Carbon Vs Stainless

[Ten4leader]

Looking to purchase a Morakniv Companion but I'm not sure if I should get the stainless or the carbon steel. I don't know much about steels; all I know is carbon steel rusts easily.. any suggestions?

 

[155440]

It does not rust easily. Neglect it in a damp environment and sure it will rust, but that will happen to most stainless steels as well. Go carbon, develop a patina, maybe oil it a little once a month, and enjoy a higher quality blade. At that price point always go carbon.

 

[goodeyesniper]

Both good steels. I like carbon for the character it develops, but I'd probably never notice a difference in actual performance.

 

[Recurve 7]

Go carbon. The " patina " not only gives it character but acts as a rust inhibitor as well.

 

[Quillan]

Both are fine. Its a matter of preference. I would go carbon for a woods knife only because it is somewhat easier to field sharpen than stainless. Other than that, I dont care one way or the other.

 

[HwangJino]

Carbon requires a little more care. But as a person who uses a knife 8 to 10 hours a day 5 days a week, carbon out performs stainless.

Stainless was valuable for its non rusting properties, you have to wonder why carbon is so requested in Japanese knives, when performance is important, carbon 100%.
Few Japanese chefs have told me stainless is for children. Of course not true but makes some sense, real men can care for their tools.

 

[DeadFall27]

Carbon all the way!!

 

[dogstar]

Get both, they are so inexpensive. If I had to choose one, I'd go carbon, but sometimes it's nice to have stainless and not care, especially if other people are using the knife and not paying attention to not storing it wet.

 

[sodak]

I prefer carbon as well, but why not try both for the price?

 

[B.F.U]

I would go carbon. I left mine in my barn for like 2 or 3 months in the winter and it didn't really do anything. It previously had developed a patina, and yeah it had a bit of rust like coloring, but who cares it's like $13 is meant to be destroyed. Which by the way is nearly impossible. I tried and failed.

 

[me2]

To say carbon out performs stainless is too vague to be meaningful. When specific steels and careful heat treatments were tested, the stainless blades out perform the carbon steel ones in fine edge holding. The steels in the study were 52100 and AEB-L/13C26, both at 60-61 HRc.

In terms of which Mora to get, I'd still get the carbon steel one. There is an appeal there that is beyond performance for me.