Why Choose
Damascus Steel
At ABKT we are introducing knives with Damascus steel in 2020, but are they true Damascus? There is a lot of miss-information about Damascus steel today due to TV shows and modern marketing. What many consider Damascus Steel is really pattern-welded steel blades. We call them Damascus because that is what the general customer and public call Modern Damascus steel.
Bill Moran, the man credited with the reintroduction of Damascus said that if a knife was going to be used then the blade needed a center core between two outer layers of Damascus. This statement applies to ‘Modern Layered Damascus’ not to what may have been the original Damascus. The original Damascus Steel is Wootz, which is believed to have originated in India. This ‘Modern Layered Damascus’ is made from layers of steel and iron welded together to form a billet, the patterns vary depending on how the smith works the billet. The billet is drawn out and folded until the desired number of layers is formed.
When it comes down to it, higher alloys (Like ABKTs D2 steel) will outperform most pattern-welded steel. Owning and using a Damascus steel blade is about personal style and respect for the time and process of developing such a blade. ABKT’s Damascus steel has a core in the center of the 57 layer Damascus steel on each side of the core. The Damascus is made from 430 steel and 2Cr14 stainless steel that is folded 57 times. This core is there for the cutting edge, it is 9Cr13MoV at 58-60 HRC. This gives you the style of Damascus steel but with a solid core for cutting purposes.
We hope you like this “Layered Damascus Steel” as we introduce it in some patterns in 2020. Our intent is to give the customer the style of Damascus and the function that will last.
Carbon Steel Knives
Carbon steel is a popular choice for traditional knives. Carbon steel tends to be much tougher, much more durable, and easier to sharpen than stainless steel. They lack the chromium content of stainless steel, making them susceptible to corrosion. (See ABKT Blog on caring for your carbon steel knife).
Bill Moran, the man credited with the reintroduction of Damascus said that if a knife was going to be used then the blade needed a center core between two outer layers of Damascus. This statement applies to ‘Modern Layered Damascus’ not to what may have been the original Damascus. The original Damascus Steel is Wootz, which is believed to have originated in India. This ‘Modern Layered Damascus’ is made from layers of steel and iron welded together to form a billet, the patterns vary depending on how the smith works the billet. The billet is drawn out and folded until the desired number of layers is formed.
When it comes down to it, higher alloys (Like ABKTs D2 steel) will outperform most pattern-welded steel. Owning and using a Damascus steel blade is about personal style and respect for the time and process of developing such a blade. ABKT’s Damascus steel has a core in the center of the 57 layer Damascus steel on each side of the core. The Damascus is made from 430 steel and 2Cr14 stainless steel that is folded 57 times. This core is there for the cutting edge, it is 9Cr13MoV at 58-60 HRC. This gives you the style of Damascus steel but with a solid core for cutting purposes.
We hope you like this “Layered Damascus Steel” as we introduce it in some patterns in 2020. Our intent is to give the customer the style of Damascus and the function that will last.
Sharpening 1065 is not as hard as Stainless steel, but like anything you sharpen, the angle and the experience you have in sharpening blades is very important. If you want a razor edge on a knife, you would go to the local guy that can take his time and do it correctly. You may have to listen to a story or two while he does, but it is worth it (sometimes the stories are not so bad as well). A Work Mate knife sharpener is the best for the novice because it will help you get the knife at the right angle and make it easier to sharpen.
ABKT knows you will be well pleased with the performance of a 1065 carbon steel traditional knife. It is made to be like the old school knives that lasted forever, and it will do just that. Let these Roper knives be the “The knife you Use” every day.
Ball Bearing Knives
The ABKT Ball Bearing Assisted Opener was designed to have minimal wear, precision fit, and is the optimal way for opening and closing a folding knife.
Ball bearing pivot systems are a safer way to open knives than a spring assist. When there is a spring assist in your pocket, it is the same as having a cocked spring in your pocket. (Nobody wants that to go off in their pocket). With the ABKT Ball Bearing Assisted Opener, it is at rest and held in place with a ball bearing detent when closed. When you apply pressure to the blade, whether by thumb stud, hole, or blade flipper on the back of the knife, the pressure to release the detent will open the blade smoothly and quickly to an open and locked position. This gives you one-handed opening function that is completely under your control.
ABKT Ball Bearing Assisted Opener is the end result of our efforts to bring you the best products at the best price. ABKT strives to supply our customers with a knife that is good in quality and is also a one-handed opening knife that will stand up to everyday use. ABKT brings you the “Knife You Use” and the knife will function when you need it most. The ABKT Ball Bearing Assisted Opening is the way to go.
D2 Steel Knives
American Buffalo Knife and Tool uses D2 blade steel in it ABKT elite knives. D2 is a die steel. D2 has been around a long time, and because it is proven through many years of use in the die steels, it’s known for being good for high wear resistance and for tough durability.
The spectrum analysis of ABKT D2 steel is as follows:
Our D2 is hardened to approx. 58-60 HRC. This steel takes a great edge and holds that edge. D2 is known for holding cutting edge retention and wear resistance.
Sharpening D2 is tough. If you’re wanting a blade to hold an edge for an incredibly long time, then you can expect that it will take a good sharpening method and put in the time to sharpen it. A blade’s edge that is resistant to wear will also resist the abrasive nature of the sharpener; it’s simple physics. Diamond sharpeners must be used. No steel is harder. Diamond sharpeners help to make sharpening easier and more effective.
ABKT knows you will be pleased with the steel of these blades. They will last for use after use, so feel free to make this knife “The knife you Use” every day.
Assisted Opener Knives
The ABKT Spring Assisted Opener was designed to give you a quick and fast way to get your knife open when needed. An assisted-opening knife is a type of folding knife that uses an internal mechanism to finish the opening of the blade. When the knife is in the closed position, the blade is held in place by means of torsion springs and an additional blade lock on the back spine when applicable. As the user applies manual pressure to the thumb stud or flipper to open the knife, a mechanism such as a torsion spring moves along a track in the liner and rapidly rotates the blade into the open and locked position.
The spring assisted opener knives are sometimes confused with switchblades. The difference is that the user of an assisted-opening knife must open it about one-quarter of the way (45°) before the mechanism opens the knife the rest of the way; and the user must use the blade in some way to open the blade, not by a push button. The difference is important legally; because the blade does not open simply “by the push of a button or by force of gravity” the assisted-opening knife is typically not considered a switchblade, and it may escape the restrictions applying to those in many places.
ABKT Spring Assisted Opener is the end result of our efforts to bring you the best products at the best price. ABKT strives to supply our customers with a good quality, one handed opening knife that will stand up to everyday use. ABKT brings you the “Knife You Use” and will function when you need it most.