154CM or ATS-34

[GOSHEN]

I have a Buck/Strider withATS-34 and a 277 with 154CM. Anyone have an opinion as to which is better or are they pretty much the same?

 

[Guyon]

Same steel basically. One is Japanese (ATS-34), the other American (154CM).

From Joe Talmadge's Steel FAQ:

ATS-34 - 154-CM
ATS-34 was the hottest high-end stainless in the 1990s. 154-CM
is the original American version, but for a long time was not
manufactured to the high quality standards knifemakers expect, so
knifemakers switched over to ATS-34. CPM is again making high-quality
154-CM, and some companies seeking to stick with American-made
products (like Microtech) are using it. ATS-34 is a Hitachi product
that is very, very similar to 154-CM. Normally hardened to around 60
Rc, it holds an edge very well and is tough enough even at that high
hardness. Not as rust resistant as the 400 series above. Many custom
makers use ATS-34, and Spyderco (in their high-end knives) and
Benchmade are among the production companies that use it.
Contrary to popular belief, both steels are manufactured through
the Argon/Oxygen/Decarburization process (AOD), not vacuum
remelted.

Source: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=368828

 

[rifon2]

They are just about identical, as indicated.

IIRC some USA manufacturers - Buck among them - who were using ATS-34
switched to 154CM so they could fairly state their knives are "Made in the USA".

 

[Psychopomp]

IIRC some USA manufacturers - Buck among them - who were using ATS-34
switched to 154CM so they could fairly state their knives are "Made in the USA".

Maybe. But I'd imagine that it's also cheaper to use a domestic product instead of importing.