Carbon steel: what's your favourite?

CPM-3V.

OK, I'm being a bit of a smart-alec with that answer... I like O1 quite a bit. 1084 is very nice as well, and for some reason I can't explain, it seems less likely to tarnish/stain/rust than O1. :confused:
 
I quite like the sk5 spring steel cold steel use in the bushman knife. I doesn't hold it's edge all that long but it sure takes a good one!
 
Big fan of 52100 when someone who knows what they are doing makes the blade. L6 and W2 are also favorites of mine.
 
I've only made 3 knives out of 52100, but I liked it. If I ever get caught up on other projects, I think I'll get more.
 
When I said 1095 I was talking just pure carbon steels not tool steels. For tool steels it is by a mile either CPM-3V or 52100, just depending on the application of the knife.
 
1095 is a great steel and has more than proven it's worth. I also like lower carbon content, like 1080, 1060, etc.




The definition of the carbon steel by AISI:

“Steel is considered to be carbon steel when no minimum content is specified or required for chromium, cobalt, columbium [niobium], molybdenum, nickel, titanium, tungsten, vanadium or zirconium, or any other element to be added to obtain a desired alloying effect; when the specified minimum for copper does not exceed 0.40 per cent; or when the maximum content specified for any of the following elements does not exceed the percentages noted: manganese 1.65, silicon 0.60, copper 0.60.”
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Samon said:
I quite like the sk5 spring steel cold steel use in the bushman knife. I doesn't hold it's edge all that long but it sure takes a good one!
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There is a reason for the poor edge retention. The Bushman is very suboptimally hardened, to something around 54, but the generally accepted hardness for SK5 is between 57 and the low 60 (I have heard it going to 62 and performing well).

For my favorite carbon steel (defining it as just non-stainless), I am torn between D2 and 1095. L6 also has a horse in the race, but I hate the supreme lack of stain resistance on it (I have seen it develop surface spotting over a few hours in like 30% humidity). D2 takes and holds a wonderful edge and is difficult to make rust, but 1095 is so much tougher and sharpens up by just facing it towards a sharpening device. Difficult choice there
 
dkb45 said:
There is a reason for the poor edge retention. The Bushman is very suboptimally hardened, to something around 54, but the generally accepted hardness for SK5 is between 57 and the low 60 (I have heard it going to 62 and performing well).

For my favorite carbon steel (defining it as just non-stainless), I am torn between D2 and 1095. L6 also has a horse in the race, but I hate the supreme lack of stain resistance on it (I have seen it develop surface spotting over a few hours in like 30% humidity). D2 takes and holds a wonderful edge and is difficult to make rust, but 1095 is so much tougher and sharpens up by just facing it towards a sharpening device. Difficult choice there
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the bushmans best quality though is that is tough as old boots! keeping the hardness down keeps it in one piece, also why the esee knives take a decent beating - good simple steel and sensible hardness levels.
 
If you include high alloy non-stainless, my favorite by far is CPM-M4.

I also really like Hitachi Super Blue.
 
There are too many great ones for me to be able to choose a favorite. Even a top 5 is pushing it.

Not in order:

3V
Cruwear/vascowear
CPM M4/M2 ingot
Super Blue
O-1
W2
52100
10V/A11 class inc. Bohler K390
S1
L6
 
Grateful said:
I think Case's CV holds a little better edge than 1095. I like them both. 12 years or so ago I bought a Cold Steel SRK with a Carbon V blade. I'm not sure what Carbon V was but it might have been the best piece of blade steel I ever had. Not sure if they are still making it or not.
Jim
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From what I've read carbon V was cold steels way of saying whatever steel they were using at the time. And some spark testing has shown up as 1095 some not. But I have an old trail master in carbon V and is a beast of a knife. It sharpens a lot like 1095.

As much as I love Case's CV blades, they seem to chip easier than 1095. So I'll take the toughness of 1095. I'm waiting on a Rodent 9, So I may soon have a new favorite in SR101. I love D2 as well.
 
I believe that 52100 is the greatest steel on the planet. It does everything well (sadly including pitting). :D
 
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