D2 or 440c for 4 1/2 in blade?

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RangerR47

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I had another thread where I was looking for a 4-5in blade knife, I ended up getting a Benchmade Rant that happened to be 440c. My question is for general wilderness/bushcraft chores which is better on a blade this size?

Most will say D2 is better steel and leave it at that, but I also read where you really dont want D2 in a blade over 4in if you can help it....

So for getting and keeping the blade sharp, being able to keep it that way in the field and not worrying about chipping the blade if light batoning is done. Is one much better than the other?
 
The only thing I can say is that D2 might hold an edge longer depending on heat treat. I've actually had problems with benchmade and the so called high end steels. My friend has a Rant in 440C and in my opinion he has been very hard on it. He is a real user and doesn't baby his tools. He always says that steel should win the battle against any wood and proceeds batoning etc. I tend to watch and cringe but the Rant he has is his favorite knife and it has held up flawlessly. It stays sharp for a fairly long time and with some stropping after every 3 or 4 trips you will have a razor edge on it. I would strop it after every extended period of use just to keep the original edge. I find it easier than using stones. Overall, go out and enjoy the Rant. Assuming yours is heat treated the same as my friends you will be fine doing anything you want with it.
 
Depends on the makers heat treat really. Assuming both are done as well as possible, I'd take 440C for it's corrosion resistance. I think both would perform well though.
 
all I'm saying is that if you look at the knives offered in cheap catalogs, most seem to be made of Chinese 440C.

I'll take a good D2 blade any day over 440 Stainless
 
Mannlicher said:
all I'm saying is that if you look at the knives offered in cheap catalogs, most seem to be made of Chinese 440C.

I'll take a good D2 blade any day over 440 Stainless
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That's silly. I've seen a lot of Chinese knives with frame locks, does that mean that American knives with frame locks must be poor quality as well? :rolleyes:

440C is a good steel when it is heat treated properly. Either knife will work fine. Most likely the 440c will but "tougher" and the D2 will have better edge retention but be more brittle.
 
ac1d0v3r1d3 said:
That's silly. I've seen a lot of Chinese knives with frame locks, does that mean that American knives with frame locks must be poor quality as well? :rolleyes:

440C is a good steel when it is heat treated properly. Either knife will work fine. Most likely the 440c will but "tougher" and the D2 will have better edge retention but be more brittle.
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+1 to this. It probably couldn't have been said better.

440C, properly treated, is still an outstanding choice for a knife of this type.
 
Take some 440c , add some molybdenum and you'll have 154CM .Then you'll have a very fine steel or better yet get CPM154 and you'll have my favorite !!
 
Both are very good steels (assuming as always that HT is done properly).
440C has better corrosion resistance (but D2 is not bad at all), D2 has better edge retention. On both sides the differences are small. You'll do ok either way I think.
 
ac1d0v3r1d3 said:
That's silly. I've seen a lot of Chinese knives with frame locks, does that mean that American knives with frame locks must be poor quality as well? :rolleyes:

440C is a good steel when it is heat treated properly. Either knife will work fine. Most likely the 440c will but "tougher" and the D2 will have better edge retention but be more brittle.
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+2 on this. I would stick with the 440C. Much easier to maintain in the field. When you are trying to work in the wild you are not going to want to wrestle with your knife.
 
I like to hear good things about 440C. Thinking hard about an Entrek sometime soon. :thumbup:

I guess that I should add that I have a Kabar FIN drop point with a blade almost 5" in D2. I reprofiled it to thin the bevel of the very slight hollowgrind is has and now it's a much better cutting tool. Slices cardboard with about the same effort as my Mora's now. It doesn't work wood quite as well though. I may still work on it a bit with a belt sander. I've beat on it pretty hard and I have NO complaints at all. Haven't had to really sharpen it yet, so I can't comment on it. It does hold a pretty good edge. I've chopped a lot of 2x4's (completely through a couple) and cut a few boxes in the name of testing my thinned bevels and it still shaves.
 
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I was once asked by an exotic dancer if I was a boob or butt guy, my answer was I like them both:cool: And this applies here right now :D
 
440C VS D2 both with proper heat treating

440C you have the corresion resitance as well as I fell it is a little bit easeir to sharpen than D2
 
i've had 440C blades that were not chinese crap that left me underwhelmed with their edge retention. (old Gerber and i think an old Spyderco, perhaps a few others i can't recall) i much prefer ATS-34 or something else with good edge retention. no experience yet with S30V.

not saying that all 440C is junk, but i tend to avoid 4XX series blades.

i have a Kershaw Outkast in D2 ind that's just a bit longer than 4"... but i have not used it much. it's hardly an EDC blade.
 
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