# Hype or fact?



## sprtsracer (Apr 27, 2005)

Just wondered if anyone had any experience with these knives. They aren't the most expensive, but they aren't cheap. There are 3 models, a 9 in.flex blade, 9 in. regular, and 7 in. flex blade. Curious as to whether or not this is hype, like the "Schticky" or the Ron Popeil 6 star knives, or if it's legit. Since they don't boast that they are made in USA, I can only assume China. Also, it states that it has a "Sushi Chef" style beveled blade, which I take to mean that it is like a Japanese knife, and only beveled on one side, which means re-sharpening will require a different technique. Any thoughts?

http://www.bubbablade.com/


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## plotalot (Apr 27, 2009)

I have no experience with or prior knowledge of these knives, but I say hype. I noticed the name Bubba Blade and that immediately sent up a red flag. The next thing that alarmed me was the Teflon coated blade. The advantages it offers, only favor the manufacturer. It cuts down on their finishing time and is appealing to suckers. The final straw was their BS paragraph devoted to their use of 8Cr13MoV steel. Not being one who is impressed by a meaningless string of digits and letters, I investigated further. As it turns out the steel is a cheaper Chinese stainless. Truth be told it is probably adequate and a good steel for its price point, but hardly the best. 

If I was truly interested in these knives and I'm not, I'd wait until they went on clearance at 20 -25% of their current price. If I needed a new filet knife I'd get what I already have, a Dexter-Russell.


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## RuddeDogg (Mar 20, 2004)

Never heard of them. I'll stick with my Dexter Russell's.


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## sprtsracer (Apr 27, 2005)

Makes sense to me, guys. That's what I suspected. Think I'll start selling an 8053C2107b483/24X3 chromium stainless knife coated with titanium and see if I can make some money!  Or...maybe an "Orgreenic" or "Yoshi Blue" knife...how does that sound?


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## Fishman (Apr 23, 2000)

Dexter Russell would be my choice. these knive are used in most fish markets


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## SALTSHAKER (Dec 5, 2002)

*bubba knives*

I looked em up and they are nice but are really expensive, to much for my taste. Will stick with the Dexters like the rest of y a


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## RobinsonFam1 (Jul 2, 2007)

i did some google seaches about them as im looking for a new knife too. they seem to have good reviews but for the price ill stick with DR.


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## jay b (Dec 1, 2002)

Fishman said:


> Dexter Russell would be my choice. these knive are used in most fish markets


They're also sold in most decent fish markets ...


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## solid7 (Dec 31, 2010)

Carbon - 0.80%
Chromium - 13.00%
Manganese - 0.40%
Molybdenum - 0.15%
Nickel - 0.20%
Phosphorus - 0.02%
Silicon - 0.50%
Sulfur - 0. 1%
Vanadium - 0.10%

Funny designation, not what I normally understand in metallurgy.

High chromium steel. I wouldn't buy a knife made of stainless, unless it cost less than $2. Stainless doesn't hold an edge. And if it does, it's not great stainless. And if it's not great stainless, you might as well buy something that holds an edge, and just take care of it.


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## greg12345 (Jan 8, 2007)

Thought stainless did hold an edge but it was harder to get a good edge? Whereas high carbon steel is easy to get a good edge but doesn't last long and needs frequent sharpening? Am no knife expert by any means...


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## solid7 (Dec 31, 2010)

greg12345 said:


> Thought stainless did hold an edge but it was harder to get a good edge? Whereas high carbon steel is easy to get a good edge but doesn't last long and needs frequent sharpening? Am no knife expert by any means...


No... Nothing holds an edge like high carbon steel. Everything needs to be resharpened some time. The guys who are constantly stoning a carbon steel blade, are just touching up an already good edge. (that's pride, not necessity)


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## plotalot (Apr 27, 2009)

solid7 said:


> Those digits have absolutely NOTHING to do with being Chinese. If they are, it's by coincidence, not design.
> 
> 8 points of Chromium
> 13 points of Molybdenum
> ...


I never said the letters and digits mean that it is from China but they still identify it as being a stainless steel that was developed and made in China. Just as your Social Security Number doesn't mathematically equate to who you are, while it can be used to identify you. You are correct about the digits eluding to the composition. Unless one is a metallurgist or a mechanical engineer all that is meaningless. 

As far as stainless being garbage for knife blades, that isn't a statement you can make and just end with period. That is a whole other debate.


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## sprtsracer (Apr 27, 2005)

Sorry, solid7, but you are wrong. High carbon steel is a softer metal than stainless. Easier to sharpen, but doesn't hold an edge as well and needs sharpening more often than stainless, which is a harder steel. There are many grades of stainless steel, but all are harder than regular high carbon steel. There is even a "high carbon" stainless, which is still harder than regular high carbon steel, and holds it's edge longer. greg12345 is correct.


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## solid7 (Dec 31, 2010)

plotalot said:


> As far as stainless being garbage for knife blades, that isn't a statement you can make and just end with period. That is a whole other debate.


OK, fair enough, point taken. BTW - my first numbers (that you show) were mistaken... Not a typical designation.

Yes, stainless has its application. Knives must be purpose built to suit their application. If corrosion resistance is necessary, then obviously, high carbon isn't your best choice. There is no debate about which holds a superior edge....


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## sprtsracer (Apr 27, 2005)

YES...there is no debate! See my post above! That's why you will see the best chefs in the world using stainless knives, such as Sabatier, Henkel, Shun, Wustoff, etc. They are all stainless, full tang, forged blades.


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## solid7 (Dec 31, 2010)

sprtsracer said:


> Sorry, solid7, but you are wrong. High carbon steel is a softer metal than stainless. Easier to sharpen, but doesn't hold an edge as well and needs sharpening more often than stainless, which is a harder steel. There are many grades of stainless steel, but all are harder than regular high carbon steel. There is even a "high carbon" stainless, which is still harder than regular high carbon steel, and holds it's edge longer. greg12345 is correct.


High Carbon steels can be heat treated through. The only grades of stainless which can be through hardened are Martensitic grades - at the expense of corrosion resistance.

Stainless is ONLY harder than high carbon before heat treat. Double check me on that. High carbon steels can be hardened as high as any steels can be hardened. (obviously, the harder, the more brittle) Most stainless varieities can only be surface hardened, at best, through methods such as precipitation hardening. (and it's a very shallow hard)


Here's a brief article... Not very authoritative, but it agrees with me, so.... 

http://www.ehow.com/facts_5683569_high-vs_-stainless-steel-knives.html

and another....

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-high-carbon-stainless-steel.htm


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## greg12345 (Jan 8, 2007)

All I know is that my dexter russell (high carbon) gets a good edge easily but loses it fast, my stainless knives are a pain to get that same type of edge on.


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## sprtsracer (Apr 27, 2005)

solid7 said:


> High Carbon steels can be heat treated through. The only grades of stainless which can be through hardened are Martensitic grades - at the expense of corrosion resistance.
> 
> Stainless is ONLY harder than high carbon before heat treat. Double check me on that. High carbon steels can be hardened as high as any steels can be hardened. (obviously, the harder, the more brittle) Most stainless varieities can only be surface hardened, at best, through methods such as precipitation hardening. (and it's a very shallow hard)


I have no desire to continue this conversation as I know what I am talking about and you obviously do not. No offense, but do some research! Ever hear of the Rockwell scale? Do some comparisons. The Rockwell scale has to do with hardness of steel, and the harder the steel, the longer it will hold an edge.


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## solid7 (Dec 31, 2010)

sprtsracer said:


> YES...there is no debate! See my post above! That's why you will see the best chefs in the world using stainless knives, such as Sabatier, Henkel, Shun, Wustoff, etc. They are all stainless, full tang, forged blades.


Same reason some fishermen use stainless hooks - they use stainless because it requires less maintenance... That's all.

There are still some VERY high quality knives made in high carbon. But they rust, and if you're a professional, you don't add maintenance to your routine.


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## solid7 (Dec 31, 2010)

sprtsracer said:


> I have no desire to continue this conversation as I know what I am talking about and you obviously do not. No offense, but do some research! Ever hear of the Rockwell scale? Do some comparisons. The Rockwell scale has to do with hardness of steel, and the harder the steel, the longer it will hold an edge.


I design for a living. Stainless does not reach the same Rockwell numbers as high carbon. Rockwell C is the scale used for materials in this hardness range. Stainless averages in the low to mid 40's, high carbon can go into the 80's. (where it becomes like glass)

Stainless in knife blades is usually a hybrid of stainless and high carbon. 440C, for example.

That's not internet research - that's actual gun and knife making experience.


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## plotalot (Apr 27, 2009)

solid7 said:


> Yes, stainless has its application. Knives must be purpose built to suit their application. If corrosion resistance is necessary, then obviously, high carbon isn't your best choice. There is no debate about which holds a superior edge....


Modern stainless steels are sufficient enough in the ability to take and hold an edge that their corrosion resistance is probably enough to make it the superior material for most applications. If the edge is the only constraint then carbon steel is still champion. Case in point, disposable razors are made of stainless and straight razors are made of carbon steel.


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## sprtsracer (Apr 27, 2005)

Whatever!


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## solid7 (Dec 31, 2010)

From a wikipedia article:



> Carbon steel: An alloy of iron and approximately 1% carbon. Most carbon steel chef's knives are simple carbon iron alloys without exotic additions such as chrome or vanadium. Carbon steel blades are both easier to sharpen than ordinary stainless steel and usually hold an edge longer, but are vulnerable to rust and stains. Some professional cooks swear by knives of carbon steel because of their sharpness. Over time, a carbon-steel knife will normally acquire a dark patina, and can rust or corrode if not cared for properly by cleaning and lubricating the blade after use. Some chefs also 'rest' their carbon-steel knives for a day after use in order to restore the oxidizing patina, which prevents transfer of metallic tastes to some foods. While some cooks prefer and use carbon steel knives (especially in Asia and the Middle East), others find carbon steel too maintenance-intensive in a kitchen environment.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chef's_knife


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## solid7 (Dec 31, 2010)

sprtsracer said:


> Whatever!


Sorry... Just going with what I know. I have attempted to offer every proof to back up my statements. Had I been wrong, I would have gladly admitted it.


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## sprtsracer (Apr 27, 2005)

"While some cooks prefer and use carbon steel knives (especially in Asia and the Middle East), others find carbon steel too maintenance-intensive in a kitchen environment."

THIS means they need sharpened more often!


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## sprtsracer (Apr 27, 2005)

AND...you left this out of the article you cited: "Stainless steel: An alloy of iron, approximately 10-15% of chromium, nickel, or molybdenum, with only a small amount of carbon. Lower grades of stainless steel cannot take as sharp an edge as good-quality high-carbon steels, but are resistant to corrosion, and are inexpensive. Higher grade and 'exotic' stainless steels (mostly from Japan - as used by Global, Kasumi and others) are extremely sharp with excellent edge retention, and equal or outperform carbon steel blades." I'm done.


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## solid7 (Dec 31, 2010)

sprtsracer said:


> "While some cooks prefer and use carbon steel knives (especially in Asia and the Middle East), others find carbon steel too maintenance-intensive in a kitchen environment."
> 
> THIS means they need sharpened more often!


No, it means rust. 

Article said right there: "Carbon steel blades are both easier to sharpen than ordinary stainless steel and usually hold an edge longer"


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## solid7 (Dec 31, 2010)

sprtsracer said:


> Higher grade and 'exotic' stainless steels (mostly from Japan - as used by Global, Kasumi and others) are extremely sharp with excellent edge retention, and equal or outperform carbon steel blades." I'm done.


No, I DID say that. Back a few posts... You have to add carbon, which means you start sacrificing corrosion resistance. You end up with a High Chromium, High Carbon hybrid. It's not "exactly" stainless, and not "exactly" high carbon. (even though they are labeled as such) These are generally the Martensitic grades of stainless steel.

But your first statements were blatantly false about hardness, better edge, edge retention, etc. I have a mountain of evidence to support this.


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## sprtsracer (Apr 27, 2005)

opcorn::fishing:


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## solid7 (Dec 31, 2010)

Yeah... Topic over.


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## Fishman (Apr 23, 2000)

jay b said:


> They're also sold in most decent fish markets ...


Not in ours. it's Dexter Russel all the way.


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## jay b (Dec 1, 2002)

Maybe it's the context but Dexter Russel was what I was referring to ...


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## Fishman (Apr 23, 2000)

Sorry I read the post wrong.


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## underdawg (Sep 18, 2006)

The whole stainless steel not holding an edge thing comes from people buying crappy Pakistani 440 steel knives. Quality stainless has plenty of carbon points to allow hardening (sometimes even more than plain carbon steel). Check out what these guys are doing with stainless blades http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNYf56upj0M. I think there's plenty of edge retention going on there.


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## solid7 (Dec 31, 2010)

underdawg said:


> The whole stainless steel not holding an edge thing comes from people buying crappy Pakistani 440 steel knives. Quality stainless has plenty of carbon points to allow hardening (sometimes even more than plain carbon steel). Check out what these guys are doing with stainless blades http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNYf56upj0M. I think there's plenty of edge retention going on there.


You are right, and all I was trying to say, is that stainless, without any carbon addition - is great for corrosion, but not great blade material. You can't harden it without the addition of carbon. And any stainless that can be hardened, generally isn't going to have great corrosion resistance properties. (many grades of stainless will rust quite readily) Certainly, there ARE some stainless superalloys that have all the best properties. They may be much more common than they used to be, but they are very pricey. My initial input in this conversation was based on stainless in general, (as a material) not any alloy in specific. And my comments, when viewed as such, make perfect sense.

I have no problem admitting that Larry is correct when we narrow the conversation down to some specific grade of stainless.


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## DrumintheSuds (Nov 19, 2007)

Just get a Rapala J Martinni 6" fillet knife......Best I have ever owned and less than 20 bucks


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## NC KingFisher (Nov 20, 2011)

So what kind of knife should i get? Im getting a white handled calcutta seratted for skinning sharks but what should i get for filleting? Yall have me confused!


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## RobinsonFam1 (Jul 2, 2007)

you dont need a serrated knife to skin a shark. you can easily do it with a standard smooth blade. if you get a serrated knife id say get the DR Tiger. its freaking rediculous. ppl see me use it to cut frozen bait or cut a whole fish in half with 1-2 swipes and they all comment on it.

DR has a 3 knife set and 4 knife set in a roll up case. the price runs about $30-50 which is unbeatable.

final word IMO: get a DR and enjoy it. get a good sharpener of sorts and keep it well used!


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## Fishman (Apr 23, 2000)

We skin sharks all the time in our seafood market. We use the standard 7 or 8 inch blade. Like Robinson said just buy a standard D R blade and you will have no problem filleting any fish from a spot to somthing as big as a tuna.


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## NC KingFisher (Nov 20, 2011)

Fishman said:


> We skin sharks all the time in our seafood market. We use the standard 7 or 8 inch blade. Like Robinson said just buy a standard D R blade and you will have no problem filleting any fish from a spot to somthing as big as a tuna.


What size shark cause im talking 6ft+ my buddy has one and he swears by it


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## Fishman (Apr 23, 2000)

All sizes from 3 ft and up. We sell to resturants ang grocerie stores. We are a wholesaler.


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## FISHVAMOUNT (May 30, 2011)

*Knives of Alaska*

First time posting here but if you ever have the chance look at the fillet knives from this company Knives of Alaska makes great knives I have used them for hunting and fishing while a little pricey one set I have I have been using since 1984 and its been to Canada and out west numerous times and in the OBX last week.and they are made here in the USA just my 2 cents worth,By the way Thanks to all for the free saltwater education over the last couple of years its paid off as I have gone to the OBX and Sandbridge over the last 5 years.


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## RobinsonFam1 (Jul 2, 2007)

smooth blades for all fish cleaning, any shape or size of fish. 

there are some fish that require a technique to get it done easily: trigger (cut triggers and peel), bull reds (heavy scales but one perfect cut line on ridge/dorsal), sharks (denticles like sand paper), rays (slimy a** and tricky), etc. 
none of them require a serrated. 
like i said: i have one (DR Tiger), love it, but only use it to cut heavy bone or frozen fish. 
sharks cut like butter with smooth blade from underside: poke a hole and flip edge up, then zip it open. if youre sold on the serrated then get the DR kit that has either 3 or 4 knives. that would be your absolute best option and money wisely spent too IMO.


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## ReelKingin (Aug 3, 2009)

some guys on other sites LOVE them...They all admit they arent the best/sharpest out the box, but once edged they are the best...


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