".
440B is not the best choice by a long shot, tweaked or not
The diff. between 154 and S30V are a diff. conversation, but 440B is not in the same league. It is just subpar compared to almost any other stainless today...
I am not suggesting for makers to change to 440B. A higher carbon content gives better results for sure. Maybe not miles apart though.
I do not remember ever hearing anyone report on Randall Knives edge holding, regardless of the steel used. Still would like to hear some actual hands on experience with Randalls and with 440B steel. I am also wondering what Rc they treat it to.
Since Bo was inspired by Bill Scagel, I would think their blades would be well heat treated. I have no idea why they would go to 440B vs something a bit better, but.......
Grind on. Tim
"The significant problems we face cannot be solved at the same level of thinking we were at when we created them." Albert Einstein
At Khe Sanh a sign read "For those who fight for it, life has a flavor the protected never knew".
i sold the ones i had a couple of years ago. nothing wrong with them at all, and they're everthing that folks say they are. extremely well built and nice in every way. i'm just getting old, and having anything high-end in this area isn't practical and i'd as soon have the money as to have some pinhead ex-con sell my stuff at the pawn shop for his daily bread. i use inexpensive easily replaceable cutlery for everything now.
Taking the money, and using it help move?
I couldn't imagine living in a place where you are afraid to have something nice.
My dad was a pharmacist's mate. He was in the south pacific for 36 months. He made 9 island incursions in WWII. My understanding is that when he mustered out, the captain ordered a general quarters and had all the torpedos and the meds inspected. Seems dad refused to let any GI's be in pain. Evidently the stores of morphine were depleted and the captain was afraid that the propellant from the torpedos had been distilled into hooch. At 70, years, when I was 40, ya' give the man a hoe and he could work me down. At 80 he could do one-arm push-ups.
So a song such as this..........
Anywho,
One of the things I've always liked about the knife forum here on 24 hour is the lack of contention that seems to be "stock in trade" these days on so many forums.
Randall's may not be all that, but what the hey.
One of my buds has a sticker in the back window of his truck. It states "cause I can".
don't have a clue what steel, but this one skint' out this bear!
and has skint' out a number of hoglets, and has not needed to be resharpened or even touched up!
I figure, if it works............
ya!
GWB
PS: as an aside, my dad had a Coon-Azz bud. The ship they were on was the USS President Adams for 36 months during WWII. The Adams and and three other troop transports were "dubbed" the "unholy four"
Anywho, my dad and Griff remained lifelong friends. One year Griff and his family would come to Texas. Next year we'd go there. My dad would never ask directions. Many a nite I spent in the floorboard of the family car while we went up and down the roads along the Mississippi river, lost, while heading to visit. Dad passed in October of 09. Griff passed six months later. We did not take many vacations when I was a kid. The Alamo, and the Griffins......
His son Charles, who once remarked "we lived so far back in the swamps of Louisiana, that he did not know that there were any other white kids in the world other than his sister and me and my brothers till he got into high school", gave me this Randall, so you know it's special!