Re: Re-rigging the P-19 - Marketing paranoia rampant!

Mark (apresvous@pobox.com)
Wed, 24 Feb 1999 21:48:01 -0800


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West Wight Potter Website at URL
http://www.lesbois.com/wwpotter/
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Positive. For example, have you ever seen a stainless steel file or hacksaw
blade? A real high quality, carbon steel knife will have a Rockwell "C" rating
of about 60 - 62. The corresponding quality stainless blade will be somewhat
softer, in the 55 - 58 range, except for some newer (read expensive) stainless
that use exotic treatments. One knife make that I know grinds his blades, then
sends them all out to be heat treated, because the treatment requires so much
specialised material and equipment that he can't afford to do it himself.

Take care,
Mark
P-14 #202 "Apres Vous"
Sunnyvale, CA

Eric Johnson wrote:

> > As a general rule of thumb, the only advantage that stainless
> > steel has over carbon
> > steel is in the area of corrosion resistance. It generally
> > weaker and softer than
> > carbon steel, and is much more difficult to harden, and treatment
> > may require such
> > exotic things as quenching in liquid nitrogen for success.
>
> Are you sure about that? Stainless is, to my understanding and limited
> experience, much harder than carbon steel. Some gunsmiths, for example,
> charge extra for work on stainless guns because of this. I find cutting
> stainless a real chore too. I was also under the impression that its
> stronger than most mild steel.
>
> But I do agree the corrosion resistance is the major plus, if there is
> oxygen present. Below the waterline silicon bronze (if you can find it!) is
> really the best of all as I understand it.