What's this NEW steel all about? Bradshaw Blades Urban Recce in Pop's ProCut
Published: 4 days ago
FIRST IMPRESSIONS Series: Episode
Whenever a new steel pops on the scene, I just can't help myself. The Urban Recce utilizes one of the newest steels on the market: Pop's ProCut.
CHAPTERS -
0:00 Introduction: What's ProCut?
1:56 Blade & Test Cut
3:13 Handle/Dimensions/Size Comparisons
5:02 Ergonomics
5:59 Sheath & Carry System
8:47 Cost & Availability
9:20 Final Thoughts
Resources –
Where to get one? These are currently sold out from KnivesShipFree, but you can sign up for in-stock notifications by adding it to your wishlist:
https://www.knivesshipfree.com/bradshaw-blades-urban-recce-green-canvas-micarta-natural-canvas-hardware-procut-bb27jk0102/
What's Pop's ProCut? https://knifesteelnerds.com/2025/06/04/pops-procut-a-new-carbon-steel-for-knives/
The quick and dirty on ProCut:
Pop’s ProCut is a new low-alloy knife steel designed by experienced smiths who wanted something tough like 15N20 and 8670, but with better edge retention and more wear resistance—without making it hard to forge or grind.
The secret to this steel is its mix of tungsten and vanadium. Those elements form super-fine carbides that boost edge retention, but they’re small enough that the blade stays easy to heat treat, even in a forge. You don’t get the giant carbides or fussy heat-treating demands you see in high-alloy steels like CruForgeV.
One of the biggest perks is the huge heat-treat window. ProCut hardens consistently anywhere from about 1475°F to 1675°F, and the grain stays tight and strong. That means it’s incredibly forgiving for makers of all experience levels—and perfect for anyone heat treating with a forge instead of a precision oven.
In terms of performance, ProCut is tougher than most traditional low-alloy steels like 1095, 1084, O1, or 80CrV2, while still offering better edge holding. When pushed to higher hardness, it even matches or beats the toughness of 8670, which is known for being incredibly tough.
It also grinds smoothly, polishes cleanly, and works beautifully in Damascus, giving a nice bright layer similar to 15N20 but with more performance.
The only real downside? It’s not great for hamons—but for practical knives, work knives, and high-performance users, it’s a fantastic new steel with a ton of versatility.
Whenever a new steel pops on the scene, I just can't help myself. The Urban Recce utilizes one of the newest steels on the market: Pop's ProCut.
CHAPTERS -
0:00 Introduction: What's ProCut?
1:56 Blade & Test Cut
3:13 Handle/Dimensions/Size Comparisons
5:02 Ergonomics
5:59 Sheath & Carry System
8:47 Cost & Availability
9:20 Final Thoughts
Resources –
Where to get one? These are currently sold out from KnivesShipFree, but you can sign up for in-stock notifications by adding it to your wishlist:
https://www.knivesshipfree.com/bradshaw-blades-urban-recce-green-canvas-micarta-natural-canvas-hardware-procut-bb27jk0102/
What's Pop's ProCut? https://knifesteelnerds.com/2025/06/04/pops-procut-a-new-carbon-steel-for-knives/
The quick and dirty on ProCut:
Pop’s ProCut is a new low-alloy knife steel designed by experienced smiths who wanted something tough like 15N20 and 8670, but with better edge retention and more wear resistance—without making it hard to forge or grind.
The secret to this steel is its mix of tungsten and vanadium. Those elements form super-fine carbides that boost edge retention, but they’re small enough that the blade stays easy to heat treat, even in a forge. You don’t get the giant carbides or fussy heat-treating demands you see in high-alloy steels like CruForgeV.
One of the biggest perks is the huge heat-treat window. ProCut hardens consistently anywhere from about 1475°F to 1675°F, and the grain stays tight and strong. That means it’s incredibly forgiving for makers of all experience levels—and perfect for anyone heat treating with a forge instead of a precision oven.
In terms of performance, ProCut is tougher than most traditional low-alloy steels like 1095, 1084, O1, or 80CrV2, while still offering better edge holding. When pushed to higher hardness, it even matches or beats the toughness of 8670, which is known for being incredibly tough.
It also grinds smoothly, polishes cleanly, and works beautifully in Damascus, giving a nice bright layer similar to 15N20 but with more performance.
The only real downside? It’s not great for hamons—but for practical knives, work knives, and high-performance users, it’s a fantastic new steel with a ton of versatility.