LORE LAB Steel Test Database
15°

Smallest micro-bevel angle that held 600 push cuts on A-grade FAS spruce.

Based on 2 passing tests with a recorded micro-bevel angle, out of 14 total for this steel.
Limited data: this rests on very few tests. Treat as provisional.

The test that got there

Company / model
Kizer
Secondary bevel
12° per side
Micro-bevel
15° (the headline angle)
Factory HRC
Hardness not recorded
Tester
D
Wood
Spruce
Date
2024/05/25

The spread

5 of 14 tests shown; 9 have no recorded angle
Pass (600 cuts) Fail (at its cut count)

Micro-bevel angle (degrees per side)

Swipe the chart sideways to see the full angle range.

This steel's headline rests on a small number of passing tests. Read the angle as provisional until more tests are recorded.

By brand

Every brand we have tested this steel under, and its own best result -- heat-treat can shift the feasible angle from one maker to the next.

Cold Steel
20° n = 5
Defcon
No pass yet · best 25 cuts n = 1
Kizer
15° n = 2
Kubey
No pass yet · best 12 cuts n = 1
Rick Hinderer
No pass yet · best 96 cuts n = 3
We Knife
No pass yet · best 50 cuts n = 2

All tests

Sorted by result, then angle. Every recorded test for this steel, including heat-damage rows.

Tags
Pass 15° 12° 600 Kizer n/r D Spruce
Pass 20° 11° 600 Cold Steel / TALWAR n/r D Spruce
Fail n/r n/r 160 Kizer / SHEEPDOG n/r I Spruce
Fail n/r n/r 120 Cold Steel / Bush Ranger n/r D Spruce
Fail n/r n/r 96 Rick Hinderer / XM-18 3.5" n/r D Spruce
Fail n/r n/r 41 Cold Steel / Bush Ranger n/r I Spruce
Fail n/r n/r 27 Rick Hinderer / XM-18 3.5" n/r I Spruce
Fail n/r n/r 25 Defcon / AGENT n/r I Spruce
Fail n/r n/r 19 Cold Steel / Bush Ranger n/r I Spruce
Fail n/r n/r 16 Rick Hinderer / XM-18 3" n/r I Spruce
Fail n/r n/r 12 Kubey / ATLAS n/r I Spruce
Fail 15° 11° 103 Cold Steel / TALWAR n/r D Spruce
Fail 15° 11° 50 We Knife / BANTER n/r S Spruce
Fail 15° 11° 12 We Knife / BANTER n/r S Spruce
15° Pass 600 cuts
Company
Kizer
Secondary
12°
HRC
n/r
Tester
D
20° Pass 600 cuts
Company
Cold Steel / TALWAR
Secondary
11°
HRC
n/r
Tester
D
n/r Fail 160 cuts
Company
Kizer / SHEEPDOG
Secondary
n/r
HRC
n/r
Tester
I
n/r Fail 120 cuts
Company
Cold Steel / Bush Ranger
Secondary
n/r
HRC
n/r
Tester
D
n/r Fail 96 cuts
Company
Rick Hinderer / XM-18 3.5"
Secondary
n/r
HRC
n/r
Tester
D
n/r Fail 41 cuts
Company
Cold Steel / Bush Ranger
Secondary
n/r
HRC
n/r
Tester
I
n/r Fail 27 cuts
Company
Rick Hinderer / XM-18 3.5"
Secondary
n/r
HRC
n/r
Tester
I
n/r Fail 25 cuts
Company
Defcon / AGENT
Secondary
n/r
HRC
n/r
Tester
I
n/r Fail 19 cuts
Company
Cold Steel / Bush Ranger
Secondary
n/r
HRC
n/r
Tester
I
n/r Fail 16 cuts
Company
Rick Hinderer / XM-18 3"
Secondary
n/r
HRC
n/r
Tester
I
n/r Fail 12 cuts
Company
Kubey / ATLAS
Secondary
n/r
HRC
n/r
Tester
I
15° Fail 103 cuts
Company
Cold Steel / TALWAR
Secondary
11°
HRC
n/r
Tester
D
15° Fail 50 cuts
Company
We Knife / BANTER
Secondary
11°
HRC
n/r
Tester
S
15° Fail 12 cuts
Company
We Knife / BANTER
Secondary
11°
HRC
n/r
Tester
S