AEBL or 14c28n

XtianAus

XtianAus

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Aebl or 14c28n for a camp knife- If you've used both, which do you prefer?

● I'd love to know the difference in corrosion resistance and toughness

I am looking to get a custom done and the maker uses lots of AEBL. However he is happy to use 14c28n.

Corrosion resistance is important to me and on paper 14c28n is better. Do I run with what the maker is familiar with (AEBL) or go with 14c28n because it is similar to heat treat anyway and should give me improved rust resistance?
 
XtianAus said:
That's awesome to hear. Can you comment on its rust resistance at all?
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So, I'm pretty careful with my knives. After use I make sure to clean them thoroughly and store them in a way that doesn't invite moisture. I live on an island in the ocean, a place that gets a ton of rain. I'd rather be safe than sorry. So far, no rust issues to speak of. Your mileage may vary, depending on how you do things.
 
I used an AEBL blade to slice a watermelon on a glass cutting board for a summer get together a few years ago.

I'm dumb so whatever.

The thing needed only a good steeling.

No material had to.be ground off. The edge was awesome as ever after getting it all straightened out. It was epic...

AEBL is an awesome steel.
 
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AEB-L is impressive stuff.. like others have mentioned it’s easy to maintain. My first AEB-L knife was a SITREP made by David Mary.. I did unintentionally dumb and abusive things to that knife without damaging it: chopped into brass, dropped on tile, thrown into pressure treated lumber, used on food and left to air dry - no issues I couldn’t fix with a croc stick and a strop. AEB-L reminds me of INFI in use.

14C28N I’ve only used in a folder - Southern Grind Bad monkey.. it’s was easy to keep sharp but I never abused it.
 
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luethge said:
AEB-L is impressive stuff.. like others have mentioned it’s easy to maintain. My first AEB-L knife was a SITREP made by David Mary.. I did unintentionally dumb and abusive things to that knife without damaging it: chopped into brass, dropped on tile, thrown into pressure treated lumber, used on food and left to air dry - no issues I couldn’t fix with a croc stick and a strop. AEB-L reminds me of INFI in use.

14C28N I’ve only used in a folder - Southern Grind Bad monkey.. it’s was easy to keep sharp but I never abused it.
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Wow that is very impressive 🤩

Hard to believe it is a stainless when it behaves like that
 
AEB-L, Nitro V and 14C28N are all very similar and perform well at 62-63 HRC from what I have seen! No rusting issues, used a lot of the first 2 steels over the years and going to be playing with 14C28N very soon! 2 sheets are waiting for water jet cutting! Nitro V and 14C28N are supposed to be more wear resistant, better edge retention, but slightly less tough based on the numbers and testing, but I doubt anyone would really be able to tell the different between the 3 in real work use. I used to run AEB-L at 60, and it was decent, but the edge retention and performance is much better at 62-63!

I did some Tuna Pokers in Nitro V and some of the guys reported they rusted, but they are on a boat offshore and may have used the salt water wash down instead of fresh, put them in the sheath wet, etc. I asked them to bring them to me so I could check them out and they haven't. I told them to hit them with WD40 and steel wool and see if that takes the rust off. Salt Water can rust pretty much anything! My other Tuna Pokers in the same steel haven't had any issues yet?

I did a bunch of fillet knives in Nitro V. No issues with corrosion, people told me they had a mate on a 6 pack salt water charter trip fillet over 40 fish and it was still sharp and they were amazed at how they held their edge compared to their normal Dexters. I just laughed and told them they should try Magnacut or S90V!

I think Devin (Hoss) describes AEB-L when heat treated properly as like a stainless 52100 or O-1 and I find it to be pretty close! These are stainless steels that act like the good ole carbon steels everyone loved from years ago (tough, easy to sharpen, take a wicked fine edge), but stainless and with slightly better edge retention! AEB-L at 62-63 is not your typical 420B at 58-60 HRC, either! Most companies are running these steels around 60 HRC, but they really do better 62-63 range!
 
XtianAus said:
Aebl or 14c28n for a camp knife- If you've used both, which do you prefer?

● I'd love to know the difference in corrosion resistance and toughness

I am looking to get a custom done and the maker uses lots of AEBL. However he is happy to use 14c28n.

Corrosion resistance is important to me and on paper 14c28n is better. Do I run with what the maker is familiar with (AEBL) or go with 14c28n because it is similar to heat treat anyway and should give me improved rust resistance?
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Throw Nitro V in there as well..... I consider them "the same" for all practical purposes....You are Not going to be able to tell those steels apart....Good Stuff! Have Fun!
 
Mick Boardman said:
Go with the AEBL, I got a little user for packages in the 14c28n and it got dull fast and don’t want to sharpen up very easy compared to my aebl knives I have.
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Then i would take a guess, that the heat-treatment was not up to par. As people above mentioned, pratically its the same thing, so if we took 2 same hardness, same geometry, quality HT, you would not see a diference.
 
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