Advantage of "Non Stainless" Steels?

eveled said:
If stainless has made such great advances and is now equal to high carbon steel. Why aren’t tools made from stainless steel?

I don’t think I’ve ever seen a stainless steel hammer wrench or chisel. I’ve never seen a stainless steel anvil.
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Beta stainless steel tools.
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But for knives I do prefer tool steel. I also have lots of nice stainless steels too that I don't mind using.

Otherwise it's like someone who's only going to eat the same meal 3 times a day for their entire life.
 
Funny, my only gun that has rusted/pitted in the past is my only stainless steel gun.

(before I sent it back to S&W who refinished the surface)
 
I never understood the issue of rust in fixed blades. One of my favorite knives is w2. Nice patina and hamon. In the years I've had it, it's not rusted or pitted on me, ever. I also have stainless knives, and for some uses I appreciate the corrosion resistance.

People still have functional knives from more than a century ago. AEBL is good stuff but it's edge retention is ass lol
 
According to Larrin, the edge retention of Aeb-L is greater than a lot of "non-stainless" steels.

AEBL = 3

8670 = 1.5
5160 = 1.5
52100 = 2
80CrV2 = 1.5
Z-Tuff = 2.5
A2 = 2.5

I just recently got a nice bowie made from 5160 so I am not a complete "stainless snob". But for the most part the stainless of today is better if not a lot better than older steels in my opinion. I know opinions are like a$$ holes and everyone has one. To me 14C28N (same as AEBL but more corrosion resistance) is one of the better steels but it gets a bad rap of being a cheap steel.

If I had to pick one knife for a survival, complete shutdown of the world scenario , 14C28N would be what I would want.
 
AEBL is good stuff. And its edge retention has been more than satisfactory to bush crafters, hunters, chefs, and anyone else who doesn't mind a periodic stropping or honing. Let alone tactical and combat knives that only need to be sharp for a handful of cuts (but will be for much longer than that anyway). And AEBL serrations? All kinds of winning.

adluginb said:
14C28N would be what I would want
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If this were more available for North American custom makers it is probably what I would use. But AEBL is similar enough that I might not even be able to tell the difference.

So for a cutlery steel that is so versatile, highly available to the public in a range of stock thicknesses, close to the least expensive one, both to acquire and process into a knife, and also nearly the easiest one to get and keep sharp, it is not surprising that its naysayers are growing fewer as its advocates and enthusiasts continue to increase in number.
 
David Mary said:
If this were more available for North American custom makers it is probably what I would use. But AEBL is similar enough that I might not even be able to tell the difference.
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Good to know. I wasn't aware that 14C28N wasn't that readily available here in the US. That makes sense now though. I see it used a lot on inexpensive Amazon knives being made overseas and I think that is where it gets a bad rep as a cheap steel.
 
adluginb said:
Good to know. I wasn't aware that 14C28N wasn't that readily available here in the US. That makes sense now though. I see it used a lot on inexpensive Amazon knives being made overseas and I think that is where it gets a bad rep as a cheap steel.
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Nitro V is popular with makers...... easy to get.
And has the best name out of that group! Hahhaha!
 
DocJD said:
I learn something, entirely new and unexpected, here on BF, everyday ! 🤓

Thank You ! :):thumbsup:
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Glad to help! Only reason I know is because where we live, near the Chesapeake and ocean, is ATE UP with spiders. I suspect it's all the humidity that they like. Every year we get garden spiders up to like 3" diameter, in the yard, and black widows in the firewood pile (as well as in the HOUSE!), and of course cellar spiders throughout the house all year round, regardless of how many gallons of permethrin you hose the place down with...and their poop and/or urine is like Alien blood...whatever it lands on, it's like the China Syndrome, or the hydrofluoric acid they used in "Breaking Bad" to dissolve bodies...it makes BIG pits.
 
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14C28N is available from Admiral out of Chicago-land. They list sizes up to 6” wide on site. I don’t know if they sell sheets but I’m sure a telephone call would answer that question. I’ve purchased quite a bit of my stainless steel from them, CPM-154 and 14C28N. I’m very happy with service, etc.
But, is the difference between AEB-L and 14C28N enough to make the change? That certainly sounds like a personal decision.
 
I have aebl on a handmade chefs knife, it's edge retention has been crap. Could be the heat treat, but this maker has an excellent reputation and does quality work. Meh, my experience with aebl is the edge retention sucks, and that it's worse than sr101 (52100) by a lot. Ive only used them both for more than a decade so jury is still out 🤣
 
shinyedges said:
I have aebl on a handmade chefs knife, it's edge retention has been crap. Could be the heat treat, but this maker has an excellent reputation and does quality work. Meh, my experience with aebl is the edge retention sucks, and that it's worse than sr101 (52100) by a lot. Ive only used them both for more than a decade so jury is still out 🤣
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What hardness?

My Nitro V kitchen knives I run 63-64HRC

Woods knives get 62

AEB-L doesn't get good, till after 62I

*although I love non-stainless also.....
And run my 8670 That hard too
 
Maybe the counter question is what's the real need for stainless? Not talking about on a boat, but I don't think stainless is nearly as needed as thought for pocket knives. That realization for me has drastically changed how Iook at knives now. I look only at the performance of the steel. And I still have a stainless knife or two if I ever go on a saltwater charter
 
Crag the Brewer said:
What hardness?

My Nitro V kitchen knives I run 63-64HRC

Woods knives get 62

AEB-L doesn't get good, till after 62I

*although I love non-stainless also.....
And run my 8670 That hard too
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It's been years since I got it, and I don't see his website working anymore (website still exists but doesn't load) , hope he's alright! I'm thinking it's 61? I think that's what he ran his aebl back then, could be a tad softer.

Gorgeous knife. We use non abrasive cutting boards too. Not the end of the world, I never bugged the maker about it and it has good geometry so it still functions even when dull.

On the other hand I've used 52100 in VERY rough conditions and had good edge retention. Heat treat? Voodoo magic? Idk. But i been using the hell out of knives on my farm for 10 plus years. Hog, deer, cow, hides, dirt blood bone. How's 52100 hold up chopping a rear hind leg off a frozen carcass (deer)? Pretty damn well! Weight bearing bones on hoofed animals are dense and hard. Still got the knife. I may not be a scientist or play one on tv but I know what real world results look like.
 
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