440C Steel... What Do You Think??

I've used Benchmade's 440C and been quite happy with it for EDC use. I'd recommend it to anyone.
 
A while ago, I saw on Boker's site a test that showed 440 does at least as well as ATS-34......... I don't if this info is good, but a LOT of custom knife makers still prefer to use 440C, and if it's good enough for makers, it's good enough for me.
 
As with any steel, proper heat treat is key. 440C is a very good steel. Unless you really use the knife hard, you will most likely not even come close to the limits of the knife or the steel.

One big factor that goes over looked by the vast majority of keyboard metalurgists is blade grind. A poorly ground blade will make the best steels poor performers. A well done grind will greatly increases the edge holding ability of any steel.
 
I guess I am still old fashioned-I got into knifemaking when stainless steel was frowned upon as a knife steel (yes, even 440c). I played around with many of the then stainless steels (d2 had a different name then, it was a tool and die steel that would stay sharp for a very long time, even on tough steel or other materials) I still dont care for stainless that much, but I am aware that there are a lot of decent knives out there made of the modern stainless steels and the better heat treatments. I think my favorite knives are made of laminated steels with a high carbon center and a high hardness of said center steel, like the ones made in norway (brusletto, helle, etc.) even morseth.
but keep in mind that I am 74 years of age, and it is hard to teach an old dog new tricks--
 
gross9 said:
but keep in mind that I am 74 years of age, and it is hard to teach an old dog new tricks--
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Welcome to Bladeforums! :D

Part of the deal is, the old tricks do work real well. The new high-end stainless is great, but that doesn't diminish the performance of the tested and reliable high carbon steels still in use.
 
There is nothing wrong with 440c - many custom knifemakers still use it. Benchmade heat treat theirs to about 58-60hrc which is as high as you want to go with this steel. I have one of their Rant Bowies in 440c and it makes a good work knife, keeps a good edge, easy to sharpen and pretty well near stainless as far as SS goes. There are probably more good knives around out of 440c than any other steel.
 
There are a lot more other factors that determine how a knife performs, than just the steel itself. Consider - the bevel angles, length, thickness, grind types, edhe thickness, edge bevel shape etc. etc. I think 440C is a very good cutlery steel - the stain resistance is excellent and as mentioned, I find it takes a very nice finish.

Sure it may not hold an edge as long as many other steels, but then again, how much do you actually use a knife ? In my humble opinion, I feel that MOST users of knives will NOT use a knife hard / long enough to feel a significant difference between 440C, ATS34, D2 etc. etc. Thats again provided all have had a good heat treat.

What you will notice earlier is how difficult each steel is to re-sharpen and you could develop a like or dislike based on that.

Having said all that, there is a "status" factor that unfairly puts down 440C as a "less than desirable" steel for the latest knives. For that reason, I've switched from 440C to ATS34, RWL34 or D2 on most of my stainless knives. Just so I don't need to keep having this conversation each and every time someone asks "Do you use anything better than 440C?"

Cheers. Jason.
 
Same experience here. I started off with 440c (thought it was the bees knees at the time) but moved on to 154Cm through customer pressure and then D2. After all this time I still have a soft spot for 440c.
 
Most of the knives that I have that I would truly call "mirror polished" are 440C. It can be a very pretty steel.

But, it also takes a very sharp edge and is very rust-resistant which is a great combination. And because it doesn't have the name-appeal of some modern steels, it's a lot less expensive.

It's not the next phase new wave dance craze steel, but it's still rock-and-roll to me.
 
440C was considered Top of the line for many, many years for a good reason. It's a very good stainless steel. I like it better than ATS34. With a good heat treat, you should get excellent service out of that knife.
 
Temper said:
I gave my dad an old Bolt action Gerber in 440C that had lying around in November, he opens cardboard boxes all day with it and says he hasnt had a need to sharpen it. Of course its not popping hair but I put a 25 deg grind on it. I was surprised when he told me it was still going strong.

I think most of it boils down to who does the Heat Treat.
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Your Dad is getting excellent results with that Bolt action Gerber, and I'm pretty sure they were not 440C, but were 440A instead.
 
I have an 805 and other Benchmade 440C knives. You may have to sharpen them slightly more often than knives with a harder steel, but with a Sharpmaker this is no problem.
I highly recommend Benchmade's 440C knives.
 
Benchmades 440C is a very good using steel for an edc. Their Outbounder in 440C has become my favorite fixed blade user for mostly carpentry work. In part due to the excellent blade geometry but also because of the steel which takes a very keen edge and holds it very well without chipping or rolling. Usually stropping will bring it back to scary sharp even after extended use.

Actually I like BM’s 440C so well that I just bought a Griptillian to supplement my folder rotation which consists mainly of knives with steels like S60V, M2, BG42 and VG10.


Regards Jan
 
30 years ago 440C was the premium knife steel with 154CM just begining to make its itself known. I still like 440C because of its stain resistance and ease of sharpening. It is still (depending on the heat treatment) a great a knife steel .
 
440c is the old steel prefered by many custom makers for many, many years. It can be alittle tough to work when making a blade, but it is much easier to use (work with) than many of the new modern steels. I myself have made many knives of 440c over the years. 440c makes a great edc, allot depends on the heat treat and who made it od course.
 
I am really happy with my mini-grips 440c blade. It holds a good edge and is still easy to sharpen. Best of both worlds. Jim
 
I've had great luck with 440C, on my older Gerber knives and on my Benchmade Mini-Grip.
440C pretty much rules, in my book! :cool:
 
I have never quite understood how the comparison of the 440 steels to the AUS Japanese steels as being similar or the same started. I get it with ATS34 vs 154CM which is a Japanese steel being compared to a USA made one because when you compare them they are nearly identical in every element of the steel's make up.

But to compare 440A to AUS6 like they are equal or similar and 440B to AUS8 and 440C to AUS10 just doesn't compute in my mind, nor does it make much sense when you look at the steel charts to really compare them side by side. All the Japanese AUS steels have Vanadium and Nickel in them that you don't find in the 440 steels, and in AUS 8 and 10 you find they have Molybdenum as well which again is not found in 440 steels.

These additional 'ingredients' of the Japanese steels clearly places all the AUS steels ahead of the 440C steels in my mind for their ranking in the scale of Premium steels. But I still contend that there is nothing at all wrong with a knife of 440C.

I think ATS 34 is a closer comparison to 440C than the AUS steels are. Personally I think both ATS 34 and 154CM are over rated steels and that the AUS Japanese steels are better all around than both of these. I mean, if you took ATS34 and added Vanadium, Nickel and some Molybdenum you would then move it into the AUS steel area. I've never seen any distinct advantage to ATS34 in any of the blades I have of it when I compare it to my 440 blades or anything else in my using arsenal of knives. I'm not saying it is bad. Just that it is really not a whole lot different than steel that has already been around and used a while now that we call 440.

I think Cold Steel saw this fact that the AUS steels had a bunch to offer the knives they designed too and early on. They utilized the AUS steels qualities to their advantage because it probably is a better steel then a lot of what is being used and yet cheaper to buy than the others in use. In my mind all the AUS steels are more of a premium steel than those being toted as such. Bottom line is, does it work? And I think Cold Steel has proven to everyone that they certainly do more than just work.
 
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