New Case steel

[Mumbleypeg]

Interesting post by Case on the Case Collector’s Club forum https://caseknives.com/blogs/news/the-c ... ent-future

Ken

[cody6268]

Well, this debunks my theory (and that of many others) that CV is actually 1095. Case does a great job with CV and I expect the same out of these 1095 knives.

Case has, for a year or two, been making some Moore Maker models in 1095, so they already have been using it for some time.

For example, here is one based on the 18 pattern Stockman.

https://www.mooremaker.com/store/p266/% ... F8%22.html


This brings the question--what exactly is CV steel? Is it a Case-specific blend? I see little performance difference between CV and my 1095 Camillus, Schrade, Bear, and Queen knives. And this is a broad group, not just a few modern knives. The oldest Case is a '40-64, and the oldest Camillus is a Sears contract knife from the '30s. They range all the way to end of days for Camillus, Schrade, and Queen; as well as Bear and Case knives from last year.

[C-WADE7]

Didn’t they make a Smokey mountain special factory order 1095 trapper last year? I like the cv knives and wish I could get a seahorse and n cv or 1095, it’s better for me for whittling knives I feel like.

[Mumbleypeg]

Well, this debunks my theory (and that of many others) that CV is actually 1095. Case does a great job with CV and I expect the same out of these 1095 knives.


This brings the question--what exactly is CV steel? Is it a Case-specific blend?

Cody the only thing I can tell you is what the article about it from Case says.

1095 is nearly identical in composition to our Chrome Vanadium steel, in fact Case’s Chrome Vanadium is a custom blend of 1095 steel.

What that says to me is Case CV is a version of 1095 with some proprietary additive, or additives, specified by Case.

Ken

[Modern Slip Joints]

The website Z knives' specialty is information on blade steels including charts of the % of elements in the alloys. According to them Case CV is or at the time they made the chart was a 1084 alloy.

It's seldom pointed out that companies as small as Case can only buy their rolls of blade steel from a limited number of sources. It's doubtful that Case buys a large enough number of rolls to be able to specify the steel's exact content. They choose from the list of rolls available. Also, the companies buying the rolls do not have secret proprietary heat treatments. The manufacturers of the rolls provide all the information there is on how their steel can be heat treated.

What ever their alloy, I've been happy with my Case CV blades and my American made Camilus 1095 blades. They seem to be in a sweet spot for ease of sharpening versus edge retention.

[cudgee]

Gentleman, a little off topic but relevant. There is a youtube clip UK Bladeshow-Why 98% of knife makers pick the wrong steel. Very interesting viewing for those of us who like knives and listening to other's views. I found it good viewing, and there is a relevance to this Case steel thread in a round about sort of way. Hope everyone has a good weekend.

[royal0014]

I never understood the term chrome vanadium ....
Each word, independently, imply corrosion or rust resistance. Both metals are used as plating
materials to make shiny, rust-free objects. My high school class ring was vanadium.


A quick wiki search produced a probable explanation for the supply disruption ...

"Vanadium occurs naturally in about 65 minerals and in fossil fuel deposits.
It is produced in China and Russia from steel smelter slag."
source of quote -- -- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanadium

[rea1eye]

Looks to me like Case is trying to position itself to use different steels in the future
if their usual suppliers run out. Maybe they will have special runs of steel in the future?
New lines available for the user and collector?

I am sure their quality control and different manufacturing techniques of heat treating the
steel differentiates the CV steel from other manufacturers who also use 1095 steel.

Bob

[Modern Slip Joints]

I never understood the term chrome vanadium ....
Each word, independently, imply corrosion or rust resistance. Both metals are used as plating
materials to make shiny, rust-free objects. My high school class ring was vanadium.
-

While enough chrome does add corrosion resistance a tiny pinch of vanadium reduces the size of the crystals in the alloy. In theory vanadium makes it possible to sharpen to a finer edge. Under magnification the finest edge appears as a jagged saw edge. The teeth can not be honed smaller that the grain structure. Vanadium makes a finer grain structure.

Case CV contains very little chrome. If it improves corrosion resistance at all it's probably intended to help keep the blades shiny silver while the knives are on display in stores.

[rea1eye]

[/quote]

While enough chrome does add corrosion resistance a tiny pinch of vanadium reduces the size of the crystals in the alloy. In theory vanadium makes it possible to sharpen to a finer edge. Under magnification the finest edge appears as a jagged saw edge. The teeth can not be honed smaller that the grain structure. Vanadium makes a finer grain structure.

Case CV contains very little chrome. If it improves corrosion resistance at all it's probably intended to help keep the blades shiny silver while the knives are on display in stores.
[/quote]

I am not a metallurgist but this makes perfect sense. It has been a long time I have taken chemistry! Probably forgot more than
I originally remembered.

Bob

[Iowaboy]

Thanks for this post, very interesting. I had seen the CS on Case tang stamps on the Shepherd Hills Cutlery site but did not know about the Case blog post explaining things back in February. Excellent reference info. Good old 1095, the more things change...

Wade

[TPK]

Very interesting! Thanks for sharing Ken!

[LHacken]

Good to know thanks!

[Ruffinogold]

I think its a good move . I think their CV is damn fine . Carbon steel is , imho , where its at . Most of my old and older knives are carbon steel and they still exist after a ton of use and look pretty damn good . The whole corrasion " issue " is over played , to me anyway . To be honest , Ive never quite understood the stainless direction the industry took [ showing my age , lol ] some years back . I get if a Dive knife is a hardcore stainless , and the like , but beyond that I think its pretty tuff to beat carbon steel

[OLDE CUTLER]

I think its a good move . I think their CV is damn fine . Carbon steel is , imho , where its at . Most of my old and older knives are carbon steel and they still exist after a ton of use and look pretty damn good . The whole corrasion " issue " is over played , to me anyway . To be honest , Ive never quite understood the stainless direction the industry took [ showing my age , lol ] some years back . I get if a Dive knife is a hardcore stainless , and the like , but beyond that I think its pretty tuff to beat carbon steel

I would have to agree with you, nothing wrong with 1095 high carbon steel. Probably the reason that steel exists that "stains less" is because people don't take care of anything anymore and yet expect it to last forever.

[Dan In MI]

Probably the reason that steel exists that "stains less" is because people don't take care of anything anymore and yet expect it to last forever.

Sadly, some folks are like that. I take pride in not being among them.

I favored stainless steel when I was in the Navy. (My work center had a nearly new feeler gauge that had to be written off because of corrosion on its blades.) Now that I don't have to deal with salty air, carbon steel works just as well for me.

[Reverand]

Thanks for sharing the article, and for everyone's positive comments.
I imagine that thus was not an easy move for Case, but it looks to me like they are handling it well.
Many old cutlery companies have proven historically that 1095 can be a great knife steel when heat-treated properly.