Indians For Guns

Hi Guys,

Due to some conversations on the forum my old hobby of collecting sharp things has surfaced again but I want to do it right this time rather than buying shiny things from village fairs and chor bazaars so I've got a couple of questions for you knowledgeable people.

*What is the preferred steel for knives? I know Damascus is the best but what other steels are good?
*How to take care of knives? Does one have to oil them as guns?
*What is the best material for knife handle?

These are questions from a newbie so please be kind …

-Inder

Hey Kanwar..

You might like to check this up .. Had come across this article ocne in the usual yahoo question/answer thingy .. hope it helps. Quite liked some of the phrases quoted here..

http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles2/locicero98.html

Jumy.

"*What is the preferred steel for knives? I know Damascus is the best but what other steels are good? "

That`s a bit like asking how long is a piece of string ? .................

Firstly, damascus isn`t a type of steel as such but a method of construction. Damascus is made from a minimum of two different types of steel or iron folded through multiple laminations.
What determines the best material for a blade is usually reckoned to be the hardest material available but that doesn`t tell the whole story. Stainless steels are invariably harder than carbon steels but can be very difficult to sharpen. Carbon steels take an edge more easily but also lose them more easily. Powdered Steels are often reckoned to be the best but they are used virtually exclusively by Swedish knifemakers......and not many of those. Powdered steel requires specialist techniques and equipment for its manufacture and processing.
Something else that Scandinavian knifemakers have been doing for many years is laminating steels - usually a core of high carbon steel to provide the cutting edge, sandwiched between two layers ( one each side ) of a stainless steel which provides rust, stain and scratch resistance.
Possibly the best blades currently in production are those using an SGPS ( Super Gold Powdered Steel ) core laminated between a sandwich of a specialist stainless steel. About the only company making such blades are the Swedish company Fallkniven :
http://www.fallkniven.com/eng_fallkniven_2007.pdf
In case anyone is feeling particularly generous I`d like a TK3 Black Quince.
The Fallkniven TKs have the best and longest lasting edges of any blade that I`ve ever handled.
The matter of what makes the best material for a handle is also subjective. Ideally the grip should be none slippery but also comfortable. Wrapped string/cord is excellent from the aspect of being very grippy but is pretty hard on the hands/fingers. Raw leather is good - except when wet. Polished leather might look very attractive but provides poor grip. Antler/horn can be very good - but not when polished. Wood and bone are often very attractive but need serrations for grip - hopeless if polished.
I have a Buck Gut hook Zipper-R here at the moment which has a smooth rubber handle - very comfortable and very grippy even when wet.
It has to be said that the matter of the grip material is much more important with a large knife that might get severe use rather than with a pocket folder.

Grumpy,

Did some searching on the net on damascus steel.Correct me if I am wrong(have no knowledge other than what I read on the net).

1.Crucible steel or true damascus.This is the real damascus steel in which the pattern arises as a aresult of the presence of certain minerals in small,specific quantities,either naturally or as a result of being added later.

2.Pattern welded steel.This is infact what is being refferred to as damascus these days.It consists of alternating layers of low carbon and high carbon steel welded together.Infact it's not damascus steel in the true sense of the word

penpusher

You are right penpusher! True Damascus or Wootz steel was made from (ukku)ingots of carbonised steel made in India.The unique patterns due to cementite/ pearlite and carbide impurities in the steel gave it a distinct look which was prized.It has been described as "fine ants crawling on the blade".
What is commonly referred to as damascus nowadays is pattern welded steel.
Even true damascus is not necessarily the best steel for a knife in this day and age.
There is a wide variety of hi tech steels for knifemaking.
Yaj.

Thanks a lot for your input guys..

-Inder

Absolutely correct Suhkpreet - what is referred to as `Damascus` steel nowadays is, in fact, pattern welded steel however the term is in widespread use and people generally know to what it refers. The fact is that if you buy a `damascus` blade what you are getting is a pattern welded blade........`Damascus` sounds nicer though !

Peter Hjortberger who owns Fallkniven is known to Johan and has bought a MacMillan rifle from him. If there is interest among the members here, we could organise a group purchase of knives from the company with the IFG logo.

Be happy to hear from members on this topic.

Cheers!

Definately intrested,count me in.
Thanks
Sanjay

Sure, go for it Mehul
man, you should see the grin on my face reading your post-an 'IFG ed' Fallkniven.Adjective, adjective
Grumpy:
WM13G?
Best
Axx

"man, you should see the grin on my face reading your post-an 'IFG ed' Fallkniven.Adjective, adjective
Grumpy:
WM13G?
Best
Axx"

?????? He`s doing it again - what the dickens does : "Adjective, adjective
Grumpy:
WM13G?"
mean ?

By the way, a TK3 retails for about £110 in the UK.......except for the one with the Mother of Pearl scales which is over £170.

Grumpy,

I don't know a thing about the prices etc - being a knife Philistine, I have never looked at a knife as anything other than a tool. I stillg et the hives when some people buy knives that cost as much as a production centrefire rifle.

I just noticed that the company was Swedish and when I asked Johan when we talked today, he told me that he knew the owner and that he had sold him a rifle some time ago. I had mentioned to Johan that some time ago we were looking at getting an IFG knife commissioned and he told me that if we wanted to get an IFG knife commissioned with Fallkniven, he would gladly put me in direct touch with the company's owner.

Let's see how this works - if there is sufficient interest, then I'll talk to the gentleman and whoever wants a knife could then place an order directly with him.

Cheers!

Asif,

So I am not the only one.What a relief.I thought I had become stupid.Agree with Grumpy.Can't understand what you say many times.Too many abbreviations.Must be the North -South divide

Mehul,

Count me out on this if the knife costs 110 pounds.Too expensive plus the hassle of getting it here.

penpusher

If you guys are serious about ordering IFG knives for us members, please count me in. I'd rather you ordered the top quality knife that is a prized possession,good enough for all practicle purposes and also an heirloom for the next IFG generation to come.
Marksman

He`s doing it again - what the dickens does : "Adjective, adjective
Grumpy:
WM13G?"

WM13G is a model-also in the link you posted.
Thought this is a family site -so will tone down to HOT D&^* mates!! fallkniven rules,OK

See penpusher, no N-S divide
Best
Axx