Tandy Stohlman Round/head knife steel

[dirkba]

Hi Charon,

Email sent!

Don't want to hijack this thread!

 

[sheathmaker]

I've been using round knives (or head knives) for so long that I rarely even pick up another knife except for edge skiving or window cut out for inlays on very light weight leather.

Over the years I have accumulated 11 various round knives and only one of them is not a custom made knife.  It is an old Osborne that I had Danny Marlin reprofile for me and, of course, it's a terrific old knife. Danny Marlin is a really good maker and he uses a lot of L6 steel (repurposed circle saw blades).  Terry Knipscheild (Knip Knives) is another very excellent maker as is Joshua Fields (Fields Made Knives).  I recently got another gifted to me by T K Steingess which is only .039 thousandths thick made of AEB-L steel and it cuts like a laser.  Thinner (to a point) is better, but that .039 is about the thin limit.  My favorite thickness is .040 to.045  Any way the steel and the heat treat is the secret to  great sharpness and long edge holding life, and unfortunately those steels cost a bit more,  but considering the knife will literally last a lifetime or more the $200 to $250 you pay for a real quality custom isn't too bad in the long run.

If you're like me, once you get used to the round knife, you'll never go back to the pull cut utility knives.

Edited May 28, 2018 by sheathmaker