Just finishing up my first Talonite knife and want to report that it's nice stuff to work with. Of course it's already hard, but grinds fairly easily, polishes about like ATS-34, however there is a DEFINITE "grain" to it that looks a bit like D-2. The soldering was sooooooo nice. It solders very easily and the joint comes out looking like an integral. As per Rob Simonich's advice, I also pinned the guard, of course I almost always do anyway. You can heat it up way hot, either grinding or soldering, without affecting the hardness. Maybe you could hard solder it????

I'm anxious to put it to work and see how it performs. What's the best way to sharpen it? With a belt and buff it, or with a stone, diamond, ceramic? I don't know yet. Any input out there?

The folks, Tom Walz and Wendy, at Carbide Processors, are great to work with and it's been a fun project. I'll be making more, if it performs anything like I'm told it will. I'll have it at the Guild Show in Orlando.

Go to:

carbideprocessors.com/Kni...e_home.htm (http://carbideprocessors.com/Knives/Talonite_home.htm)

if you want to check out their site and read up on Talonite.

Steve, I use my belt grinder for sharpening talonite, putting the edge on the same way I do with my ATS34 blades. Works for me. It is neat stuff, isn't it?

Sounds like you had fun with it. I look forward to seeing it at the show.

It really is interesting material. Quite expensive, but then you don't need to heat treat it. It drills/cuts nicely with carbide and would be a time saver if you needed a blade quickly and didn't have time to send it off to heat treat, if you do that.

I've been told that it's hard to bring to a good edge with a stone/steel. The burr dosen't seem to want to "break" off. Is this true/ If so, how do you recommend the end user sharpen? He won't have a belt and buffer near at hand, most likely. Then, if it holds up like they say, he may never have to!

How thin do you take your edge down to. I hear that they must be left quite thick, maybe .030", or more?

Thanks for the input.