(1479) Pakistani Knives HRC Testing

Let's test the Rockwell Hardness of some Pakistani Knives. ‪@KnifeChatswithTobias‬ ‪@gizmocarr3093‬
I'm not an expert at this and we only have a plus or minus 5 HRC range to test from 40 to 65 HRC. If the metal scratches at 40, the knife will not hold a fine edge for very long, or the knife wasn't heat treated. I test 5 different knives. The actual testing doesn't happen until approximately half way through the video. If you don’t want explanations or my thought process, fast forward the video.
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[@WilliamsKnifeLife]

55-62 HRC D2 steel is an air hardening, high-carbon, high-chromium tool steel. It has high wear and abrasion resistant properties. It is heat treatable and will offer a hardness in the range 55-62 HRC, and is machinable in the annealed condition.

[@WilliamsKnifeLife]

How hard is Damascus steel knife? In hardness testing, Damascus steel is significantly harder than other types of steel, with higher Rockwell hardness values (59-62 HRC). This indicates that Damascus steel is highly resistant to deformation, making it ideal for use in applications where resistance to wear and tear is important.

[@WilliamsKnifeLife]

What is the toughness of 440A? It attains a hardness of Rockwell C 56 and maximum toughness when heat treated and has good toughness at cryogenic temperatures and relatively high tensile and yield strengths at moderately high elevated temperatures. These properties further increase the versatility and usefulness of the alloy.

[@WilliamsKnifeLife]

Stainless steel that has an HRC rating between 52-54 is considered to be somewhat soft, but could be used to make an inexpensive kitchen knife. The best rating for kitchen knives is an HRC score between 59 and 64.

[@bdh3949]

Corpsman?? Knife get you again? A Buddy scratch? Great video William, thanks for showing us an interesting process revealing good info about the knives. Nothing foolish of course, right.

[@WilliamsKnifeLife]

The new Boker Kalashnikov desert tan that I got keeps reminding me it's sharp.🤣 I just barely touched the blade by accident & instant cut. If getting cut by your knife means it likes you, that Kalashnikov has a crush 😍 on me 🤣

[@bdh3949]

@@WilliamsKnifeLife I have that very same knife with the very same problem. My first use with it cut down the corner of my thumb...after a few false starts it took about 3 weeks before it began to actually heal.

[@JoseGonzalez-yx6vm]

And now we know, interesting video, thanks, William.

[@WilliamsKnifeLife]

Thank you, Jose

[@Pocket_EDC]

Good information. Thanks.

[@WilliamsKnifeLife]

Thanks for watching

[@KnifeChatswithTobias]

I like knife shaped objects. The Damascus is supposedly 1095 and 15N20. My suspicions were confirmed ( close to metal/ poor/ low heat treatment) That Nessmuk was said to be 56-58HRC. I wasted a good 30 minutes trying to sharpen that Damascus Laguiole. I was suspecting it to be below 40. It was said to 58-60. So it seems that most paki stuff is in the mid 40s. Might be why I trust the push daggers not to break. Thanks much, William. Really liked it. Need to check and see if the RR Damascus is any better than the generic stuff

[@WilliamsKnifeLife]

I have one of those RR Damascus blades somewhere. I'll try to find it and test it.

[@gizmocarr3093]

Think about Blade rub, and how it happens, did the liners do it or is another blade doing it. The polish of the steel is a factor that will show marks faster with less pressure applied to the file. If you chose to spend the money on buying a set of these files as I did, I did not wish to ruin the accuracy by using them as a file. I only wanted make a scratch. How I use them is to clean the steel surface from any oil or wax. Then I chose the file that is the hardness close to the claimed hardness of the steel. If another blade cause’s blade rubs, this is the accepted reason causing scratching of the blade. The file will make a scratch with just with light to no hard rubbing pressure. I then lightly rub the file on the blade near the handle in the same place. It will show a mark with light rubbing. However, that is not a scratch; I then wipe the mark off made by the file and look for a scratch. I use a magnifying glass to look for a fine scratch. I expect to find knives costing a few dollars to have low hardness levels. I started with knives with claimed high HRC numbers first, as a testing base. I used Spyderco and Mora blades and found both exceeded the hardness claim of the steel file testing. By doing, it this way, the scratch is only noticed using a magnifying glass. I tested knives I spent hundreds of dollars for because they are ones that had better have the claimed hardness or I would be pissed. However, you can make a butter knife sharp enough to cut paper and shave hair and their hardness is below the HRC file hardness. If throwing knives and axes had high HRC numbers they will shatter and break.🐯Great video! 👍

[@WilliamsKnifeLife]

Thank you for the information [e-mail] the manufacturer of the files had a video and it also said you don't need heavy pressure to test metal. I only brought that up because one comment on a prior video implied I was a female because I didn't push down hard on it like a file taking off metal. I know how to use a file, and I know how to use test equipment. These are like test equipment files. They aren't designed to make new serrations on a blade. You know that. I know that. Some people don't know that. Ignorance is bliss.

[@gizmocarr3093]

@@WilliamsKnifeLife That file set is fun to use; I would think you would see more knife steel enthusiasts using them. 🐯

[@swamp.stomper]

Oh yeah I saw that guy’s comment on your other video and resisted replying 😂

[@WilliamsKnifeLife]

Thank you, Swamp Stomper.

[@onsquare3rd537]

I had a love once for Damascus steel, it was kind of the collector in me, I ended up with alot of them, I totally fell for it. Later when I started to understand why they just wouldn't hold an edge for love or money and trying to put an hair popping edge was impossible for me at least. I realise they were no more that nice looking shelf sanders. I suspect they were forged then received no more heat treatment" just shaped. I never buy them now I know better. It's a shame.

[@KnifeChatswithTobias]

I have no illusions about the generic Pakistan Damascus.

[@WilliamsKnifeLife]

It is a shame that they skip a very important part, hardening the blade. They get almost everything else correct but skip or screw up one of the most important parts of making a blade, heat treatment.

[@bishop6426]

Hi William: I found this video fascinating. Had no idea one could do hardness testing at home. Obviously the more the kit is used….the better the user is able to analyze the results. Nice job. 👍👍👍👍🔪🪨

[@WilliamsKnifeLife]

Thank you, Bishop. Usually, hrc testing requires at least a few thousand dollars machine, and that's a low-end one. A regular file can be used to see if the metal is as strong as a file, but we don't know what the file hrc is most of the time. Around 100 dollars isn't cheap, but compared to industrial machines, files are cheap and accurate enough to find out if your metal is really hardened or just faking it.

[@terrillschneider3778]

First again That’s what I get for being home bound lol

[@WilliamsKnifeLife]

🥇👍