Recommendation? Best Steel for Bushcraft/Camp knife?

[Angus McGunnigle]

Assuming one is actually using the knife for woodcrafty campingoutdoor stuff, a good choice of blade steel is the steel that one has the skills/equipment to sharpen in the field. Edit: I like quality hicarbon like 1095. I am not a sharpening wizard and can maintain a decent edge on my Kabar.

 

[SteelJunkee]

For me D2 is the most difficult to maintain in the field. Followed by 3V-S35VN. The others listed are very easy to maintain. 12c27 being the easiest.

 

[22-rimfire]

There is a lot of personal choice involved. I don't see the need to go custom/handmade unless you want to. Ease of sharpening is an issue. How often have you ever sharpened a knife in the field? How much do you use a knife in the woods even over a week long camp out? It all goes back to the old Opinel/Mora discussion when you just want a practical functional knife. I think you're looking for something "more" this time. As you know, I am not a fan of either Opinels or Mora's as I just find them boring. More to it than function.....

 

[Lesknife]

I can agree to a degree about what you are saying but for a bush craft/ survival knife it is very task specific and like you have said pinnah, that some can be terrible slicers. As for me I’m not an avid survivalist nor do I use much Bushcraft in my activities. I do have a hatchet or two and that’s about all I need. I camp, hunt and fish and a Bushcraft knife would be an extra tool used very little. Besides the hollow ground knives in 420hc I use have done me well and I’m satisfied with the performance in making kindling and I haven’t had any trouble making a fire or maintaining a fire. They are versatile and suit my purpose and needs around the camp.

 

[craytab]

Thanks all for the input. Lots to think about and I appreciate the thoughts.

The leaders in the poll are mostly what I expected and it leaves me thinking about the long-standing debate about the virtue of ease of sharpening. I'm not fanning the flames of that - just noting that that's the primary distinction I see between the clear winner (3V) and the second tier (1095 & 5160).

One insight I've found particularly helpful is the reminder to pick the heat treat as much as the steel and with that, the advice that well established companies often have their heat treat better dialed in, which leads me back to production knives.

So then the question becomes, would a production 3V knife with it's longer lasting edge be worth it to me compared to my current 1095 knife? I'm going to have to sit with that for a bit.

Lastly, as correctly noted in the official W&C stalking thread, my inquiry was inspired by a poll being run in the Buck forum by SK Knives regarding a limited run Buck 104 Compadre. The consensus there formed in a very different way but then, the primary grind for that knife hasn't been decided on so it's not clear (to me) if the group is shooting for camp knife or a hunting knife. If you're interested in such knives the discussion in the Buck forum may be of interest.

Thanks again.

For me, the mix of edge retention/stability and toughness with d3v out weighs the ease of sharpening of something like 1095.

Corrosion resistance isn't that big of a concern for me but it is noteworthy that because of the heat treat on d3v, it is nearly stainless. I've had 1095, A2, and sr101 rust just sitting around, d3v never, even on multi day trips and used hard.

At the end of the day though, steel is only one consideration in a great knife. If you want the "best", I've already stated what that is, for me anyway.

 

[Krav]

My favorite knife that I own for what you're talking about is Bark river gunny hunter carbon fiber 3v. I love the size shape design of the blade. I just did a little test against my other A2 knife. Just carving and slicing sticks. The 3 v stayed sharp, the A2 had a dull spot a inch from the tip of the blade. Bark rivers zero convex grind is among my favorites. I bought the gunny hunter because it was thinner than some of the other offerings. I've owned a few bark rivers and never had a problem with the steel. That stinks for those that it did happen to. BRK has a lot of different designs and such.

 

[Bigfattyt]

I have no hard use AEBL experience, but I have a little box cutter finger knife in it. I really like how easy it is to get a hair jumping edge.

I have only two CPM3v, and have not used them enough to appreciate the toughness of the steel. In the size you are talking about, this might be my choice for the use you discuss.

I have 5160, 52100, 1095, 1080, 1075, CPM 3v, CPM 154, D2, and quite a few others.

Really any steel with good geometry and dialed in heat treat will satisfy me.

My 3V seems to hold an edge, and when sharpened, takes more work to make any progress with the steel.

I've used 52100 (from Busse as SR101) and really enjoy it too. Hard use, fine edge is easy to maintain, and holds up very well to impacts. I may even like it more than Infi from Busse (at least their standard hardness INFI....I've used their higher hardness INFI as well and like it even more).

Really, I would be more prone to finding amaker and style I like, and that they do well, and getting what ever steel they have dialed in.