ATS 34 Characteristics?

[Takujualuk]

Just found a Spyderco Wegner with an ATS 34 blade..... what a lovely knife.
Can't wait for caribou season next year.

I am not very familiar with this ATS 34 steel, how does it compare to other good steels? I have a freind who is a VG-10 fan... how does my 34 compare in edge holding and toughness.

 

[mete]

ATS 34 is the jap equivalent of 154cm. Both are very fine knife steels, they are more complex than VG10. You won't be dissappointed.

 

[Jason Cutter]

ATS-34 is a very good cutlery steel, but that depends on who you talk to and what you comparing against. Many, many knifemakers who grind their blades use ATS-34 or 154CM which are chemically identical steels but made by different companies. ATS34 is a high speed stainless steel with good wear resistance and can attain a good level of hardness 59-61Rockwell to give fairly good edge holding and toughness. Many users like it, and factory made knives are now featuring more and more ATS-34 blades. IN the past, it was the domain of custom knifemakers.

VG10 is SUPPOSED to have better edge holding and toughness than ATS-34 but it all depends on the heat treatment. Given the same quality of heat treat, the edge holding increases as you go down this list - 440C, ATS34, BG42, VG10. VG10 is actually very similar to ATS-34 - it has a little more chromium, less molybdenum and has added cobalt and vanadium, from what I have read.

I personally still prefer a good old O1 carbon steel blade. Honestly, between ATS-34 and VG10, I doubt most knife users can tell the difference in edge holding in regular use. But some poeple can... Jason.