A list of practical pros and cons for different knife steels?

J

JZknives

Joined
Feb 7, 2013
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It seems like most people say the same things about steel they like. "Oh it holds a great edge" or "it's got great wear resistance"

What we have right now is charts based on just the chemistry of the steels which we can then determine " oh it has good wear resistance."

What we don't have is a list of pro's and cons of knife steels. For example practical uses for different type of steel. Like how 5160 migh not be the best chef knife steel , but would make a great cleaver steel.

Are there any good lists like this out there that accurately can make each steel appealing to different uses?

Or is knife steel so generally similar in performance that it really isn't that different.
 
If you ask three knifemakers to list the attributes of knife steels......you will get four lists.
 
I'm not sure if there's a sticky for that or not...if you're looking for just a basic data sheet with vague descriptions of how a steel performs in a hardened (martensitic) state, then I'm sure there's an article somewhere on this website. I've been working with actual blade / tool steels for just a little over a year, so instead of looking for elements that improve wear or edge retention, I just focus on "are there any elements (or lack thereof) that will make heat treatment more trouble than it's worth?" One reason I prefer tool steels is the letter will tell me some things about what to expect, example: S-7=Shock absorbant, A-2=Air hardening and deep hardening, W-2=Wonderful if quenched just right, W-1=...Well $#!%, O-1=Oh my, that's a keen edge. Also, just from personal experience, things like wear resistance and optimal toughness / hardness seems to depend more on factors like the temper cycle than the steel's composition. Ask about any type of steel on here, and there will be a smith - or six or seven - who will be able to tell all you would ever need to know about it. Just my 2 cents...Ok, I'll stop typing now and go away. :)
 
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