first of all, don't swear at me

You're right that heat treatment will make a difference, but you also should remember that the knives that failed us in the field have all been 154cm. This sort of experience is not something that inspires confidence.

In respect to mercworx, very little testing has been on those knives to determine whether or not they can put their money where their mouth is. To me, they seem to be a more tastefully designed version of Dark Ops Knives, minus the terrible advertising. Just because they're expensive, doesn't mean they're worth the money.

My main argument with 154cm in SR knives is that I believe that the switch to stainless is unnecessary and sacrifices too much. I personally believe the difference between coated and uncoated blades in terms of efficiency is negligible, so there is little need for a satin-finished steel. Furthermore, seeing as the banner of SR's website reads "Ambassadors of American spirit and toughness", I don't think they should drop an extremely tough AND edge-holding steel from production in favor of a steel thats only real advantage is its stainlessness.

If they can prove that a H. Carry is just as tough as the nearly identical HRLM, I'll be happy to accept it. Until then, I will continue to view 154cm as a folder steel, not suited for hard use.