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420HC vs. Aus 8
- Thread starter Easyjack
- Start date
A lot depends on who heat treats the AUS 8 too..
- Joined
- Sep 19, 2011
- Messages
- 1,945
There are two versions of Cold Steel Aus8a. Sub-zero quenched and non. The non is a little tougher than 420hc, but doesn't get as shap. I have many voyagers and a buck 110. The sub-zero is far superior to both in hardness, toughness,edge retention and sharpness...via my Recon 1. I can feel the difference just by touch, hear the difference when you strike it and see the difference in the grain at the sharpened edge.
Well AUS-8 itself is basically a improved 420 Series steel...
AUS-8 is marked up with 0.70-0.75% in carbon versus 420HC which is 0.45-0.50%,pre heat-treated mind you.
AUS-8 has also 0.10-0.30% in both molybdenum and vanadium for wear resistance and strength.420HC doesn't possess a drop of either so it's quick dulling on coarse materials in comparison. If you get a 420HC blade by Buck that possess both the heat and cryo treatment(such as the black handed fixed blades or 110/112 lockbacks) it's harder so it's slower at dulling. That also explains why 420HC blades by Buck vary in price...some use only the heat treatment like the vantage select or the bantam.420HC I feel is sweeter on a stone as a generally soft blade steel but Aus-8 doesn't take much longer to sharpen either...both steels in makeup are designed the same. Actual 440A surpasses both steels from it's high molybdenum content and it's prospectively the same carbon range as AUS-8.
AUS-8 is marked up with 0.70-0.75% in carbon versus 420HC which is 0.45-0.50%,pre heat-treated mind you.
AUS-8 has also 0.10-0.30% in both molybdenum and vanadium for wear resistance and strength.420HC doesn't possess a drop of either so it's quick dulling on coarse materials in comparison. If you get a 420HC blade by Buck that possess both the heat and cryo treatment(such as the black handed fixed blades or 110/112 lockbacks) it's harder so it's slower at dulling. That also explains why 420HC blades by Buck vary in price...some use only the heat treatment like the vantage select or the bantam.420HC I feel is sweeter on a stone as a generally soft blade steel but Aus-8 doesn't take much longer to sharpen either...both steels in makeup are designed the same. Actual 440A surpasses both steels from it's high molybdenum content and it's prospectively the same carbon range as AUS-8.
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