aus-6

RescueRiley

RescueRiley

Joined
Mar 22, 2006
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probably gonna catch some flack for this, but I'm just asking Aus-6 stainless steel is often scoffed at by many people...because it is somewhat "soft" and as a result has poor edge retention. This steel (i'm lead to believe) is also not brittle, and do to it softness easier to sharpen than other stainless steels. With out getting too much into the metalurgy of it all ( as I'm a bit of an ignoramus in regards to this) I've noticed when people as why they prefer carbon steel they often list similar reasons...less edge retention, easier to sharpen and not brittle...And just out of curiosity how much of a factor does heat treating play in the quality of steel
 
A good strong heat treat in aus-6 will bring out the good in it. A company like CRKT, or Sog do a great job at heat treating their aus-6. A good heat treat on those knvies, makes a good "middle of the road" ability to sharpen, yet have a strong blade.
 
I am kinda on the fence. I definately like stainless folders. I have not had any experience with AUS-6 but it does seem like AUS8 was/is a lot easier to sharpen then some of the newer steels. I like to "touch up" sharpen so edge retention doesn't really bother me though. It seems like if a VG-10 is chipped or really dull it takes forever to put a bevel on it. Just my experience but I would not hesitate to buy a knife if I liked the features just because it has AUS6, the SS handle Spyderco Endura had it for a long time.

I do like trying new steels though hence the "fence".
 
Yeah, I mean no doubt aus-8 is a better steel, like comparing 440C, to 154cm, there is a better product, but the less one still inst bad, it'll cut ;) :D
 
I like AUS-6 and've never had any complaints about it. It's really easy to put a crazy sharp edge on it and it holds it decently well. You have to juggle what's more important; do you want an edge that lasts but is near impossible to fix when dull, or an edge that dulls more easily but isn't a pain to put a crazy sharp edge on?
 
depends on heat treat :D

there is, but its not huge. a full day of using an aus-6 would probably need sharpening at the end of the day, aus-8, you might make it two. My sog revolver has gone through the testing you all saw, and then some, and I've only sharpend it once, and its hair poping. aus-6 I may have had to sharpen it two, three times. Not bad, and its really doesnt have a huge diffrence.
 
it's fine steel. my friend, aus4 is fine. some steel sucks in its own light, many others only suck in comparison to the latest and greatest. i have infi and sr77 knives, the stuff rules, but i don't feel i'll be under-knifed with aus4 or 6.
 
I've used the CS master Hunter in AUS-8 for years and it's a very practical steel .A steel softer than that would be of no interest to me .Please don't repeat the "brittle " stainless steel nonsense .AUS-8 is certainly not !!
 
I believe my CRKT Prowler is Aus6 and it takes a really good edge.I have not noticed any real problems in it's edge holding but I do not use it enough to tell !!!
 
I've only tried the AUS-6 in a Japanese manufactured Kershaw folder. The blade is perhaps 2.5" long so it's a smallish knife. Over the 5+ years of ownership the AUS-6 has retained an excellent edge. It takes and holds a much better edge than the lower quality steel (vs. AUS-8, etc.) might lead you to believe.

I've heard the Vanadium content is the reason for the good edge retention but have not tried to confirm this.
 
I think that Japanese AUS6 as used by Spyderco and Kershaw is great stuff; it has very good corrosion resistance, takes a very keen edge easily and holds it fairly well. AUS6 is similar to 12C27 in composition except that AUS6 has some vanadium and nickel.




- Frank
 
Thanks guys much appreciated I dug my original seal pup out again the other day and now that the nice weather is here I've been thinking about putting it to some use.
 
I have compared AUS-4/8 from CRKT and they were no different. However this isn't unexpected give the kind of difference you can see in composition in a given steel and from production manufacturers. The amount of vanadium in the AUS serious is there for grain refinement of the steel. THis makes it somewhat more forgiving to heat treatment slop because it is more difficult to blow the grain if it is overheated.

-Cliff
 
littleriddick said:
beretta makes aus6 aluminum airlight folders from japan and it seems like a good knife.
Click to expand...

The AUS 8 folders designed by Jack Busfield for Beretta, a few years ago, were really fine knives. They were made in Japan by Moki.

I'm not familiar with their AUS 6 knives.
 
I have been carrying an Ontario RAT1 folder in AUS8 for over a year now and love the steel. I have also tried out a couple CRKT folders in AUS6 and found no appreciable difference in use or sharpening. Both hold a decent edge and are easy to sharpen. The ease of sharpening can really come into play when using improvise sharpening techniques in the field. Just try a river rock on that "ultra edge mega steel" when it gets dull :)
 
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