Many times when I counsel a potential client on a new knife, we discuss things like utilization, brand name, size and shape. That's pretty standard.
But dozens of times I get a call later from a client, like, "Chico, I was washing my knife last night and I noticed a marking on the blade 'S30V.' What's does that mean?"
I pretty much give them the standard spiel about "the recipe of steel." That being the alloy's component make-up, its HT, a few pertinent reasons and perhaps its origin (for example, ATS-34 is Hitachi out of Japan, and 154-CM is Crucible from America, but it's pretty much the same stuff).
Obviously, this is after the purchase. The idea of "alloy" didn't seem to matter as a priority when the client sought out a new tool. And if I mention it, sometimes their eyes glaze over.
However, you guys seem to be better informed, so let me pose the question:
"If you came to me seeking a new knife, and I offered you two of them in similar size, shape, country of origin and overt overall appearance, would the alloy matter?"
But dozens of times I get a call later from a client, like, "Chico, I was washing my knife last night and I noticed a marking on the blade 'S30V.' What's does that mean?"
I pretty much give them the standard spiel about "the recipe of steel." That being the alloy's component make-up, its HT, a few pertinent reasons and perhaps its origin (for example, ATS-34 is Hitachi out of Japan, and 154-CM is Crucible from America, but it's pretty much the same stuff).
Obviously, this is after the purchase. The idea of "alloy" didn't seem to matter as a priority when the client sought out a new tool. And if I mention it, sometimes their eyes glaze over.
However, you guys seem to be better informed, so let me pose the question:
"If you came to me seeking a new knife, and I offered you two of them in similar size, shape, country of origin and overt overall appearance, would the alloy matter?"
