Meerkat blade steel?

[Gurgi]

the "reverse s" blades are aus-6, and the older navigator style blades are 440c right?



between the two, isn't 440c a much superior steel? I'm trying to decide which model to purchase. any help would be appreciated.

[Sword and Shield]

Welcome to the Forums, Gorgi! <img src="smile.gif" width=15 height=15 align=middle border=0>

You're right on the steels, now choosing a &quot;better steel&quot; is difficult. AUS-6 will sharpen very easily, and will also take an exceedingly fine edge. However, retention is slightly inferior to 440C.

440C is incredible with corrosion resistance, and is also fairly simple to sharpen.

What is more important to you, corrosion resistance or ease of sharpening? Neither is what I would consider difficult to sharpen, but 440C is a touch harder.

Keepin' it real...real sharp, that is.

[Gurgi]

Well I have a Sharpmaker 204 so ease of sharpening isn't too big a deal to me. I just want whichever kind is going to need less sharpening. I have a CRKT Neck Peck in AUS-6 and this thing gets dull if I sneeze on it. I like the &quot;reverse s&quot; blade much better than the regular blade but my previous experience with AUS-6 makes me shy of it.

[Carlos]

Actually I just got some drop point variants made in Japan with AUS-6 steel. So I guess you can get either 440C or AUS-6 in that pattern at this time.

[Gurgi]

Oh. If I decide to go drop point I'll make sure and double check with the retailer then. I'm leaning toward the recurve just because it looks so nice.

[nomaded]

I believe Sal has said that the original run of drop-points were made in Golden, that's why they use 440C. The next batch, including the reverse-S blade will be made in Japan, using AUS-6. So if you want 440C, get it now, before the first-run runs out.

[Gurgi]

I went ahead and got a native lightweight plain edge instead<img src="smile.gif" width=15 height=15 align=middle border=0> so much for the meerkat hehe. It will have to wait for now.