I honestly don't know anything about RWL34 other than it is a powdered steel.
I won't assume that it being a powdered steel makes it like other powdered steels anymore than all forged steels are the same or etc.

Just because S30V is more brittle than 5160 doesn't mean RWL34 is also similarly brittle. ....doesn't mean S30V is a bad steel either. I actually like S30V for smaller bladed knives..... knives I don't pry or hack with!
* Don't forget the Rat Trap is made with S30V.

However, if RWL34's "claim to fame is to "one up" S30V" and it is similar to CMP154, it may be one up on them, but apparently at MANY times the cost..... or Bear Gryll's name etched on the blade is carrying a few hundred dollar premium (????)

Sounds like RWL34 is probably a good knife steel. You just have to match certain knife steels and their given properties to a certain size knife with certain intended uses.

Keep in mind Bear Gryll's knife is only a 4" blade. So edge retention starts to be more relevant than toughness assuming a "reasonable" amount of toughness is maintained.

There are advantages to stainless. If you can get a stainless knife to hold a great edge AND be reasonably tough, it has plenty of merit......

..... just not nearly $720 worth of merit!

.

That makes sense. We have seen Bear ride logs down the Amazon. We have seen him beat on the back of his knives with rocks. Have we seen him do anything with a knife that 420HC, 440C, AUS 6 or 8 could not handle? I want to see Bear sharpen his new wonder knife in the field. If it is is anything like ATS-34, they will have to extend the program time to three hours. Look at the SOG Seal knife and the testing it endured. I think they are AUS-6 steel. They cost about the same as a Scrapper 6. I'm sure that Bayley knife is very fine. AG Russell will probably have it one day. Its expensive enough to be there. I'll just "make do" with my Yard Keeper and some Tuf Cloth.

That does make sense and rust seems to be a big issue with some folks.
~$700 is rather over the top for that knife. The only reason you would buy it is because it's the knife "Bear" uses or for your collection. I can't possibly see buying it for field use.

HD is spot on ATS-34 (154cm) is as Bill Bagwell puts it a perfect Bitc% to sharpen. Not my first choice for a field knife.


As for rust well, for field knives let them darken naturally or cut acidic fruits to speed up the process. The oxidation layer will protect the blade well.

Bruce, as a bonafide "collector", I'm sure that you realize that very few of these knives will ever see any use at all. For those who can swing it, its probably not a bad investment. Bear's name on it makes it special. I only wish he had chosen an American company, as the exchange rate makes L350 a lot of jack. But Bear is a Brit, so there you have it. I so wanted to have a Bear Grylls knife. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

I have a genuine WWII Collins #18 mini-machete (Marine Raider Bowie). It survived the Pacific theater conflict and only has some very minor pitting. That old Collins steel takes a razor edge. They were originally issued as survival knives for the US Army Air Corps in the 1930s. The current Case Bowie is a modern version in stainless. It just doesn't take the edge that the old Collins does.

i called benchmade and talked to a metalurgist. he said cpm 154 is not as good as s30v. maybe when the price went down it would be used but would not replace s30 because it did not out perform s30. also i noticed in knives illustrated an add for a knife that is cheaper in cpm 154 than s30v.

I do have 2 extra Scrapper 6s. Those and the FBM and the FFBM should do it....nah, I don't think so. If I should ever find myself in a wilderness survival situation, I'd prefer the Scrapper 6. I have trouble enough "surviving" my yard work. At least there I have almost unlimited knife and machete options and air-conditioning when I need it. I might sell one of my hunting rifles that I no longer use and get a Bear knife. Then I could watch Bear eat grubs and run off cliffs while I drink beer, eat popcorn, and wave his knife around.

I'd love to see a side-by-side Bear knife V INFI test.. But who could afford to hurt one??

Gravelface can do it! I bet he gets a Bear knife. I doubt that he would seriously hurt either one, but it would make for an interesting comparison. Which Busse would he use to compare? What is the Busse 4" model? Would that be the Active Duty?