I recently purchased one. Haven't really had a chance to use it yet. Fit and finish are good and it seems well made. Feels good in the hand. It is a big solid knife with what I think is a comfortable handle. This (along with the Buck Punk-if you're looking for a knife a bit smaller than the Hoodlum) was a collaboration between the late Ron Hood and Buck. Though I'm interested in survival training, I'm more of an arm chair survivalist at this point but have read a fair amount about Mr. Hood. I think I'm safe in saying that he was very well known and respected in the survival field. The reason I mention this is that it lends credence to his designs. I'm not an expert in the different steels, but.... 5160 is a carbon spring steel and is often used makers that want a solid, durable, hard use knife. I believe it has been used for choppers as well as swords and is often used by makers who forge blades. Just my amateur two cents. If you do a bit of searching, you can find quite a bit of information about Ron Hood, 5160 steel, and both the Hoodlum and Punk. Mike