Different types of metals

Czechmate said:
Quite true. If only the knife gods made it a little easier for us plebians to choose the "best" steel.

I'm partial to M390, 3V, S90V, S110V, ZDP189 and M4 for my top users.

Curiously though; good ole Aus 8, 154Cm, 1095, 5160 seem to work just fine too... :confused::D
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That's an excellent point, and I very much agree with you about AUS-8, 1095, and 5160. I like them a lot.

That said, I'm not a hard-core steel junkie.

And, I don't mean this in anyway to be insulting to the OP, someone who says "I found a knife CPM-M4 and had no idea if it was good or bad" is not going to be able to tell the difference between CPM-M4 and AUS-8. (Maybe side by side over time, but if someone marked an AUS-8 blade CPM-M4? I bet not.)
 
Case in point. I think AUS-8 is better than CPM-M4. Prove me wrong. :D Cost and ease of sharpening matter most to me. AUS-8 knocks cost/ease of sharpening out of the park.
 
marcinek said:
Case in point. I think AUS-8 is better than CPM-M4. Prove me wrong. :D Cost and ease of sharpening matter most to me. AUS-8 knocks cost/ease of sharpening out of the park.
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Yup. 440C and AUS8 are my most used steels; 1095 carbon steel is my favorite for traditional patterns. Since joining the forums here in 2007, I've had knives with at least fifteen different steel alloys and non-steel materials; edge holding & ease of sharpening have the greatest appeal for me now.

I love all the science and development that goes into the new "super" steels we have today, but I have an old U.S. Schrade #125OT Hunter that will take and hold an edge like some of the mid-level steels than some of the latest steel charts talk about.

~Chris
 
I like to have different steels as I have mentioned previously in other threads. Currently I have:

AUS 8
BG42
CPM M4
ZDP-189
VG-10
154cm
D2
ATS-34
S30V
1095
CRKT Crappy mystery steel
Gerber crappy mystery steel
Damascus
Sandvik 14C28N

Of those, Strider's S30V, Spyderco's ZDP-189 and CPM M4 are my faves.
 
Even the cheapest steel will disembowel, dismember, decapitate and otherwise decimate a person. I just like doing it in style.
 
K.O.D. said:
Even the cheapest steel will disembowel, dismember, decapitate and otherwise decimate a person. I just like doing it in style.
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Well. Now you are going to have to rank steels by "style." You are going to have to do that quantitatively and compare them in a controlled manner. I suggest getting identical knives made of each of the steels you are going to compare.

If you don't do that, you have thrown the scientific method out the window.

:D
 
Science eh? What fun is that? When I say style I mean the nicest steel I have. And that would be the CPM M4.
 
Well it cares for me, caresses me, no matter how bad the wound it leaves its never as bad as the one my ex left me with.
 
I guess the true reasoning behind my question was to get an opinionated hierarchy of steels. Now taking in account of all the posts made, my head is spinning.

I'm one of those guys that doesn't want to collect several items of something, but want to get it right the first time.

Thank you all for the great suggestions, I will now continue my research
 
Not sure there is a right. Only if you carefully consider your needs and even then, two or more different knives with different steels may suit your purposes. Probably the most important consideration is are you good at sharpening knives and do you have the equipment for it. A lot of steels require a good deal of patience, very solid technique, and synthetic stones, preferably diamond, to get sharp (or a sharpening jig system). Those steels will have incredible edge holding but be hard to sharpen. I am a good sharpener but I have mortal stones and actually kind of like sharpening. My edge holding needs are not great enough (and I am not a particularly hard user), that I prefer ease of sharpening over edge holding. YMMV.
 
SO true, you can't have it all, but at least M4 isn't on the really expensive side, my Contego was $125, pretty cheap and a hard use for me. I'm on the lookout for more M390 currently!! 1.2.3.4 maYBE, BUT NOT #5,LOL.

shqxk said:
Simple way to classify attributes of steels.

1. Hardness (Strength)
2. Wear resistance
3. Toughness
4. Corrosion resistance
5. Price

You can only pick 3.

For CPM-M4, it is 1, 2 and 3.
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vector12 said:
SO true, you can't have it all, but at least M4 isn't on the really expensive side, my Contego was $125, pretty cheap and a hard use for me. I'm on the lookout for more M390 currently!! 1.2.3.4 maYBE, BUT NOT #5,LOL.
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You right, I should cut off the price one since there are so many inexpensive knife with expensive steel.
 
Orv said:
Thank you all for the great suggestions, I will now continue my research
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I have very bad news for you. The only research that will do anything is to buy a bunch of knives in different steels and see what you like.

Listening to and reading a bunch of entirely subjective opinions on what steel is better (like mine) will get you nowhere.
 
marcinek said:
I have very bad news for you. The only research that will do anything is to buy a bunch of knives in different steels and see what you like.

Listening to and reading a bunch of entirely subjective opinions on what steel is better (like mine) will get you nowhere.
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But it sure is entertaining! Besides I'm really looking forward to the comparison test that this post will inspire:

K.O.D. said:
Even the cheapest steel will disembowel, dismember, decapitate and otherwise decimate a person. I just like doing it in style.
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~Chris
 
pinnah said:
Lousy Stainless (Kool-Aid) - It's junk. Looks pretty, won't hold an edge, gives stainless a bad name. Examples (imo) include 420J2, generic 440, Victorinox Inox
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marcinek said:
Really?
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Really.

And "Exhibit A" in the argument that the knife manufacturers heat treatment can make or break a steel.

Victorinox, for whatever reason, choose to only harden their Inox to a very soft level, somewhere in the 54 to 55Rc range depending on what you read. I suppose this is handy (as somebody pointed out) if your primary user base won't do any sharpening other than those simple "pull through" type sharpeners which puts on a crude and rough edge. Also handy, I suppose, if you like to sharpen (such as it is) knives on car windows and river rocks.

I find the stuff to be too soft to hold an edge and very, very gummy in terms of forming and holding onto a stubborn burr. Compared to other inexpensive, mass produced steels like Buck's 420HC or Opinel's Sandvik 12C27, both of which are hardened in the 58 to 59 Rc range (according to reports), it's a no-brainer in my book. Victorinox steel is comparatively junk. I'll take an Opinel or a Buck (or even a Case) any day over a Victorinox just for this reason alone.
 
pinnah said:
Really.

And "Exhibit A" in the argument that the knife manufacturers heat treatment can make or break a steel.

Victorinox, for whatever reason, choose to only harden their Inox to a very soft level, somewhere in the 54 to 55Rc range depending on what you read. I suppose this is handy (as somebody pointed out) if your primary user base won't do any sharpening other than those simple "pull through" type sharpeners which puts on a crude and rough edge. Also handy, I suppose, if you like to sharpen (such as it is) knives on car windows and river rocks.

I find the stuff to be too soft to hold an edge and very, very gummy in terms of forming and holding onto a stubborn burr. Compared to other inexpensive, mass produced steels like Buck's 420HC or Opinel's Sandvik 12C27, both of which are hardened in the 58 to 59 Rc range (according to reports), it's a no-brainer in my book. Victorinox steel is comparatively junk. I'll take an Opinel or a Buck (or even a Case) any day over a Victorinox just for this reason alone.
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Interesting... I have found the Vic's steel sharpens up very easily but does lose that sharp edge quite quickly.

I'd be happen if they switched to sandvik or even some "lowly" carbon steel like opinel uses lol!
 
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