08-28-2018, 03:34 PM
(This post was last modified: 08-28-2018, 04:32 PM by KnifeGrinders.)
I don't know meatworking facilities that use knives over HRC 58, and I don't think it is because of the price, but rather because of the ease of steeling the knife back to very sharp.
We know that both the HRC 55-58 and harder HRC 60+ knives initially blunt at a similar rate and quickly turn from very sharp to just working sharp, but meat workers need them stay very sharp.
Our experimental data on steeling show that steeled HRC 55-58 knives stay sharper than the HRC 62.
I suppose that where the meat workers are happy with just a reasonably sharp knife they prefer a harder steel of HRC 60+ because it holds the edge longer, but where they need it very sharp, they pick the HRC 55-56.
With all that said, where price is not a concern, knives at 59-60HRC should have the best retention of a sharp edge with steeling on a smooth (polished) steel, but I am yet to confirm this experimentally.
We know that both the HRC 55-58 and harder HRC 60+ knives initially blunt at a similar rate and quickly turn from very sharp to just working sharp, but meat workers need them stay very sharp.
Our experimental data on steeling show that steeled HRC 55-58 knives stay sharper than the HRC 62.
I suppose that where the meat workers are happy with just a reasonably sharp knife they prefer a harder steel of HRC 60+ because it holds the edge longer, but where they need it very sharp, they pick the HRC 55-56.
With all that said, where price is not a concern, knives at 59-60HRC should have the best retention of a sharp edge with steeling on a smooth (polished) steel, but I am yet to confirm this experimentally.
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