AUS-8 vs 8Cr13MoV steel for EDC knives?

Heck if it's a deal you want, just browse a few pages of the exchange. There are some pretty sweet deals in there in your price range. Sure they may be used (most often not, or used very little), but even cheap knives can last generations with minimal care and common sense.

But as to the original question, my vote will go for AUS 8. Take it with a I've-never-used-8cr sized grain of salt, but the AUS 8 blades I have used have stood up to some serious abuse and neglect and I do not look down on the steel at all.
 
If you can manage all you need with smaller blade, how about a dragonfly 2 with VG10 steel?
If that's too small, then how about N680 steel, instead? It is my current favorite steel (AUS-8 follows right after). I liked VG-10/154CM/S30V for a long time, but lately I like steel that takes great edge with easy of sharpening.

Benchmade Lonewolf models are closing out and you can get a choice of awesome knives under $50 (and they are all USA made knives if you care). My first pick is 40022 Landslide (Orange or Green) or Swale. If you want Delica small, under 3" then I would suggest the swale or Mini-Landslide.

IMHO Mini-landslide is well compatible to Delica (saber grind or non-FFG) if you factor the current value (now you can score under$40).
I EDC'd Mini-Landslide for a while and I absolutely enjoyed it. N680 steel is better than AUS-8 and 8Cr in almost all aspets; has excellent corrosion resistance; and easy to sharpen it up.

If you must try AUS-8 or 8Cr, may I suggest SRM 710? It is great EDC knife. I don't believe that it is straight CRK rip-off, but... yeah, I won't deny that it is unconfortably influenced by CRK design. But, heck for $10, you can save bunch o' $$$. Save few bucks for the tax season.
 
My 1.24 Rupees....
I have a few AUS8 and 8CR13 from SOG, Kershaw and Ontario. For the money you speak of, I do however, believe that you could manage some Kershaws in the Sandvik 14c28n steel. Which seems to hold an edge better than either AUS8 or 8CR13.

The caveat here is that I am not taking into account a bunch of other factors like HT, geometry etc and subjectives like your own blade shape preference.
 
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I have much more expensive knives, but I always carry an Ontario Rat 2(AUS-8) along with my larger pocket knife to work, because it just plain cuts better than anything else I have. It has one of the thinnest widths I've ever seen on a modern folder, and combined with the flat grind honestly cuts better than my work razor. It actually sliced right through a brand new cut proof glove and took a clean sliver of skin off my knuckle. I just don't see many other knives perform that well, while being that carefree, especially at the price point.

AUS-8 is ridiculously easy to touch up, and gets scalpel sharp. I don't think I've really been able to dull either the Rat 1 or 2 since I've had them, and I use them every day. Of course, I hit the ultra fine rods on the Sharpmaker for about thirty seconds out of habit, but that is literally all it takes. Can't recommend either model enough.

Can't speak for the offerings in 8cr, but many people say good things of Spyderco's line, and I'm tempted to give them a shot myself.
 
Between those 2 steels their close enough together that you should be deciding on what knife to get on other factors other than steel as long as they both have a decent heat treat. Blade geometry of the knife will be a bigger factor in the performance of the knife as well as what you are using the knife for with how close these 2 steels are. So pick the knife you think will suit your need better and enjoy it.
 
I have to lend my vote to AUS8. IMHO Cold Steel does it right. More specifically for edc, I would call the code 4 a home run.

I believe that an everyday carry knife should be:

Comfortable
Robust
A good slicer
Something you are not afraid to knick up.

AUS8 holds a fine edge, and keeps it adequately. It is forgiving to abuse, and sharpens easily.

I have not found a knife with the same thickness of spine as the code 4, that comes even close to the level of comfort in carry. And for a hard use knife, no other manufacturer or custom maker produces anything that comes within the same zip code as a triad lock as far as strength is concerned. For a real world user-and I mean true user, I have to say that the Triad Lock Cold Steel knives are Pound for Pound the best hard use knives out there.

If u like high end materials, then I suggest getting an Andrew Demko AD10. That is hands down the best hard use folder out there. Hinderers, Striders, etc etc pale in comparison, even if they cost the same or more (head scratcher)
 
o4tg said:
I much prefer AUS8 to 8CR. It's tougher, yet easier to sharpen. 8CR has seemed brittle to me, holding a fine edge on light cutting longer, but losing it quickly on medium duty cutting and being much harder to get back. Again, just my opinion, but I think 8CR gets brittle faster than AUS8, making the industry standard 58-59 RC being too hard for it.

The Ontario Utilitac is a hefty and tough knife. If you only want partial serrations, I would go for the recurve model since the tanto is over serrated in my opinion, and it places the serrations to where you don't have as much hassle resharpening the recurve.

The RAT is a great basic EDC and cutter knife, but the UT2 has tougher liners and the liner and stop pin are further apart making it to be likely tougher than the RAT. The RAT is no slouch though.

Just my opinion, but the Chinese Spydercos aren't worth their price. You mentioned camping and hiking, which to me dictates occasional hard use. Spydercos break easier in the first place at the spydie hole with the flat grind, and add the brittle MOV steel and it's no wonder there are numerous accounts of them breaking. It's still a good knife, but my Tenacious was no where near the same league my Utilitac is, yet was almost twice the cost. Realistically, they're made by a company who makes $10-$15 knives. They're good at making $10-$15 knives and that's about what I think a fair price for the Tenacious would be, but I have no experience with tye model you're looking at.

As for the Boker, just don't. Boker is the king of finding $5 Chinese knives and selling them with their logo for a 1000% profit. I may get trashed on for this, but Boker is just rebranded crap unless you pay over $300.
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But for all the strengths of the Utilitac, it still has a weak lock like all the rest. I would take Pretty much any late model folding cold steel over it (Triad Lock-everything else may as well be a slip joint).
 
I actually notice quite a bit of difference between the two . Im constantly having to put an edge on 8cr13mov THAT BEING SAID I can get that steel sharper than any other including the high end exotics . It just doesnt hold the edge worth a crap . But even when it loses it's edge I find it comparable to as sharp as I can get AUS8
 
I really can't say I've experienced much of a difference, if you're just getting into blades I don't think you will either. They sharpen reasonably easy, they hold an edge quite well when compared to what you have had before and they don't rust if you keep them oiled up.

I'd throw the Byrd CaraCara into the mix. Spyderco ergonomics and customer support at a cheaper price. Gave one to my dad (a user who doesn't mind sharpening when needed) and he's happy with it.
 
o4tg said:
As for the Boker, just don't. Boker is the king of finding $5 Chinese knives and selling them with their logo for a 1000% profit. I may get trashed on for this, but Boker is just rebranded crap unless you pay over $300.
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I don't think the Boker Plus line is rebranded Chinese stuff -- their Plus line has a bunch of designs from custom makers and such; designs that you can only get from them, or the custom maker. Their "rebrands" are mainly in their Magnum line of knives.
 
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jac_solar said:
I don't think the Boker Plus line is rebranded Chinese stuff -- their Plus line has a bunch of designs from custom makers and such; designs that you can only get from them, or the custom maker. Their "rebrands" are mainly in their Magnum line of knives.
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I could be wrong but I believe their Plus branch is made in Taiwan. That said I have both the Boker Plus Kalshnikov 101 and the Resurrection Gen 2 and I'd trust my life to both blades, especially the latter.

That thing is beastly and their 440c is very capable. Here's a nice vid of the Gen 1 in action (mind you the gen 2 was improved even)

http://youtube.com/watch?v=DCFZ4CDuFvY
 
Boker Plus used to be the upgrade from Magnum but still Chinese. Recently though there have been knives from other countries under the Plus designation. Boker does not discuss the subject or country of origin on their current website.
 
While I wouldn't consider either of them my favorite, I'd have to say AUS8. For sure hands down. I've owned both and I prefer AUS8 by a lot.

Cold Steel's AUS8 is great stuff! It performs way better than it should.
 
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