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Post by Lord Cobol on Nov 19, 2012 21:08:06 GMT
I'm fairly new to the sword world, but have spent the last few months doing research and getting "learner swords" (aka machetes) so I could practice sharpening, cutting & rust prevention on the cheap. Most importantly, I've been stalling to see if I would loose interest before I made an expensive mistake.
Now I'm almost ready to pull the trigger. One leading candidate is a Kris Cutlery blade with differentially hardened 5160 spring steel, and my main question is whether that metal makes sense.
I care more about toughness & hardness than the appearance of the blade, and I like that it is not folded steel. I don't need a hamon for its looks. But I have the impression that DH is at best a mixed blessing -- good for hardness and non-breakability, but bad for flexibility and more likely to take a set. (My source for this is old threads in these forums, so if I am wrong...) And I gather that DH blades aren't springy, so does the combination of spring steel & DH even make much sense?
Also does DH affect the sound? I'm getting a bit nit-picky, but I really like the clear "ting" sound of my $7.29 garden supply store machete when I tap it with a fingernail. I've heard much more expensive blades that sound much worse.
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Post by Adrian Jordan on Nov 19, 2012 21:32:10 GMT
My KC 26III is pretty tough. Beyond just the DH and heat-treatment, which are very good, is the geometry. It is different than many of todays production blades. The polish, while not super-high, is very durable. I've used it for cutting bottles, and it shows no scuffs, scratches or chips. My other swords, made from T10, 1045, 1060 and 9260 all have shown such wear after cutting. With the 9260, I've read that when TH you have the toughness and set resistance, and when it is DH it is on par with a good quality 1060 in performance. I imagine that 5160s properties are similar when DH. there is not much of a "ting" when tapped. More of a dull tink sound. I suspect that the thickness and geometry of the blade have something to do with that rather than the quality of steel.
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Kuya
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Posts: 1,396
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Post by Kuya on Nov 20, 2012 0:57:56 GMT
I used to have a 29-II as my main go-to practice cutter/beater. I cut with it for about three months three times a week. It took a lot of abuse, and the person who ended up buying it was more than happy with its condition. Why did I end up selling it? Because I replaced it with a KC 26-A! The shorter length worked better for me, as I tend to over-swing and sometimes scuffed the ground (which did nothing to the 29-II's blade other than leave a scuff mark).
Adrian.Jordan, if you don't mind me asking, how does the thinner tsuka of a KC Wakizashi fit you?
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Post by Jakeonthekob on Nov 20, 2012 3:05:27 GMT
Katana never really "ting". They are made differently from machetes and European swords, therefore no real "ting" when you cut. I can say that from what I have seen, KC makes some really tough swords.
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