I got a usable edge on a dollar store knife by sharpening it on 320 and deburring / stropping it on a coarse diamond rod. Crappy steel will take a very coarse edge as will a butter knife usually.
I'm with you it sounds like either the knife wasn't properly hardened or they used 2cr13. Or both. On second thought it is probably both. :P Which is kind of a shame because it doesn't look bad. FWIW I've got a slipjoint Okapi Genet in carbon steel I bought back in 2019 that has the same problem. Supposedly its 1055 carbon steel, but it won't take an edge no regardless of what I've tried. I spark tested it with my worksharp KTS, and it sparks so it is carbon steel. But there's no way its been hardened...
@@knivesiguess Yeah. 1055 is also what was traditionally used on Okapi knives. The Germans exported them to their Sub-Saharan Africa colonies back in the day, so they made them cheaply. But apparently the German made ones from back in the day were hardened well enough that they would take an edge using just about anything, including a flat rock from a creek (probably because they were German made), even if they wouldn't hold the edge very long. Anyway they got popular in Southern Africa in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and continued to be exported after the Germans lost their colonies. The design and machinery was eventually sold to someone in South Africa. The modern South African ones... Lets just say I've moved them to the junk category. If you ever decide you want an Okapi and don't want to pay for a German-made antique, your best bet is probably the Cold Steel Kudu or Kudu Light (depending on whether you want the ratchet lock or a slip-joint) since its the same basic design, just a different maker (and name for reasons). And while the Cold Steels are 5cr15mov, but at least the heat treat will be done right unlike the South African junk.
I got a usable edge on a dollar store knife by sharpening it on 320 and deburring / stropping it on a coarse diamond rod. Crappy steel will take a very coarse edge as will a butter knife usually.
Mtech has some cheap knives that can actually be sharpened
Rough Ryder has some cheap modern folders that can actually be sharpened
Rough Ryder makes some GREAT cheap knives.
I got a usable edge on a dollar store knife by sharpening it on 320 and deburring / stropping it on a coarse diamond rod. Crappy steel will take a very coarse edge as will a butter knife usually.
Thanks for sharing!
This is a KSO: knife shaped object. My first knife was a Kershaw Tarheel for $15 new. Great knife.
Nice!
Handle is fancy actually
This is the most “a knife, I guess” you’ve had on here
Good one
The saying you can't polish a turd is true.
Actually I've seen literal turds that have been polished
I prefer tip-up, but it's not like it matters for me. I don't use a knife clip. I just toss it in my pocket.
It's all personal preference and a running joke that gets people all fired up in the comments sometimes.
It’s the “Cardboard Tickler.”
#TeamNoSprinkles
Yaaay the tip up team!
Yes, but it has stars!
Oh yeah! I forgot about the stars. All sins are forgiven, this thing's better than a Rockstead.
Bold to assume someone quenched it.
I try desperately to hang onto my last tiny shred of faith in humanity much to my own catastrophic fault
I'm with you it sounds like either the knife wasn't properly hardened or they used 2cr13. Or both. On second thought it is probably both. :P Which is kind of a shame because it doesn't look bad.
FWIW I've got a slipjoint Okapi Genet in carbon steel I bought back in 2019 that has the same problem. Supposedly its 1055 carbon steel, but it won't take an edge no regardless of what I've tried. I spark tested it with my worksharp KTS, and it sparks so it is carbon steel. But there's no way its been hardened...
1055 is really, REALLY subpar steel for a small blade. That's for axes, hammers, and some varieties of swords.
@@knivesiguess Yeah. 1055 is also what was traditionally used on Okapi knives. The Germans exported them to their Sub-Saharan Africa colonies back in the day, so they made them cheaply. But apparently the German made ones from back in the day were hardened well enough that they would take an edge using just about anything, including a flat rock from a creek (probably because they were German made), even if they wouldn't hold the edge very long. Anyway they got popular in Southern Africa in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and continued to be exported after the Germans lost their colonies. The design and machinery was eventually sold to someone in South Africa. The modern South African ones... Lets just say I've moved them to the junk category. If you ever decide you want an Okapi and don't want to pay for a German-made antique, your best bet is probably the Cold Steel Kudu or Kudu Light (depending on whether you want the ratchet lock or a slip-joint) since its the same basic design, just a different maker (and name for reasons). And while the Cold Steels are 5cr15mov, but at least the heat treat will be done right unlike the South African junk.
If I ever look at those it'll be just to blast the heat treatment.
Ah .the old ,made from a kitchen sink stainless steel blade . Classic.
I'd love to see how they manufactured these things.
Bold of you to assume its not pot metal.
It’s tin.
AMERICA!!
Lmao dude you are hilarious!!! I say you make a destruction video with a sled hammer lmao.
That thing needed it.
Lol don't do polishing and shit. One stone of 300 grit is best way to go.
I like my polished edges. Definitely not heavy use edges but they do what I want them to day to day extremely well
Sharpen on 320, strop off the burr on the edge of a leather belt and call it good.
Yay! It's tip-down. #winning (probably not actually winning, cause I doubt being tip-up is enough to make up for being such a cheap Amazon knife)
It could be tip up and I'd still carry a Smith & Wesson first.
I got a usable edge on a dollar store knife by sharpening it on 320 and deburring / stropping it on a coarse diamond rod. Crappy steel will take a very coarse edge as will a butter knife usually.
A coarse edge might have cut a little bit on this one. I may try that out later on if O get bored enough.