Cold Steel Voyager Medium AUS8a Rope Cutting/Edge Retention Test

The steel didn't hold it's edge a super long time, but it's not meant to. AUS8a is extremely tough and resilient, and when you can accept it for what it is then you can take advantage of the benefits it gives you.

In addition to being mega tough, it takes a SUPER keen edge and is ridiculously easy to touch up after some use. I personally like the steel, although I can definitely understand that some people don't.

I greatly appreciate any amount of Paypal donations, and as always please do not feel obligated to do so:

jldavis8@crimson.ua.edu

Category:

Education

Tags:

• cold
• steel
• voyager
• aus8a
• rope
• cutting
• test
• jdavis882
• edge
• retention
• triad
• lock
• demko
• custom
• Blade
• Knives

[Nebulax123]

JD: I went and checked and the knife I have is the Benchmade H2o River Guide and while it is flat/saber ground it is not H1 but is X15 T.N not sure how it equates to H1 but Kristi from Spyderco has stated that for their purposes they liked H1 better.

[jdavis882]

@Nebulax123 Hey Bruce, thanks for checking. This could be totally wrong, but I think I remember (I am not sure at all) hearing that X15 had slightly better edge retention than H1. Since I haven't tested either I really can't say, but it would be a cool thing to find out. :)

[ajrj925]

I think cold steel's AUS8 is very good. even a novice sharpener like myself can get it up and running again very easily. in my opinion cold steel is a very underrated company. I have never had any fit and finish problems with cold steel. Yet 2 of my 3 Striders were sent back for warranty issues. Nonetheless great all around knife and great review. I was wondering if you have done any testing or have any experience with N690Co... Any info would be greatly appreciated. Once again thanks for the

[jdavis882]

@ajrj925 Yes I have tested N690. Look back in my older uploads. It was a Fox Deimos. :)

[camokid1ss]

thats good enough for EDC task. In reality you only going to cut maybe 2 to 3 pieces of rope one a good day.

[Sharpbevel]

Good job on the review/cut test

[jordub]

I think this knife will be my first cold steel. I dare you to eat your "salad" you just cut up. lol

[bfd210]

I have the large tanto and its a sweet sweet knife!! Just got an Emerson CQC 15 as well!!

[SezMan716]

love that steel on my cs recon 1. goes from dull to shaving sharp so fast with a kitchen steel and a strop. love it

[xxbryan715xx]

i never said it will hold an edge forever. it is a 58-60 on the rockwell scale. it simpily wont. i was saying it is a very tough steel. if you drop it on its tip or cut through an object and hit a hard surface you wont chip the blade.if you drop a harder steel on the pavment live s35vn or d2 they can loose their entire tip. it is by no means a super hard steel but it is super tuff and super water resistant. if ou can sharpen you can get an awesome edge on it in seconds also.

[bobmellon]

@xxbryan715xx yes and so can a spoon? does that mean i want it as a knife steel, absolutely not, h1 is a precipitation hardened steel, the inner steel is very soft, hence why it can do that, it is not a great performer, and bending it to a 90 degree angle has no practical purpose