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Stainless Steel Rigging Knife -- 20-second video

peaman

Sustaining Member
After 30 years, the stainless steel has doubtless inherited your own magnetism.

I used to have a similar knife, not quite long enough to be corroded by my own foul personality. It had a hole through the handle for loosening shackle pins, and it was inscribed on its side "Curry Lockspike". If anyone here happens to find one by that description, about 5 miles west of Norman's Cay in the Bahamas, I will happily reimburse postage cost for its safe return.
 

tenders

Innocent Bystander
Mine of that design says “Nicro” on it and was purchased in 1986 from the Goldberg Marine catalog in NYC before it was bought by West Marine.
 

southofvictor

Member III
Blogs Author
I have one just like it and the lock lever broke off its axle within two weeks. I threw it in a drawer thinking maybe I‘d see if I could fix it one day. Based on your post I think I’ll dig it out and work on it!
 

Christian Williams

E381 - Los Angeles
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
Why so aggressively magnetic? No easy identification, as there are so many grades and some are and most aren't: 301, 303, 304, 304L, 310, 316, 316L, 321, 410, 416, 420, 430 and 440.

This model actually rusts, I had to clean it up when I discovered it last year. So much for my knowledge of metalurgy.
 

tenders

Innocent Bystander
Mine of that design says “Nicro” [CORRECTION: “Telo”] on it and was purchased in 1986 from the Goldberg Marine catalog in NYC before it was bought by West Marine.
Once made in Japan, now China, still distributed by Davis.
 

Prairie Schooner

Jeff & Donna, E35-3 purchased 7/21
My general understanding is that the alloys which offer the best stain resistance don't hold a good edge. And vice versa. They also wouldn't temper as well for the spring locking mechanism. The higher carbon steels which harden/temper would also be more likely to acquire magnetism, I'd think.
 

peaman

Sustaining Member
My general understanding is that the alloys which offer the best stain resistance don't hold a good edge. And vice versa. They also wouldn't temper as well for the spring locking mechanism. The higher carbon steels which harden/temper would also be more likely to acquire magnetism, I'd think.
My own general understanding is that the "stainless" quality comes from nickel and chromium content, neither of which have much if any magnetic properties. Meanwhile, steel gets its better edge-holding capability from a combination of carbon and silica. So more nickel and/or chromium leaves less room for iron with its carbon and silica enhancements.

Like everything to do with boats, it all comes down to balancing of trade-offs.
 

Stuphoto

Member III
I had one of those when I was a kid, and didn't have the faintest idea what it was for,
I used it for fishing. Broke the tip off, and just sharpened it.
I recall it being a good quality knife, that rarely needed sharpening.

Of course, being young I lost it several decades ago, and wouldn't mind finding a replacement now.

As far as I know, my step father got it from the Canadian military.
Although I could easily be wrong.
 
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