Rex 121

[JRinFL]

This quote from Phil Wilson is critical to read and digest. "It holds an edge longer than anything else I have tried but has the lowest toughness of any knife steels I have worked with. Larrin's graphs show those two extremes. Corrosion resistance is also low. No free lunch."

While it will be fun watching this come to market, it will be another one I will watch from the sidelines. We have to push the boundaries to see where the limits are, but you guys will have to fund this one!

[Evil D]

This quote from Phil Wilson is critical to read and digest. "It holds an edge longer than anything else I have tried but has the lowest toughness of any knife steels I have worked with. Larrin's graphs show those two extremes. Corrosion resistance is also low. No free lunch."

While it will be fun watching this come to market, it will be another one I will watch from the sidelines. We have to push the boundaries to see where the limits are, but you guys will have to fund this one!

I wonder if there will come a point when blades are snapping and Spyderco just doesn't want to deal with the risk/liabilities? Any time a blade breaks people go off the rails about bad heat treat, I can only imagine the drama a steel like this could start. What really sucks is it would excel in a thin slicey grind but that would also make them even more likely to break if used carelessly. Seems like a mule blank would be the safest and most affordable way to being this steel out.

[JRinFL]

I wonder if there will come a point when blades are snapping and Spyderco just doesn't want to deal with the risk/liabilities? Any time a blade breaks people go off the rails about bad heat treat, I can only imagine the drama a steel like this could start. What really sucks is it would excel in a thin slicey grind but that would also make them even more likely to break if used carelessly. Seems like a mule blank would be the safest and most affordable way to being this steel out.

I had similar thoughts. Pushing boundaries has inherent risks and I can see this becoming a PR nightmare caused by those misusing such a blade. If they do make a Mule, they better make a ton of them. Demand will be insane!

On another note, I usually prefer a larger blade to really get the most out of a super steel, but on this one I wonder if a Manbug would work? Imagine a keychain knife that never needs to be sharpened?

[Evil D]

I wonder if there will come a point when blades are snapping and Spyderco just doesn't want to deal with the risk/liabilities? Any time a blade breaks people go off the rails about bad heat treat, I can only imagine the drama a steel like this could start. What really sucks is it would excel in a thin slicey grind but that would also make them even more likely to break if used carelessly. Seems like a mule blank would be the safest and most affordable way to being this steel out.

I had similar thoughts. Pushing boundaries has inherent risks and I can see this becoming a PR nightmare caused by those misusing such a blade. If they do make a Mule, they better make a ton of them. Demand will be insane!

On another note, I usually prefer a larger blade to really get the most out of a super steel, but on this one I wonder if a Manbug would work? Imagine a keychain knife that never needs to be sharpened?

A shorter blade could limit how much lateral stress a person can apply and maybe keep from breaking them.

[JMM]

I wonder if there will come a point when blades are snapping and Spyderco just doesn't want to deal with the risk/liabilities? Any time a blade breaks people go off the rails about bad heat treat, I can only imagine the drama a steel like this could start. What really sucks is it would excel in a thin slicey grind but that would also make them even more likely to break if used carelessly. Seems like a mule blank would be the safest and most affordable way to being this steel out.

I had similar thoughts. Pushing boundaries has inherent risks and I can see this becoming a PR nightmare caused by those misusing such a blade. If they do make a Mule, they better make a ton of them. Demand will be insane!

On another note, I usually prefer a larger blade to really get the most out of a super steel, but on this one I wonder if a Manbug would work? Imagine a keychain knife that never needs to be sharpened?

A shorter blade could limit how much lateral stress a person can apply and maybe keep from breaking them.

If the beta/production testing is being done @ Taichung I would think something like the Chaparral or Sage might be a very reasonable place to start...? Am I off base here?

[Cl1ff]

Maybe I’m wrong, but it’s not like this is drastically more prone to snapping than other hard steels. It is still a steel after all.
I just don’t see it being a problem...

Besides, as Phil points out, it is possible to optimize heat treats for different uses.

I still have some and can try some heat treats yet to optimize it

[The Meat man]

Maybe I’m wrong, but it’s not like this is drastically more prone to snapping than other hard steels. It is still a steel after all.
I just don’t see it being a problem...

Besides, as Phil points out, it is possible to optimize heat treats for different uses.

I still have some and can try some heat treats yet to optimize it

Kinda what I was thinking, too.

[ABX2011]

Sounds like it belongs in a very short blade like the wharnie Manbug.

[Cl1ff]

Sounds like it belongs in a very short blade like the wharnie Manbug.

In my opinion, it wouldn’t make sense for the steel to be limited in that way. I love the Manbug, but the steel is capable of so much more use/cutting than what only that small blade could offer.

BBB makes fixed blades and kitchen knives that are out there being used at super thin geometries. That’s the best example I can think of to demonstrate, whether Spyderco goes forward with it or not, Rex121 does have the ability to be used in a variety of knives.