All About Pocket Knives

I recently purchased a U.S.A made schrade+ 60T Golden bear in an antique store,and was curious about what grade of blade steel it has? I can`t find any information anywhere about this.Thank you for any help.

Some info,in the link below, seems like your knife has stainless blade ****good luck

http://www.allaboutpocketknives.com/kni ... 64&t=18075

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All Schrade blades tang stamped SCHRADE+ are Schrade's proprietary version of 440C; that is as near as I have been able to figure out the steel. It seems to have better edge retention than most other 440C steals, whether that is something added to the steel or their own in-house method of heat treatment I am not sure.

If the tang stamp does not have the + sign it MAY or MAY NOT be carbon steel.
All the blades marked with the + are stainless, but all blades without the + are not necessarily carbon steel.

I had a feeling it was 440 stainless,but was not sure. I had someone at the antique store tell me he believed it was ATS-34 but I seriously doubted that.Thanks a bunch guys.

The only Schrade catalog item I can think of, off the top of my head, with ATS-34 steel was the Spitfire, 2003-2004.

orvet wrote:The only Schrade catalog item I can think of, off the top of my head, with ATS-34 steel was the Spitfire, 2003-2004.

I believe your right.It would be nice if had they used ATS-34 on my golden bear,but no such luck.Although 440C is a good steel if the heat treating is done properly. By the way,nice spitfire you have.

Thanks.
I think part of what made the Schrade's stainless steel into Schrade+ was their proprietary heat-treating method. IMO, Schrade+ will hold up better than any other 440 series steel on the market then or now.

The only 400 series steel I am aware of that is equal or perhaps even better is Buck’s 420. The only reason it is so good, IMO, is because of the genius of Paul Bos who did Buck’s heat treating for years and set up their new heat treat facility in Idaho, (and still consults for them last I heard).

orvet wrote:Thanks.
I think part of what made the Schrade's stainless steel into Schrade+ was their proprietary heat-treating method. IMO, Schrade+ will hold up better than any other 440 series steel on the market then or now.

The only 400 series steel I am aware of that is equal or perhaps even better is Buck’s 420. The only reason it is so good, IMO, is because of the genius of Paul Bos who did Buck’s heat treating for years and set up their new heat treat facility in Idaho, (and still consults for them last I heard).

If i`m not badly mistaken,I believe the last steel used on the schrade+ was 420HC until the Schrade plant closed in the U.S. I believe Paul Bos is still doing the heat treating for Buck knives.

ColtCobra wrote:If i`m not badly mistaken,I believe the last steel used on the schrade+ was 420HC until the Schrade plant closed in the U.S. I believe Paul Bos is still doing the heat treating for Buck knives.

I (and many others) would love to know for sure what Schrade+ steel is.
Do you have an inside source for the 420HC?


Paul Bos is retired from Buck but still consulting for them.
He is still running his custom heat treating business.
http://www.blademag.com/profiles/blogs/ ... t-treating

http://i1095.photobucket.com/albums/i47 ... G_0072.jpg
Greg