# What steel is Konosuke HD?



## mano (Dec 14, 2011)

AEB-L?

I'm assuming it's clad.


----------



## kalaeb (Dec 14, 2011)

Its a semi stainless mono steel. I am not sure exact composition is known.


----------



## mr drinky (Dec 14, 2011)

Yeah, isn't it some secret proprietary steel. I wonder if Jon knows.

k.


----------



## NO ChoP! (Dec 14, 2011)

Why is it that the semi steels are unknown; same as the carbonext and TKC... reminiscent of the elusive "Swedish steels"...could mean anything.


----------



## memorael (Dec 14, 2011)

why is everyone so interested in knowing what steel their knives are made out of? I frankly find it unimportant considering heat treat makes such a huge difference. If I were a knife maker I would be interested in knowing what properties a knife has but in the case of buying one... its cool to know but frankly in my opinion I either like the knife or not and judging a knife as a bad one or a good one based solemnly on the steel is not my cup of tea. No pun intended, rather looking for a good answer.


----------



## tk59 (Dec 14, 2011)

memorael said:


> why is everyone so interested in knowing what steel their knives are made out of? I frankly find it unimportant considering heat treat makes such a huge difference. If I were a knife maker I would be interested in knowing what properties a knife has but in the case of buying one... its cool to know but frankly in my opinion I either like the knife or not and judging a knife as a bad one or a good one based solemnly on the steel is not my cup of tea. No pun intended, rather looking for a good answer.


If you go to a restaurant and you get served something that tastes good, you don't ever want to know what's in it, lol?


----------



## kalaeb (Dec 14, 2011)

Sometimes its just good to know. Because we are nuts and it provides topic of conversation. While knowing the exat chemical makeup is not aways important it may be a deciding factor for many, the difference between blue and white for example or 440c and aebl.


----------



## mano (Dec 14, 2011)

memorael said:


> why is everyone so interested in knowing what steel their knives are made out of? I frankly find it unimportant considering heat treat makes such a huge difference. If I were a knife maker I would be interested in knowing what properties a knife has but in the case of buying one... its cool to know but frankly in my opinion I either like the knife or not and judging a knife as a bad one or a good one based solemnly on the steel is not my cup of tea. No pun intended, rather looking for a good answer.



Just curious, that's all.


----------



## Marko Tsourkan (Dec 14, 2011)

Double post, please delete.


----------



## Marko Tsourkan (Dec 14, 2011)

In an industry where everybody is copying everybody, it probably makes sense to keep your cards close to your chest, in part because if people copy your ingredients and fail to get best of them, it might discredit your product as well. 

Sweden has supplied some highest quality steels for over a century and it has to do with the quality of their ore and to some extend their production - R&D, production method, etc. 

Labeling something "Made of Swedish Steel" equates to quality, but the proof is in the pudding - many AEB-L knives from Japanese makers don't impress. 

M


----------



## obtuse (Dec 14, 2011)

Whatever it is, I like it. I don't even care to know anymore. I guess it's part of the romance.


----------



## ajhuff (Dec 14, 2011)

When I moved to the South I was told, if it tastes good, don't ask. And it's very true.

Swedish Steel to me is marketing hype, means nothing. Same with Sheffield Steel and Soligen Steel. 

The heat treat and hardness mean nothing too in my opinion. A knife either works or it doesn't.

-AJ


----------



## tk59 (Dec 14, 2011)

ajhuff said:


> When I moved to the South I was told, if it tastes good, don't ask. And it's very true...


Let me translate: If you want to have this again, either come by and hope I'll give you some more or go home and try reinventing the wheel.


----------



## ajhuff (Dec 14, 2011)

Actually it translated as opossum. 

-AJ


----------



## mhlee (Dec 14, 2011)

I also believe that it does matter. The food analogy applies. No one is going to make wonderful food out of crap products. You are not going to make an exceptional knife out of crap steel. 

While some people like Devin can make great products out of a steel that others cannot, knowing what kind of steel a knife is made out of allows one to know a base line of performance that they can expect of a knife. And, IMHO, the most important thing is the ability to buy a knife made of a similar steel or avoid buying a knife of similar steel depending on one's preference. 

If you love the steel of a knife, but hated it's geometry or profile, wouldn't you be interested in buying a maker that uses the same steel? Again, applying the food analogy to a corollary, if you hated eating something, wouldn't you be even more upset the next time you ate the same thing because no one told you what you were eating the first time AND you spent money for it twice?


----------



## Marko Tsourkan (Dec 14, 2011)

ajhuff said:


> ...
> 
> Swedish Steel to me is marketing hype, means nothing. Same with Sheffield Steel and Soligen Steel.
> 
> ..



Same can be said of German cars vs American or British cars (remember those Rovers?)
It's all marketing hype, it has nothing to do with engineering, production equipment, design or R&D.


----------



## Timthebeaver (Dec 14, 2011)

Marko Tsourkan said:


> many AEB-L knives from Japanese makers don't impress.



Which ones out of interest? I am only aware of the Takayuki Grand Cheff that is supposed AEB-L. Although I recall seeing rumours that Ashi and Yusuke (and maybe even Konosuke Swedish Stainless) are AEB-L/13c26.

edit: I think I've seen those "Hammered Damascus" things labelled 13c26 too.


----------



## memorael (Dec 14, 2011)

Well I get the whole food analogy thing, but even in the food industry the chef's skill makes or not a dish. I guess I would much rather buy a knife from a reputable maker and not know what the steel is than buy a knife made out of X steel and hope it isn't a dud. 

On the other hand it is fun knowing what steel a knifemaker uses but I would rather take something like. Konosuke HD steel over AEB-L from whoever done incorrectly. Kinda like the Nenox steel everyone speculates its VG10 no one knows FO SHO.


----------



## Timthebeaver (Dec 14, 2011)

memorael said:


> Kinda like the Nenox steel everyone speculates its VG10 no one knows FO SHO.



I thought the commonly held belief was that it is VG-1 on the G-series. Gator's less than glowing review says it's VG-1 on the S series too mind. As you say noone knows for sure :biggrin:


----------



## memorael (Dec 14, 2011)

Timthebeaver said:


> I thought the commonly held belief was that it is VG-1 on the G-series. Gator's less than glowing review says it's VG-1 on the S series too mind. As you say noone knows for sure :biggrin:



Thats funny. Makes me wonder why they are so popular? I guess a cool looking handle and a good name make an expensive knife. I used 2 and while I didn't see anything particularly explosive about them for some strange reason I want one. Those green handle ones look cool.


----------



## tk59 (Dec 14, 2011)

ajhuff said:


> Actually it translated as opossum.
> 
> -AJ


Haha. And what's wrong with that?


----------



## memorael (Dec 14, 2011)

Aren't opossum's cute?


----------



## Seb (Dec 14, 2011)

Marko Tsourkan said:


> ...many AEB-L knives from Japanese makers don't impress.




Hmm. Which ones? I wasn't even aware that all that "many" had been positively identified as being made from AEB-L.

For a start, I can't think of any Japanese makers who have publicly announced that their knives are made from AEB-L. I would be grateful if you could correct me.

It has been 'reported' in American cutlery forums that Aoki Hamono's Takayuki 'Grand Cheff' line is made from AEB-L. 

Anybody else?


----------



## ajhuff (Dec 14, 2011)

tk59 said:


> Haha. And what's wrong with that?



Wasn't sure how it was killed. 

-AJ


----------



## Pensacola Tiger (Dec 14, 2011)

ajhuff said:


> Wasn't sure how it was killed.
> 
> -AJ



Did you eat at The Roadkill Cafe?


----------



## Marko Tsourkan (Dec 14, 2011)

13C26 or 19C27 are likely the Swedish stainless steels used. It has been stated on the forums on a number of occasion that Sakai Takayuki uses 13C26. I also got an impression that Sakai Yusuke uses the same steel, though it could also be 19C27, same as Suisin uses (and that is confirmed). Other than that, among the myriad of makers in Sakai, it would be logical to assume that there is more than just a handful of makers using 13C26, for marketing or other reasons, but unless they state it, you won't know. Misono UX10 is a good example. 

Sakai Takayuki 13C26 at 58RC was not that impressive either. Sakai Yusuke (assuming it is using 13C26) feared a bit better, thought some of it might come from geometry - it is a much thinner knife. 

M


----------



## ajhuff (Dec 14, 2011)

Pensacola Tiger said:


> Did you eat at The Roadkill Cafe?



No I have not eaten there yet, not sure why, I just never seem to have time I guess. Pass by it all the time.

-AJ


----------



## tk59 (Dec 14, 2011)

What? That's an actual place ot eat?!


----------



## ajhuff (Dec 14, 2011)

tk59 said:


> What? That's an actual place ot eat?!



http://www.facebook.com/pages/Dees-Roadkill-Cafe/175473462496472?sk=info

-AJ


----------



## Pensacola Tiger (Dec 14, 2011)

tk59 said:


> What? That's an actual place ot eat?!



Just down the road from me, across the line into Alabama:

http://www.menupix.com/alabama/restaurants/5203998/Roadkill-Cafe-Elberta-AL

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=25076...5&ved=0CAoQ2wU&sa=X&ei=kmnpTvbFDaquzASo0tGzDA


----------



## tk59 (Dec 15, 2011)

Awesome. Fried pie... mmmm...


----------



## Andrew H (Dec 15, 2011)

IMO it's not a good sign when a restaurant feels the need to advertise their health scores. :lol2:


----------

