Basic info on steels?

corwise

corwise

Joined
Nov 10, 2006
Messages
1,401
Does anyone have a good link to a basic discussion on knife steels. I know there are a lot of opinions out there, but after reading this forum for the past month (and learning a lot) it seems that knowning what kind of steel blade your knife has is of premium importantance. Looking at previous posts and in different books have pretty much left me lost. I was a history major, the engineering stuff confuses me. :) Is there a simple list of types of knife steels, with "good, better, best" type descriptions? AUS-8 is better then AUS-6 is better then AUS-4 or something like that? Thanks.

Dave
 
Try Joe's FAQ page for a basic discussion of knife steels here:
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=368828

There isn't really a good-better-best guide to steels. Every steel has a combination of properties. No one steel has all properties. Improvement in one property is usually at the expense of another. So the "best" steel for a knife varies with the size and purpose of the knife. "Purpose" includes use environment. Some steels are better than others for certain purposes. But the ratings can get reversed for a different usage.

A question that might have an answer is:
"I want a 3" blade that will be used for skinning rabbits in the desert or mountains. What steels would be good for this."

Or this question:
"I want a 7" blade that will be used to trim wood and general camp chores. What steels should I look for?"

Or this:
"I want a 3" blade that will be used at work on an ocean fishing boat. What steels?"

The answers to each of these questions would most likely point you toward a different steel or family of steels.

It's true much is made of the steel. But equally important is the heat treat the steel gets, the edge design and the overall blade design.

Don't feel bad about lack of knowledge. Blade steel is a complicated subject. Lotta people spend years learning what works and what does not. Welcome to the search for the ultimate blade.
 
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