# Tested Elmax Steel



## robert flynt (Aug 4, 2017)

Scott sent me some Elmax steel to make a knife from and test the durability of it. The first test was the brass rod test, where you press the blade edge down as hard as you can on a brass rod on a greater angle than it was sharpened at, then run the edge down the rod. If the steel is brittle it will chip, if it is to soft the edge will curl. It passed this test by flexing then going back to normal after it passed over the rod. The next test was to chop deer antler to see if it would chip out by cutting something hard. It passed this test with no damage at all. I then tested the edge holding ability by cutting 1/2" sisal rope which is abrasive and will dull an edge quickly and the edge will start sliding if the steel does not hold an edge well. After cutting the rope 150 times my wrist was tired so I quit that and finished by cutting a card board box up and after 50 long cuts I was out of card board. The knife was still sharp but no longer shaving sharp. I pass it across my leather strop 10 times on each side and it would shave again. Scott I would saw this is an excellent steel and I will use it again. During heat treating I did bump it from the recommended RC58 to RC59 to make it a little harder with no ill effects.

Reactions: Like 2 | EyeCandy! 2 | Way Cool 4 | Informative 2


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## barry richardson (Aug 4, 2017)

Robert, I don't even make knives, but I love learning about this stuff, thanks for posting!

Reactions: Thank You! 1 | Agree 2


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## NYWoodturner (Aug 5, 2017)

Wow. That's awesome Robert. I truly appreciate all the work that went into it as well. 
Beautiful knife too ! Is that the Amboyna on the handle?

Reactions: Like 1 | Thank You! 1


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## NYWoodturner (Aug 5, 2017)

What did you temper it at ? It has such a wide range you can tweak quite a bit


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## Nature Man (Aug 5, 2017)

What a great discovery! Beautiful knife, both metal and wood. Chuck

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## robert flynt (Aug 5, 2017)

NYWoodturner said:


> Wow. That's awesome Robert. I truly appreciate all the work that went into it as well.
> Beautiful knife too ! Is that the Amboyna on the handle?


Yes it is your amboyna!

Reactions: +Karma 1


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## robert flynt (Aug 5, 2017)

NYWoodturner said:


> What did you temper it at ? It has such a wide range you can tweak quite a bit


first at 450 one hr. the second at 480 one hr.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Steve Smith (Aug 7, 2017)

Very nice blade design.

Reactions: Thank You! 1 | Agree 1


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## bamafatboy (Aug 7, 2017)

Very nice knife.

Reactions: Thank You! 1 | Agree 1


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