1095 or O1 Tool Steel? Which Do You Prefer?

[TrappedinCalifornia]

Let's say that (not so) hypothetically, you could get (sort of) the same knife, but one company makes it in 1095 and the other makes it in O1 Tool Steel, which would you prefer and why?

That's without getting into grind or sheath or several other things.

[drunktank]

I prefer 1095 but that’s with the handful of Esee’s that I’ve owned. After abusing them at work, all I ever do is roll an edge which is very easily straightened out. In fairness, Esee’s are known for their nice heat treatment though. The O1’s I’ve used (can’t remember the brands for the life of me) were more prone to chipping and I couldn’t tell the difference in edge retention because I often run a few passes and then strop after a work shift anyway .

O1’s do look a little better on paper from what I’ve seen, but overall I think the deciding factor for me would be overall knife design and hardness. Either way I don’t think I’d feel lacking with one over the other…

[ibanezfoo]

As a very rookie blacksmith I'd say it probably has more to do with how you use it. O1 is harder and has a few extra elements in it to make it more durable, but that also means more prone to breaking. 10 series steels are mostly just iron and carbon. If heat treated properly can be very strong and also somewhat flexible. If you just want it for everyday carry and moderate use I'd probably go with the O1 as its less maintenance, but if you want a more traditional steel that is less prone to breaking I'd go with the 1095. But really I don't know that normal people would ever tell the difference between them or use them hard enough to induce failure other than 1095 will rust easier.

For reference, the legendary ancient katanas are around 1060-1080 and they seem to have lasted fine. Though the reality of that is they were difficult to make and treasured so people took really good care of them.

[TrappedinCalifornia]

I opted for the 1095. It was about $30 less, didn't require a 2 month wait, and has wooden scales rather than micarta.

It did come with a patch of light, surface rust already on the blade, which was easily removed with the oil already on it and some #0000 steel wool. That rust was a nice forewarning as it is a newly manufactured blade.

I'm gonna wet form the leather sheath, then take it out and give it a try in a week or two. I already have an O1 version, just with a different grind.

I'll let you know what the knife is and how the two compare once I've put them through their paces.

[ibanezfoo]

Renaissance Wax will help keep the rust off…

[TrappedinCalifornia]

Renaissance Wax will help keep the rust off…

I used to use Simichrome and it worked well. I just haven't seen it available locally for some time.

ETA: Now I remember. Simichrome was banned for sale in California. I just don't recall when that was.

[TrappedinCalifornia]

I haven't had an opportunity to play with them sufficiently to cast aspersions or sing praises (make a proper review), but... Let's start with a little background and I'll continue with posts if readers are interested.

The O1 version is the Battle Horse Knives Highlander with a saber grind...

battle-horse-knives-902309__76410.1630618310.jpg

The 1095 version is from Dave Canterbury's Pathfinder Knife Shop and is currently labeled "Survival" (if I remember correctly, there have been several names he's assigned over the years)...

Survival-Dirty1_720x.jpg

There's some murkiness as to who the designer is/was. Canterbury claims credit. Meanwhile, Dan Coppins in an interview done by Equip2Endure quite some time ago on YouTube (it no longer appears to be on that site) says that Canterbury brought him a knife that Coppins made some changes to. Both agree that it's based on a French Trade Knife design. Both companies produce different versions. So... (Let's not delve into the 'controversies' which surround Canterbury and focus on the knives.)

Originally, it came out as the PLSK 1 (Pathfinder Logo Series Knife) from Blind Horse Knives with a Scandi grind only. Today, it is produced with a Scandi grind by the Pathfinder Knife Shop and with a Scandi, Flat, or Saber grind by Battle Horse Knives. (Blind Horse Knives became Battle Horse Knives when Coppins and L.T. Wright split.) The Scandi grinds from PKS and BHK are slightly different, with the PKS being slightly higher and shallower.

Which is the 'better' grind? This knife comes from the era where One Tool Options were all the rage. As a result, which grind is better/best is a never-ending rabbit hole. Canterbury clearly favors the Scandi, while myself and many others feel the Saber grind is more, generally utilitarian. Ultimately, as a 'survival' knife, one of the things pointed to is that the Scandi grind is 'easier' to sharpen in the field. Likewise, it is claimed to have superior wood-splitting and carving properties. Okay. But, a Saber grind can split wood, it can be used to carve, and it is superior for things like dressing game and food preparation. You can see L.T. Wright and Dan Coppins discussing different grinds here...

Canterbury has long touted wood as his favored material for knife scales and the PKS version uses Maple. The BHK version is offered in 3 colors of Micarta; Natural, Green, and Black. It can be had in either a rough or polished version. The PKS comes with wood liners, the BHK does not have liners. (I don't know if BHK offers them as a 'custom' addition.) As a result, the PKS is a little fuller around when it comes to the handle. If you have smaller hands, the BHK might fit better, whereas those with larger hands may find the PKS more comfortable. Neither has demonstrated any 'hot spots' for me... yet.

As you can see in the photos, the PKS comes with one cross pin, whereas the BHK comes with two. Both have lanyard holes more than sufficient to pass paracord or leather or similar through. For some, the lack of a finger or cross guard is a concern. Okay. You have a point. However, both types of scales provide enough 'grip' that it hasn't proven to be a problem for me at this point.

The blades are 3/16" thick. Remember, it's from the One Tool Option era and, as a result, has to do many jobs, from wood carving to wood splitting to dressing game to slicing tomatoes to... Likewise, both blades are approximately 5" in length, making them longer than people such as Mors Kochanski recommends and shorter than others champion. Both versions have sharpened spines for ferro rods and tinder shaving. The tip on the Scandi grind is a bit stouter than with the Saber grind.

Canterbury touts 1095 as the 'best' steel for knives and even cites Ethan Becker as claiming that. Alright. What he doesn't mention is that there are various versions of 1095 used, with Becker using one, ESEE using another, Canterbury listing yet another, etc. Meanwhile, O1 (that's "O" for Oil Hardened, not "0" or Zero) is considered an excellent steel for knives as well. I won't get into a discussion regarding their relative properties/advantages as there are myriad and almost innumerable pages dedicated to such discourse online. Suffice to say that both must be maintained/oiled or rust will happen.

Both have leather sheaths available. The PKS version doesn't automatically come with one, necessitating that you choose one of two versions at an extra cost. The BHK has a leather and a couple of Kydex options, both with various attachment (carry) options, also at extra cost.

The PKS (knife only) lists for $144.99. The BHK (knife only) lists for $220. Availability for both is based on production runs; though the PKS seems to be a bit more 'regular,' with BHK offering a variety of other knife options.

More to come if you're still interested.