Marbles Knives
- Thread starter Don
- Start date
From the start (1899 or so) til 1998, the steel was 1095 or something very similar. Heat treatment seemed to vary a bit, judging by hardness and the "feel" of the knife on a stone, but hardness seemed to hover around 54-55 HRC. 1998-2001 (the "Mike Stewart era") they mostly used 52100. After 2001, I lost interest but as I recall the steel switched several times.
I've had a few dozen over the years, never managed to get my hands on either of the two models I really liked: the Dall Deweese and the 4" Ideal pattern (IIRC, they called it a "canoe knife"). I've made several versions of the Dall Deweese, but seem to trade them off almost as soon as I finish them.
I've had a few dozen over the years, never managed to get my hands on either of the two models I really liked: the Dall Deweese and the 4" Ideal pattern (IIRC, they called it a "canoe knife"). I've made several versions of the Dall Deweese, but seem to trade them off almost as soon as I finish them.
L Ross
Well-Known Member
I have two. The one on the left was my paternal Grandfathers. I got it without a sheath probably 55 years ago. I made the sheath when I was in High School. The other one started out as a normal Woodscraft I bought at a rummage sale for 25¢. I was using it at the sod farm I was working at again when I was in High School. One day when I was not around some buffoon took my knife on a powered grinder to "sharpen" it.
Of course to me it was ruined. Eventually I filed and filed and reshaped the blade and fitted a two piece walnut handle that is epoxied around the old tang. The handle is so comfortable in the hand as to be surprising. I polished the blade and years later I browned it with Birchwood Casey brown when I built a 12 ga. side by side percussion shotgun and had the browning solution on hand.
Of course to me it was ruined. Eventually I filed and filed and reshaped the blade and fitted a two piece walnut handle that is epoxied around the old tang. The handle is so comfortable in the hand as to be surprising. I polished the blade and years later I browned it with Birchwood Casey brown when I built a 12 ga. side by side percussion shotgun and had the browning solution on hand.
Ain' no flies on 1095!
One of my favorite knife steels. There are plenty of new "boutique" steels out there today, which I applaud for their advances, but for a tool which hominids have used for close to two MILLION years, 1095 still gets the job done quite admirably. The new stuff may be "better," but ain't "better enough" to justify the cost and hype.
1095 is an EXCELLENT knife steel yet today. I'll take it over ANY unknown entity making ANY marvelous claims of advancement.
One of my favorite knife steels. There are plenty of new "boutique" steels out there today, which I applaud for their advances, but for a tool which hominids have used for close to two MILLION years, 1095 still gets the job done quite admirably. The new stuff may be "better," but ain't "better enough" to justify the cost and hype.
1095 is an EXCELLENT knife steel yet today. I'll take it over ANY unknown entity making ANY marvelous claims of advancement.
