Recommendation? Blade Steel

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kueller351

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Hey guys,

another "help me choose the steel of my next knife" thread.. I've read a lot of threads on many websites about the steels and their difference and the conclusion is that they all have qualities and some parts on which they are not the best. But I am still unsure about the steel I will order my next custom knife because I haven't played with them so far. I'd then like your opinion.

The knife will take the spot currently occupied by my mora. I have a big Skrama and a saw for big chores so the next knife will do the small tasks around camp such as feather sticks, small crafting and carving some wood (I like to do that while sat around a campfire) probably some food prep as well. So I think I'll be more after toughness than edge retention as I have the tools to sharpen it on the field.

Here is the list of the available steels I can't decide with:

• Elmax
• M390 / K390 / S390
• Vanadis 4E / Vanadis 8
• S90V
• 3V
• RWL 34

I read the most good reviews about 3V, but I included also stainless steels in the list because I'm not sure about food prep with other ones. I just don't know Vanadis ones but see a lot of good reviews as well. What do you guys think would be the best for my use and why?

Discussions about steel is always interesting, thanks a lot for all the threads on that subject, I learned a lot this week.

Sorry about the mistakes, I'm learning English and thanks for your time!
 
3V sounds just right to me. I have a small utility fixed blade made for me about 20 years ago and it's wonderful stuff. Doesn't need a lot of upkeep and is easy enough to sharpen.
 
I'd pick K390, because not only is it tough but it's also got very good edge retention while still being tough. Elmax and 3V would also be good choices, but personally I'd choose the K390 that stuff can carve wood for days without dulling.
 
Personally, I'd be more concerned with the overall design and geometry than the blade steel. ALL of your steel choices are good.
Steel is something that I always ask about, but pay little attention to. By that, I mean that if the design and geometry is correct for
the tasks I expect the knife to accomplish, and the knife maker/manufacturer has done a proper heat treatment, the only real difference
is going to be how often I have to sharpen it, and how difficult that is going to be.

Generally, I prefer carbon steels for outdoor uses, especially heavier work. But my EDC fixed blade is S35VN. Thin, and flat-ground, it has
cut everything I have asked of it.
 
justjed said:
Personally, I'd be more concerned with the overall design and geometry than the blade steel. ALL of your steel choices are good.
Steel is something that I always ask about, but pay little attention to. By that, I mean that if the design and geometry is correct for
the tasks I expect the knife to accomplish, and the knife maker/manufacturer has done a proper heat treatment, the only real difference
is going to be how often I have to sharpen it, and how difficult that is going to be.

Generally, I prefer carbon steels for outdoor uses, especially heavier work. But my EDC fixed blade is S35VN. Thin, and flat-ground, it has
cut everything I have asked of it.
Click to expand...

I agree with this, blade geometry probably matters more than steel type when it comes to how tough something is, or how well it slices/cuts. A thick robust 5160 blade will put up with more abuse than a thin 3V knife. A thin behind the edge 1095 blade will cut better than a thick K390 blade. Geometry should be considered first. But steel type should also be considered once you have decided on a type of geometry. Because a FFG Delica in K390 will cut rings around a Delica in 1095 if they are the exact same geometry. Not that you can get a Delica in 1095 it was just a hypothetical.

I personally am a fan of simple carbon steels, and also like alloyed tool steels. I like both.
 
If toughness and stain resistance but not edge holding are what you're after, I'd add AEB-L to your list.
 
Thank you all for your answers.

About the very good point on geometry I am going for a scandivex grind, will most probably be done by Dulo so I am pretty confident about his HT. That said, I agree with justjed, all the steels will perform well but probably some better than others. About the frequency and difficulties of sharpening too. That's my main apprehension with K390; it looks super tough and has a crazy edge retention but a lot of people were claiming they could not even sharpen it when dull. I would like to choose a steel that can be easily maintained, even on the field if I go bivouac for several days!
 
Last edited:
I would like to choose a steel that can be easily maintained, even on the field if I go bivouac for several days!
Click to expand...
Gimme a 1!
1!
Gimme a 4!
4!
Gimme a C!
C!
Gimmie a 2!
2!
Gimme a 8!
8!
Gimmie a n!
n!

Whattda ya got!
14C28n

None of the glamor of the Super Steels - but - there is a huge reason Mora uses it - other than it being sort of local to them.
(In case you can't tell - I'm a big fn of Sandvik)
 
For an all-around stainless alloy, 14C28N is a good choice. Easy to sharpen, takes and holds a good edge. I also like the Sandvik steels. And while AEBL gets all of the glory, 13C27 is almost identical in composition and performance.

Blackie Collins liked the Sandvik alloys for their cleanliness, fine grain structure, and ease of heat treatment. For a manufacturer, this is important, repeatability is what you stake your
reputation on. But he also told me there's no such thing as a bad knife steel. If it can be hardened above about 55RC, you can make a perfectly serviceable knife out of it. Everything after that is gravy. Design the knife, then pick the steel and heat treatment appropriate for the intended use. If the maker does his job properly, the knife will do its job properly.
 
justjed said:
For an all-around stainless alloy, 14C28N is a good choice. Easy to sharpen, takes and holds a good edge. I also like the Sandvik steels. And while AEBL gets all of the glory, 13C27 is almost identical in composition and performance.

Blackie Collins liked the Sandvik alloys for their cleanliness, fine grain structure, and ease of heat treatment. For a manufacturer, this is important, repeatability is what you stake your
reputation on. But he also told me there's no such thing as a bad knife steel. If it can be hardened above about 55RC, you can make a perfectly serviceable knife out of it. Everything after that is gravy. Design the knife, then pick the steel and heat treatment appropriate for the intended use. If the maker does his job properly, the knife will do its job properly.
Click to expand...

Master Smith P.J. Tomes would use 12c27 for his stainless knives. He told me it was the closest in performance to his forged 52100.

I have one in 12c27 and a couple others of his forged blades I feel fortunate to own.
 
Just a user's not a steel expert's opinion:

Unless you like patina, don't prep food with K390 - it rusts for me just by looking at it.

M390 and S90v feel very similar. S90v maybe a teeny bit more brittle, M390 more stain resistant. M390 at 60 HRC is pretty tough, at 62 (like Spyderco), it chips easier.

3V is great for a heavier camp knife, easy to sharpen, too.

Haven't used the others. Have used 4V and M4, and they feel basically the same, but I believe Vanadis 4E might be slightly different.

I know my personal conclusion across your choices is probably boring: smaller knife, use M390, bigger knife use 3V. For a food slicer that holds an edge forever, use s90v.

BTW, you are missing CPM Cruwear. My all around favorite, just between 3V and 4V.
 
Londinium Armoury said:
Behold the secret formula of INFI steel

C - 64
Cr - 8.12
Mo - 0.85
V - 0.33
Si - 0.63

Don't tell anybody I revealed the secret.
Click to expand...

And?...

Ooh, ooh, let’s hear how they hear treat it. Know anything about it?

Any baker can take eggs, oil, flour, sugar, etc. and bake cake, but not all cakes are the same.
 
AntDog said:
And?...

Ooh, ooh, let’s hear how they hear treat it. Know anything about it?

Any baker can take eggs, oil, flour, sugar, etc. and bake cake, but not all cakes are the same.
Click to expand...

Yeah I'm sure the Busse heat treatment process is something nobody else can do, and no modern heat treatment facility can achieve. It's a mystical process that only the initiatiated monks of the hog can perform.
 
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