Forgecraft and Old Hickory carbon steel

[Ranger99]

I've been using assorted Old Hickory
knives for a long time for various chores
and have always been pleased at how
well the steel used has performed for me.
I came onto a couple of Forgecraft knives
a while back and just recently started to
use them for everyday things.
Maybe it's just me, but I don't think that
the Forgecraft hold up as well as far as
maintaining an edge as long as the Old
Hickory knives do that I've used.
I haven't seen anything about the steel
used in manufacturing these, or if
the heat treatment was different, etc.
The appearance of either one is pretty
close as far as the blades and handle
scales and such.

Any of the experts here know any
details that you can share about
these knives?

 

[JohnKSa]

Supposedly both companies use 1095 steel.

 

[KevininPa]

And I believe that Ontario discontinued the Old Hickory line. When it was announced, I hit ebay and now have a footlong magnetic strip of them in my kitchen. Love how carbon steel edges sharpen up!

 

[jdh]

And I believe that Ontario discontinued the Old Hickory line. When it was announced, I hit ebay and now have a footlong magnetic strip of them in my kitchen. Love how carbon steel edges sharpen up!

Not completely but the choices are much more limited.

Old Hickory®

First introduced in 1924, the Old Hickory knives are the most venerable product line still in active production. The Old Hickory knives feature a hardwood handle secured with brass compression rivets to high carbon steel blades that are both very sharp and capable of retaining an edge better...

ontarioknife.com

Old Hickory Outdoor

ontarioknife.com

 

[Flat Rock]

The OLD Hickory knives were a simple high-carbon steel 1075-1095. The last digits are the average carbon content of the steel,
i.e .75% -.95% carbon. This is good steel, but they are heat treated VERY soft, the ones I tested were in the low 50's.
This treatment makes them very tough and hard to break, but they just dont take and hold an edge very well.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with these steels, and 1095 can be heat treated well into the HRC 60's with great results.

 

[hso]

And I believe that Ontario discontinued the Old Hickory line.

Not quite.

Old Hickory®

First introduced in 1924, the Old Hickory knives are the most venerable product line still in active production. The Old Hickory knives feature a hardwood handle secured with brass compression rivets to high carbon steel blades that are both very sharp and capable of retaining an edge better...

ontarioknife.com

https://www.knifecenter.com/brand/71/Old-Hickory/all

Ontario Knife Company: Old Hickory

First introduced in 1924, the Old Hickory knives are the most venerable product line still in active production. The Old Hickory knives feature a hardwood handle secured with brass compression rivets to high carbon steel blades that are both very sharp and capable of retaining an edge better...

www.amazon.com

 

[KevininPa]

Huh, so they're still in production. Cool. There are a few more that I'd like to own. Wasn't it around a year ago that they said that they would be discontinued?

 

[lemaymiami]

Is it possible that years ago Old Hickory knives were a bit harder steel? I have had one stiff boning blade six inch model since the seventies and it takes and holds an edge very well. It stays in my shop as a utility blade for both rough and fine work (mostly when I'm doing rodbuilding or fishing rod repairs...). Have to keep it away from saltwater entirely though since that carbon steel would be a rust magnet otherwise...

 

[hso]

Wasn't it around a year ago that they said that they would be discontinued?

We have a thread on Ontario being bought and uncertainty about the US production lines. The NY factory was shut down and no one bought it.

 

[hso]

Is it possible that years ago Old Hickory knives were a bit harder steel?

The steel is the same steel, but it is possible that they were heat treated harder. Someone would have to do the hardness testing on vintage examples vs. newer to provide anything but anecdotes.