Best steel in an EDC all purpose folder?

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aarong50

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May 6, 2005
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I know this has probably been asked before but what is the ideal steel type that you like in your regular EDC folder?

I personally have not had a chance to try a ton of steels but so far of the three here are my choices.

VG-10
154CM


I haven't tried some of the super high end steel's but these two are very durable and seem to hold a super-sharp edge well. VG-10 is super-easy to sharpen on my sharpmaker.
 
Yeah, VG-10 and 154CM are good EDC steels.

I'd throw S30V into the mix. And 440C.
 
My most used EDC's are S30V steel. Great stuff.
VG-10 is one of my favorites too.

Really any steel from a good knife company would work great.
 
154CM all the way.

However my favorite is M2 steel on one of my benchmades. That stuff is as tough as nails. I LOVE that steel. I hate the BM quit using it. Would love to find a readily available substitute.
 
The first two qualities I look for in an EDC steel are being stainless (or close to it) and wear resistance. Since I usually don't chop with my folders, I consider any added toughness a bonus. Of course, in an emergency situation, the tougher the blade the better, but it's hard to get all three in one steel ;).

So, in no particular order, here's what I like:

D2 at RC 60
154CM at RC 57-59
S30V at RC 58-59

Cheers.
 
CPM M4 Benchmade uses it in a Osborne Gaucho and a 710 ,a knifeworks exclusive. For practical purposes it is M2 on steroids.
 
I would say the 420/ZDP laminate in the caly 3 from Spyderco is definitely the best steel and it has CF scales and some of the best ergonomics there is.
I have one I love and now they are available as a regular item apparently.

S30V can be a good steel when it is hard enough. A lot of campanies harden it more for toughness than edge retention which is kind of a waste as their are cheaper steels that
could fill that role. It does not polish well at all. I have a Lambert custom Whar with
probably the best finished S30V blade there is and it is not that nice.

440C is under rated. All the mid grade stainless are really good cutlery steels and in many ways a better choice for knives than the exotics because they take an edge and a polish
easier.
Vg-10 ,154 ,aus 8 etc all fit here. 440C is the best for where you need a really nice polish and corrosion resistance.

I just got a Mule in M4 and it is impressive so far.

CPM 3V is a very impressive tool steel that will probably start to show up in some high end knives soon.
 
Between the two you listed, I'd pick the VG-10. Holds a good edge, sharpens easily, and behaves very well when thinned out, if you choose to do so! S30V would be a close second.
 
Cpm s30v. This is the first stainless steel that I've fopund that sharpens anywhere near to 1095 and holds the edge. Great stuff.
 
Of the two the OP mentioned: VG-10, IMHO. I've so far tried VG-10, 154CM, ATS34 and AUS8. While I like 154CM and ATS34 well enough, VG-10 seems to hold a better edge, longer, and to sharpen-up to a keener edge more quickly and easily. Could, of course, be factors other than just the steel.
 
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