AUS-6 or 440 A - which steel do you prefer?

Quiet Storm

Quiet Storm

Joined
May 17, 2002
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I had relatively good experiences with 440 A, but I personally don´t like AUS-6 too much. I found the 440 A able to hold an edge longer while AUS-6 is a bit easier to sharpen. 440 A seems to chip less.
I had rust problems with AUS-6 (but probably at least partially due to CRKT´s bead blast finish).

What are your personal experiences?

And what about 440 B - AUS-8/440 C - AUS-10?
 
I came to the opposite conclusion. I actually prefer AUS-6 to 440-A.

I don't have any scientific data to offer you, just my subjective opinion.

Of th other steels you mentioned, I have never had any experience with AUS-10 or 440-B. But given a choice between AUS-8 and 440-C, I like AUS-8 and 440C, I like the AUS-8 because of the edge I can put on it.

I do know that heat treat makes a lot of difference, and because of long ago bad experiences with cheap 440-C I have stayed away from that steel. I have heard good things about Benchmade's 440-C that they use in the Griptilian, so I know it is a good steel. I just like steels that I can put a good push-cutting edge on, and in stainless steels, AUS-8 is one of the better ones in that regard, along with VG-10, which I like even better.
 
Aus-6 is easier to sharpen and takes a finer edge than 440A. On the other hand 440A holds its edge for a longer time. I usually value sharpness over edge holding. I have some small Aus-6 and 440A knives in my kithchen drawer. I use the Aus-6 to peel my fruit and I use the 440A knives as letter openers.
 
I have found sometimes that certain makers will make a steel perform up to its standards better. For example, IMO Spyderco and SOG make the best out of AUS-6; many of SOG's blades that they formerly used to list as 440A they admit are actually AUS-6. These two companies heat-treat AUS-6 in a way that I find makes good user blades. I know that Spyderco (and probably SOG as well) heat-treats their AUS-6 a couple of points higher than does CRKT. (not to say that CRKT is not a good product, but Spydey's AUS-6 is harder).

For 440A, I only have a one I can think of, a Kershaw Blackout. THis tends to have pretty good edge-holding, and I see nothing wrong with it at all.

Any steel will rust, even a really stainless type like AUS-6, 8, 440A, etc., esp. if it's bead-blasted. I prefer satin, mirror or stone-washed finishes.

As for 440C, at least for Benchmade's version, it's my current all-around favorite knife steel. It holds an edge better than most AUS-8, it does not seem to roll or chip easily, it takes an extremely
sharp edge, and is very easy to resharpen if you maintain the edge,
and resists rust even better than some of my AUS-8 blades can.
Jim
 
Coonskinner,

Can you elaborate on your experience with cheap 440C ? I have wonder about some low priced 440C blades myself, suspecting that they would not have good heat treatments. Also, I have wondered about those low priced 440C blades in the Jantz catalog.
 
It was a long time ago, before I really knew what a good knife was. I got a hold of a cheap fixed blade or two that were marked 440C. They may have not even been what they said they were.

They were the pits to sharpen, wouldn't take a very good edge, and didn't hold it long.

I don't remember the brand name, but it was nothing you would probably recognize. I shouldn't allow my thinking to be influenced by those old pieces of junk--many knowledgeable knife people, including some custom makers, swear by 440C. A professional heat treat and cryo treatment probably make a huge difference.

Sorry i couldn't elaborate more.
 
i personally don't like AUS 6 much, my first knife was the CRKT Point Guard (which i still love to bits) but i just wasn't satisfied with the edge retention. I prefer harder steels like 420, AUS 8, even
CPM 440V (good ol' Native) simply because i'm a lazy person, don't like to touch up too many times a week

:D

aXed
 
Between the choices of steel i would probably go for 440 a and its better edge retention. Although I like to steel my knives alot, I still like a knife that will keep its edge for as long as possible.
 
What is the difference between AUS 6A and AUS 6M? CRKT quote the Ryan 7 as being AUS 6M...I have one and it is great. I also have CRKT PK Companion and both are sharp as a razor and retain edge well , and easy to sharpen. I also have 440 on some Ranger and hunting knives, also easy to sharpen, but don't retain edge too well.

Most Spanish Knives like Aitor and Muela and Esparcia use 440 SS and it is superb. It depends how it is treated, made etc.
 
The bottom line is, that we are very much influenced by our
prior experience with heat treat more than steel type. The
quality of the heat treat, or hardness can influence us for
a long, long time. My son uses blades of D2, Paul B heat treat.
He is used to very good performance. A few years ago, he wanted
a folder in Cabela's catalogue, it was ATS34. He thinks ATS34
is terrible to this day, in spite of my insistance that it was
the heat treat.
 
Originally posted by ThorTso
Most Spanish Knives like Aitor and Muela and Esparcia use 440 SS and it is superb. It depends how it is treated, made etc.
Click to expand...

I heard it´s some sort of modified 440 C steel - it is supposed to perform comparable to 440 C.
 
I believe that 440A has a slightly higher carbon content (.75%, compared to AUS-6 at .65%) and AUS-6 has vanadium added, while 440 steel doesn't. (I think this would make it less brittle?)
 
Although I can't say how I like AUS-6, I can tell you that 440A is one of the best steels around. I own the Kershaw Blackout and my dad owns the Whirlwind, both made of 440A, plus I also own the Scallion made of 420, and the Vapor made of some kind of 440 I believe. All these knives have a razor sharp edge. The edges sharpen up fairly easily and hold an edge forever. I have had my BlackOut since '99, and even thought the tip is broken from me being a Putz, the edge has stayed just as sharp with just tuch ups sharpenings. I believe these steels to be slightly softer than say ATS-55 or others of that sort. Of course I can be wrong, but from my sharpening and usage experiences, I believe the 440s and 420s to be a softer, but better edge holding and easier sharpening steels. Just my opinion.


kershaw72787
 
Originally posted by ThorTso
What is the difference between AUS 6A and AUS 6M?
Click to expand...

They are the same except, AUS 6M has 0.10-0.30% molybdenum, and AUS 6 has none.
 
Aus-6 well....sssssssttttt.....kkssss...does go well on many of crkt folders though.
 
Hello Quiet Storm,

Somewhere I read once that Aitor's "improvement over 440C" is simply 440C with some sort of outer coating applied to make it resemble 440V in performance. Of course the obvious question then becomes, what happens when you sharpen the knife and wear off that outer coating?

However, if the knives really are made from 440C, and provided the heat treatment is good, then the Aitors should be pretty good with or without the coating. I believe that 440C is an excellent steel provided it has a good heat treatment.

As for the original question about 440A versus Aus6, I doubt there is much difference between the two. Both are, along with 420HC and 425M, in the category of "just OK" provided the heat treatment is good. Of the lower priced steels, there are some who think Swedish Sandvik 12C27 is actually quite a good steel - maybe even as good or better than 440C. Those Scandinavian knives have a great reputation - even the cheap ones.
 
P.J. Tomes uses Sandvic 12C27 in some pretty nice custom slipjoints, so with the right heat treat, it must perform well. I have heard that it takes an exceptionally fine edge.
 
:rolleyes:

Same sh1t different pile if you ask me. Honestly, I really have to laugh at comparisons like this. It's almost as funny as the ATS-34 vs. 154CM debate which of course ends up with 154CM on top for NO other reason than the fact that it is "Made in Amurrica ;)" I find it difficult to believe that anyone can discern any real difference between such similar grades of steel. If one guy says that his AUS-6 CRKT is easier to sharpen, but a SOG SEAL 2000 holds an edge longer I would postulate that SOG is simply doing a better heat treat or that the blade was hardened a couple of RC points higher than the CRKT.

PM
 
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