Boning knife steel

[Phil705]

This customer knows knives, being the local butcher and running a small slaughterhouse. He uses inexpensive boning knives by Victorinox, some type of stainless, which does not hold an edge very long.

He wants a boning knife that is thin, tapers to a thin and narrow tip, and holds an edge. He likes a 5" blade, slightly upcurved, so the design is not the issue.

I was thinking of 3/32" A2 or D2, as he hates stainless based on his experience. But I wonder if I might also make one in stainless and see if he can tell the difference? So far I am only doing air hardening steel.

So my question is: What non/semi-stainless steel would you recommend, and what stainless might do the job?

Any other advice appreciated.

 

[Bill Burke]

I would use 15n20 or 52100 for the carbon steels though they are not air hardening and aebl for the stainless.

 

[mete]

CPM154 would work very well !! IIRC one of the makers here uses it for just that purpose.

 

[Darrin Sanders]

I've made several boning knives for personal use and some for people who process deer in the fall. I make them from 13C26 from admiral. I use the .100" thickness. Its about half the price of any other stainless and comes with a nice, smooth, clean finish. Its easy to grind, polish, & H/T. It takes a nice keen edge and holds it well. As far as stainless there may be some as good but none better IMO. If I were gonna use carbon it would definitely be 52100. Good luck.