Swann Morton blades

[Jazzy Jase]

Can anyone tell me the difference between Carbon Steel and Stainless Steel Swann Morton blades?

[Mike]

I'm guessing that the carbon steel ones are like the ones I have, and if you get them wet they go rusty

[Dave Fleming]

I've found the stainless ones tend to keep their edge longer.

[Jazzy Jase]

I don't plan on getting them wet. I was mainly wondering if one was sharper or stayed sharper for longer?

[sinnerboy]

In theory Carbon steel should keep it edge longer providing it has been heat treated & then ground ( heat treating increases hardness but makes more brittle which is reduced somewhat by tempering ) where as SS has Chrome added which while increase hardness a little is mainly to make it more resistsnt to oxidising & staining

[Jon Kunac-Tabinor]

I didnt even know they made stainless steel ones! is that for surgical use perhaps?

Jonners

[andym]

You can only get Carbon Steel in unsterile packs and they are cheaper.

HTH

andy

[little-cars]

The standard packs of 5 blades that you usually buy are all carbon steel and non sterile - standard ones and the generally the cheapest

The single peel pack blades that are non sterile and carbon steel -limited range of blades, these are about 15% more .

Sterile blades are available in single metal foil packs, in either Carbon steel or stainless steel.

Carbon sterile are about 20% more and stainless are 25% more than the standard packs.

There are some blades only availalble in some of the sterile ranges, so you are less likely to see them in our market.

[Rosco]

Currently using a Swann - Norton number 3 handle with 11p blades but I find then prone to snapping where they clip onto the handle.

Just wondering if what other folk are using and if there is a stronger blane / handle combo.

Thanks

[little-cars]

The number 3 is the standard handle, and the sides where some of the blades can be fairly narrow, 11p is a very light duty blades so can snap if you are doing heavy duty cutting.

For heavy work switch to either a craft knife or the no 4 handle that has the heavy duty blades with a 25a or 26 blade.

[Dave Fleming]

Currently using a Swann - Norton number 3 handle with 11p blades but I find then prone to snapping where they clip onto the handle.

Just wondering if what other folk are using and if there is a stronger blane / handle combo.

Thanks

11 seems particularly prone to that, although I have snapped no 10 blades as well. These days the ones I tend to use most are the 15 and 15a blades, with 10a as a back up (but usually have a no.6, 11 and 15T lurking around as well.

For heavier duty, I tend to use a no 4 handle with a 23 blade, but to be honest for anything that involves a bit of pressue on the knife or doesn't need delicate touch, I tend to reach for a more general purpose knife.

[AdriaN (MLT)]

I use handle no3 and use non sterile staineless steel blades 10 & 10A. Bloody sharp but they blunt so easily!