Blade steel ?

[Mongrel]

I fail to see what the big deal is with blade steel vs cardboard

Have to say I agree with Todd on this.

It's A KNIFE it's PAPER. Yes it gets dull-sharpen it.

Someone mentioned blade geometry-that is the most important aspect to dealing with corrugated i.m.o. As mentioned-a thin blade like on a SAK will glide through it like it was butter. A thicker 'chopper' profiled blade will hang up and it's 'perceived' sharpness won't matter much.

Any decent folder with a thin profiled blade and the right grind will be fine.

Like Todd said, spend 5 minutes on a stone or a strop while having your morning coffee and you'll be good to go another shift.

The idea of NOT using an EDC blade for cardboard chores and similar tasks totally negates the benefit of even carrying it. What the heck is it even in your pocket for, a zombie attack?

 

[bikerdoc]

Todd and mongel beat me to it, a few minutes with a stone or emory paper, a little stropping, back to scary sharp. Part of my after supper routine for whatever the EDC of the day was.

 

[Zeke/PA]

For an easily made strop,glue a section of an old belt to a piece of wood.
Glue a piece of cardboard to the opposite side
Awesome!
Agreed, a daily touchup is easily done.
Zeke

 

[bikerdoc]

zeke
we are on the wave lenth

put a little mothers paste on the cardboard and be amazed!!

 

[tomh1426]

I just put a little MAAS (all I had) on a pice of cardboard and tried to strop one of my cheap knives.
It made it shinny and smooth and it felt alot sharper
I like that

 

[relentlessknives.com]

Here is a link to sharpening experiments, and past that and a bit more practical, you can sharpen a knives in different ways to get different effects on different materials.
Example....and try it before you dissent.
If your planning on cutting lots of rope or card board, sharpen your knife with a rough file.....Yep a course file.
This turns the knife edge into a microscopic saw blade, and will cut longer and faster through this type of material.
Of course, it's not really dual purpose, and so finer cutting will suffer.
The knife can however be resharpened to it's previous edge with no lasting effect.
Also serrated edges have approx 23% more cutting ability and edge holding ability on certain materials.

As for steel....s30V heat treated correctly is just all that.
It out cuts almost every other high carbon and stainless steel normally found in knives.
Of course there are variables, and those are if the steel is tempered to hard, it will almost never need sharpening, but, when it does, have a few hours to do it. when tempered a bit softer....almost never found in factory s30V knives,
it has both enhanced edge holding ability, and, simple resharpening.

L6 is also a great steel, as it holds an edge well, and is very resilient.

 

[Hans Esker]

Have you tried some of the better, thicker disposable blades? Not all of the blades are the same thickness or grade of steel/heat treatment. I haven't had a chance to put them to the test, but I have high hopes for the laminated Irwin Bi-Metal Blue Blades.