Forged vs. Stamped vs. MKC Knives: The Real Differences

What’s better: forged knives or stamped knives? This is a debate as old as time - at least, it’s been going on since I started making knives.
If you want the short answer, it’s really a question of the heat treatment and the selection of steel.
Forged knives are typically considered higher quality, whether they deserve that title or not. Most people simply assume handmade items are higher quality.
But that isn’t always true. Take jewelry, for example: A factory-made necklace will usually turn out better than a custom necklace made by someone with little to no experience. The same is true with knives.
So, should you buy a forged vs. a stamped knife? Or a stamped vs. a forged knife? Let’s break down the debate so you can make the most educated purchase.
Learn more: www.montanakni...
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[@stephenn5675]

Advantages of Well Forged Knives : Superior strength and resilience due to the alignment of steel grains. Enhanced durability in impact-based applications, making forged knives ideal for tasks requiring extra strength.

[@stephenn5675]

A knife forged by hand, following traditional methods, has a fiber structure specifically suited to the demands of the blade’s work. To illustrate the difference between a forged knife and one crafted by stock removal, we might compare them to walking sticks. The forged knife, like a stick cut from a whole shrub, retains fibers aligned both longitudinally and concentrically, giving it remarkable resilience to impact and flexibility. The stock removal knife, similar to a broomstick made from a piece of wood with cut fibers, lacks this natural alignment and is thus less resistant to stress. The same applies to knives, assuming, of course, that the heat treatments used in both methods are optimal.

[@TrashyButClassy1776]

I love hearing a master speak knowledge and experience from their craft. Just received my Stonewall Blackfoot Skinner and my Blackfoot 2.0. Can’t wait to put the video review up!

[@vaughnwesterby5162]

Thanks for the information in the video. I will ask the question probably a lot of people want to know; what is your optimal heat treat HRC for your Magnacut and 52100?

[@vaughnwesterby5162]

@@C69hJc4 yes, I’ve seen makers and the knife steel nerd say that the optimal HRC is 63 +-1. I’d still be interested to know the heat treat for 52100. 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@daviddoucet2220]

The real question is who cuts and heat treats your blanks for you before you slap a handle on them and sell them?

[@mikesummers8141]

Would love an answer here!

[@C69hJc4]

I would like to know too

[@daviddoucet2220]

@@C69hJc4 Their silence speaks volumes, MKC Knives are a hard pass for me.

[@Terpedup925]

@@daviddoucet2220do you have one of their knives?

[@daviddoucet2220]

@@Terpedup925 No, I have several custom knives that are actually made by hand individually by the actual blade smiths with the steels and materials that I request for that particular knife.

[@ofpmarine]

Doing the heat treating was one of the coolest parts of the 2021 Veterans Forge Weekend 🤘

[@tahoe829]

Wonderful video, Thanks Josh ..Montana Knives are the best around. I do know that 52100 is one carbon steel that comes in round stock and loves to be forged out or makers usually forge it into blades unless its possible to get the flat stock from a good source or have someone forge it i to flat stock prior to stock removal. Get it thin enough and cut it at the right geomety and you heat treat it and then cryogenically freeze it… you get one helluva hard and tough blade that holds a wicked edge like your speedgoats and other knives. Im Glad to own finally own a Montana Blade now and hopefully more soon. Godbless :)

[@unfi6798]

Great updates mate.

[@Dcubano]

Love this new approach on sharing more information. Love my Triumph 🔪

[@billclancy4913]

Great discussion!

[@mthmachining]

Do you foresee a point at which the quantities of demand would cause you to approach the manufacturing process differently? How might it change?

[@efficientinthefield]

I read water jet cutting is superior to laser cutting because it doesn't heat the steel during the cut and can't interfere with the heat treat process. What are y'all's thoughts on laser cutting versus water jet cutting?

[@MontanaKnifeCompany]

We used to water cut but it would leave a slight angle on our blade profiles which caused problems with kydex sheaths later - as far as laser goes, they get lasered before the heat treatment process and we haven’t had any issues so far after years of doing so!

[@efficientinthefield]

@@MontanaKnifeCompany That's good to know. Thanks for the reply!

[@74weld]

If you are not heat treating then yes…if you heat treat the hardened edge by the laser is moot because the whole thing goes though a heat treating then tempering process

[@efficientinthefield]

@@74weld Ah, that makes perfect sense. Doesn't matter because the heat treat comes after. Thanks for the comment to clear that up. 👌

[@grillingaddictionwithnick4982]

Great info Here ! I need to get a MKC blade on my channel!

[@trevorfuller8303]

Great video. Thanks!

[@rickyyo215]

Thank you for this vid, great knowledge

[@aarronroberts811]

Great knowledge

[@MontanaKnifeCompany]

Thanks!

[@derekthered687]

Are you cnc machining your primary bevels, then sharpening?

[@Babymoonblades]

Double disc grinding, I’m sure.

[@Swearengen1980]

Anyone out there seen or know of a side by side comparison of the same model MKC in 52100 vs. magnacut?

[@Tbowie13]

I'm puzzled how Black Rifle Coffee still has the support of all the gun and knife guys after the Rittenhouse stance, and the owners financial support for Joe Biden. I like all these guys. I don't know, maybe I'm missing something. It seemed to be pretty straightforward to me when it all went down.

[@dominiccase6846]

Yeah there's definitely some issues there especially since the IPO one of them is out of Chicago I think he owns 13% and makes huge donation to all Democrat causes.

[@Tbowie13]

@dominiccase6846 Yeah, that's just crazy to me! They'll go on and on about Patriotism, yet you have to be living in a cave if you think anything about the Dem party, and even half of the Republican party, are Patriotic! They're for globalist and burning down this countries sovereignty as quickly as possible!

[@TODinWY]

Might be interesting to add that nobody, save one custom maker I know, forges stainless steel due to the chromium content of the steel, and that none are truly stainless. Some are more rust-resistant than others.

[@Babymoonblades]

Who is the knifemaker that forges stainless? I’d love to see his process.

[@IaroslavSavchuk]

Doesn’t forging change structure of a steel, thus, using proper technique, increases quality of a blade? Or it’s a myth? I can’t figure it out after years of bein a knife enthusiast… Russian section of KZbin swears by forging

[@Babymoonblades]

In traditional, more impure, steels forging does refine the structure through “compacting” the desired material and expelling the unwanted portions, to come extent. In modern, well manufactured steels, this is a non issue. Although I forge many blades and sell them for a premium over my stock removal knives, there is little to no difference in the performance of the steel when handled properly. Having said that, a hand forged blade will always be more desirable (everything else being equal) because it is handcrafted and literally one of a kind.

[@GddbHdhd-gb4wl]

Perez Donna White Michelle Thompson Richard

[@squatch2461]

🍻

[@74weld]

You are missing the most important part of forging. When forging, you change the grain structure of the material giving it a sporadic grain structure on the microscopic level which if done right gives it a significant strength increase. In order to yield the material you have to overcome grain structure in multiple directions. Essentially some grain structure will always be in compression and not just tension. You can almost double the strength if done properly. Either way. Great content and I love all my MKC knives (I got a bunch of them)

[@Babymoonblades]

This is all urban legend.

[@diezelvh4133]

Youd better get on the ball and start making folding edc knives. Realize Montana is one of the very last states who leadership isn't communist. Other states have let their government tell them they can only have 3inch or less blade, and non fixed, unfortunately. Your missing out on a major customer base.