they're both good enough for me, period.

if rat cutlery's 1/8" thick 1095 rc-3 can take this much real use...


then I'm perfectly fine with sr-77 or sr-101. As long as they're affordable, I'm happy.

you guys are typin way too fast. i had this whole response typed and then i figured i'd check where you guys were...then there were too more pages of posts.

ohhh! ok Bruce.
that kind of makes sense... but a knife that will bend VERY easily and very far would be strong?
that doesn't seem to make sense?

bld, I just assume that he is applying about the same force with each blow.
from day to day, I would think he can't get too much stronger/ weaker.
plus when he stands on the knife it's roughly the same weight on the knife.

It goes beyond abuse... that's what's so fun..

OK ... I see what you meant in that other post now.
so laterally... there is no such thing as toughness...
basically?

guys, all that stuff is defined by the grain structure and hardness. toughness and strength are not at odds.

"maybe at 60 RC a knife has high strength and pretty low toughness... but at 58 RC the strength is slightly compromised, while toughness is now way better."

yes, that is how the 3 properties are related (mostly). The following are also true:

As hardness and/or strength increases - toughness decreases
As toughness increases - hardness/strength decreases

It is not true however that as hardness increases so does strength - glass, ceramic and diamonds are all harder than steel - not necessarily stronger.

I hope I'm not just confusing you more.

this thread is going too fast for me too bruce... or was that magnum that posted that??? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

to what post do you refer? i want to say no. toughness, as we've discussed it here, is flex and malleability.