AUS 8 or ATS-34?

[Django606]

Which steel is stronger and more durable?

Can you guys give some up's and down's for each type of steel?


Thanks,

Django.

 

[Artfully Martial]

I hate to respond if only because I haven't used ATS34, but due to your lack of responses, I might be able to help a little. I imagine that the majority of responses will favor ATS34 for edge holding. It is perceived to be a higher level steel. I've used AUS8 for years and have been totally satisfied with it. It has no outstanding features, but has performed very satisfactorily over all. I usually look for AUS8 or 440C for my lower end knives--these are both fine steels at excellent prices.

 

[Cliff Stamp]

ATS-34 is stronger, it takes more force to bend, but it takes less of a bend before it cracks. AUS-8A responds better to impacts and flexes and since it is easier to machine it is better for really rough work in general. ATS-34 is a better steel for precision work as it can be ground thinner and have better edge holding for light cutting as the edge will resist rolling and wear better than AUS-8A.

-Cliff

 

[Jack142]

Well this is my humble opinion, just from my using both steels.
I am not overly impressed with ATS 34. I own two "kitchen" knives that are ATS and they dont seem to hold an edge as well as I thought they should. I usually use my sharpmaker for sharping and it takes at least 40 strokes on the grey stones to bring ATS back to some kind of "kitchen" sharpness. By that I mean cutting a tomato in nice clean thin slices..
AUS8 seems to hold and edge in the kitchen just the same as ATS 34 , but its a lot faster to sharpen and feels sharper ( if that makes any sense )
It takes 10 to 15 strokes to resharpen my AUS8 kitchen blades.
Now, I do have to say that the ATS blades are "thicker" than the AUS blades. And more often than not I am not cutting on a cutting board but a hard plate, (which I figure dulls a knife a lot faster ).
I am not real hard on my knives. I work in an office,so mostly I use my edc for cutting paper, or boxes, or food.
And on my small ranch I usually dont misuse my knives.
I am a sharpening fool, I have to admit, so I dont mind AUS8.
For what I use a knife for, I dont have any problem with AUS8. In fact I kinda prefer it.
Ok, Good Luck and good knife hunting
Jack

 

[Django606]

It takes 10 to 15 strokes to resharpen my AUS8 kitchen blades.

Thanks for the replies guys.

What do you use to sharpen your knives? I have a kitchen knife sharpener, just a basic piece of metal that you run your knife down, and a cheap-o sharpener that I think works OK. It's not like I can change the angle or anything. Do you think that would be OK for a sharpener, or do you think I should invest in one of those sharpeners that CRKT makes? http://crkt.com/slideshrp.html

The reason I'm asking this question is because I just ordered a CRKT M21-02 which has an AUS8 steel blade, and currently I EDC a Buck Rush, with an ATS-34 blade. I'm just wondering which is more durable and stuff. Thanks for the replies.

 

[DGG]

Here's are some links that I thought you might enjoy seeing.

I have not had a problem with either of the two steels.

I'm sort of partial to 154CM but really have no strong feelings. If the knife is well made and the blade properly heat treated it will perform.

http://www.huntingblades.com/tyofstusinkn.html


http://users.ameritech.net/knives/steels.htm


http://www.theknifestore.com/steelchart.html

It discusses lots of different knife steels.




If you really want to get into various steels here is another link. It has some very techinical articles.

http://www.key-to-steel.com/Articles.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steel

 

[DGG]

What do you use to sharpen your knives? I have a kitchen knife sharpener, just a basic piece of metal that you run your knife down, and a cheap-o sharpener that I think works OK. It's not like I can change the angle or anything. Do you think that would be OK for a sharpener, or do you think I should invest in one of those sharpeners that CRKT makes? http://crkt.com/slideshrp.html

.

You should pickup a decent knife sharpener. i was really pleased with my little self when I finally learned how to get a knife "sharp".

Any easy but very effective sharpener is the Spyderco Sharpmaker. It has present edge angles that work well for almost all knives.

 

[DGG]

What do you use to sharpen your knives? I have a kitchen knife sharpener, just a basic piece of metal that you run your knife down, and a cheap-o sharpener that I think works OK. It's not like I can change the angle or anything. Do you think that would be OK for a sharpener, or do you think I should invest in one of those sharpeners that CRKT makes? http://crkt.com/slideshrp.html

.

You should pickup a decent knife sharpener. i was really pleased with my little self when I finally learned how to get a knife "sharp".

Any easy but very effective sharpener is the Spyderco Sharpmaker Model 204. It has present edge angles that work well for almost all knives.

http://spyderco.com/catalog/list.php?genre=sharpener&offset=11&per_page=10

 

[sheltot]

ATS-34 is stronger, it takes more force to bend, but it takes less of a bend before it cracks. AUS-8A responds better to impacts and flexes and since it is easier to machine it is better for really rough work in general. ATS-34 is a better steel for precision work as it can be ground thinner and have better edge holding for light cutting as the edge will resist rolling and wear better than AUS-8A.

-Cliff

The elastic modulus of ATS-34 is higher than that of AUS8 by a measurable amount?

 

[mlovett]

AUS-8=440-b, AUS-10=440-c. 154-cm-ATS-34, virtualy identican.

 

[Cliff Stamp]

The elastic modulus of ATS-34 is higher than that of AUS8 by a measurable amount?

The yield point is higher, you can notice this easily from ATS-34 to AUS-8A and again to AUS-6 class steels which behave more like taffy and have little spring.

-Cliff

 

[ginshun]

Just from using knives with both kinds of steel, I would say that they are both good steels. ATS34 seems to hold an edge slightly better, but AUS-8 is easier to sharpen. All in all I would say they are reletively even.

You should invest in a good sharpener too. Personally I use the a Lansky sharpening system, but I have heard great things about the Spyderco Sharpmaker as well. I think you would be very happy with either of them.

 

[STR]

At this point in time for me based on my own experiences I'd take the AUS8 over the ATS34 hands down.

The AUS8 gives me that satisfying feeling when I sharpen it. It takes a good edge. May not last as long but the fact that I can get it sharp by hand means a lot to me.

I've never had more trouble with steel getting sharp thanI have had with both ATS34/154CM. Not all but most. I have had a Ralph Freer ATS34 blade that took an easy edge and kept it but many of the others just give me fits trying to get them sharp as I like.

My take on both ATS34 and 154CM is that they take a crappy edge and then keep it. It may not be everyones experience but it sure sums up mine.

 

[sheltot]

The yield point is higher, you can notice this easily from ATS-34 to AUS-8A and again to AUS-6 class steels which behave more like taffy and have little spring.

-Cliff

But that has absolutely NO bearing on how hard it is to bend. It just means that one will stay bent (AUS-8A, 6, etc.) before the other (ATS-34).

 

[ayz]

ATS-34, no question. AUS-8 looses its edge a lot quicker, and from my experience tends to rust quicker as well and is more prone to chipping.

 

[Keith Montgomery]

My preference is for ATS-34. In my experience it holds an edge better.

 

[Cliff Stamp]

But that has absolutely NO bearing on how hard it is to bend.

The softer steels set at low flexes so quickly into the bend the amount of force required decreases because of the drop off as you pass the yield point whereas the other steel keeps requiring more force because it is still below the yeild point.

-Cliff

 

[sheltot]

The softer steels set at low flexes so quickly into the bend the amount of force required decreases because of the drop off as you pass the yield point whereas the other steel keeps requiring more force because it is still below the yeild point.

-Cliff

Cliff,
I know that. But, that isn't what you said the first time. In the elastic range of stress, the yield point isn't a consideration in ease of bending. I would hazard to guess that outside of your torture tests, knives don't often get bent beyond the yield point too often.

Regards,
Tony

 

[Cliff Stamp]

... knives don't often get bent beyond the yield point too often.

They do every time you cut something. This is the primary means of edge blunting for most materials. It is also the most common problem I see with repairing kitchen and pocket knives for friends, especially in the cheap stamped kitchen knives.

As for what I said initially, the harder steel is harder to bend because it has a higher yield point which keeps the stress/strain relationship linear longer and thus requires more force to bending the knife, unlike the softer steels which hit the plastic plateau much faster and thus taper.

Of course if you don't leverage with knives you won't see this grossly with blade deformation, however if you do you will notice the weakness of the softer alloys quite fast. You will notice it constantly in regards to edge holding where the lower yield point produces dramatic results making the edge much easier to bend.

-Cliff