Do You Have A Cut-Off Point In Blade Steels?

Its funny because if you hang around the forum a lot, its easy to become a steel snob.:D Being hyper critical of the chemical make up in the metallurgic tables. Getting back to reality, I use my knives in the woods like, field dressing, skinning, butchering game as well as every day tasks. In reality, steel toughness is as important as holding a edge. Brittle steel scares me more than a softer more flexable steel . I really have not been able to tell a difference between 154cm or s30v. In my observations both are about equal, possessing good and not so good qualities but I they are my favorite steels. I also have used aus8 and it has severed me well. Getting back to the original question,...154cm and s30v are my favorite and what I currently like to buy. aus8 is will get the job done for me and is about my cut off. I guess I am a closet steel snob.;)
 
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I've seen some pretty good test setups for testing the ability to hold an edge and sharpness. The issue is 90% of real world knife users would call you nasty names if you made them use the top end blades every day.

It kind of like saying saws cut bone better so you need to use a saw blade to cut stakes and trim fat.

Test show you can get about 30 more cuts with some highend blades. Some people need to make thousands of cuts per day. Having a knife you can quickly put an razor edge on will be far more pratical to them.

I suppose for people that use a knife once a year that don't know how to sharpen a blade highend steel would be a good choice. :)
 
dnuggett said:
lol, so true. It cracks me up when I see posts where all the steels that someone has used are listed and ranked. Please. Like they have any real way of figuring out which steel is better during their YouTube paper cutting tests.
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"Better" is relative. Finding the right steel is like finding the right knife(could be one and the same really). It's going to cost you, and the best steel for you is exactly that, just for YOU. The next person is going to have a different preference.

However, if there IS a perfect knife for me, I would like the ZT 0301 with a CPM-M4 blade coated in Tungsten DLC:thumbup:.

I'm more than willing to go with S30V if the ergonomics is just right though. And boy is it ever just right:thumbup:.

Read all the reviews you want, and watch all the YouTube videos you want. But the only way to know for sure is to hold the knife in your hand and cut, chop, stab, or slice something. Though to be sure, some actual use videos are good for pointing you in the general direction(like Ankerson's hard use videos:thumbup:).
 
Noctis3880 said:
"Better" is relative. Finding the right steel is like finding the right knife(could be one and the same really). It's going to cost you, and the best steel for you is exactly that, just for YOU. The next person is going to have a different preference.

However, if there IS a perfect knife for me, I would like the ZT 0301 with a CPM-M4 blade coated in Tungsten DLC:thumbup:.

I'm more than willing to go with S30V if the ergonomics is just right though. And boy is it ever just right:thumbup:.

Read all the reviews you want, and watch all the YouTube videos you want. But the only way to know for sure is to hold the knife in your hand and cut, chop, stab, or slice something. Though to be sure, some actual use videos are good for pointing you in the general direction(like Ankerson's hard use videos:thumbup:).
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The 0301 is a tough knife. :D

What about a CS AL in M4 steel. :eek: :D :thumbup:
 
I have and use everything from Aus-8 and up. I have 2 Aus-6 knives and I don't use them. They dull so quickly, I got annoyed but I'm not getting rid of them. My most used blade steel seems to be S30V mainly because they happen to be on my favorite knives. If these knives had a different steel, I wouldn't care one bit. The steel that impressed me the most is S90V. I wish every knife I own came with it. :)
 
154CM and 440C are my favorites with AUS-8 and 420HC right behind, I also like D2 but dislike sharpening it, so I don't seek it out when buying new. I am more comfortable with 440C and 154CM, becuase I have used them for some time now and I know what they are capable of. The lowest I will go and still be happy with the knife is Victorinox INOX, which I don't find to hold its edge for very long but is sufficent for my needs. S30V I have found to be brittle and SG2 is too expensive.
 
The lowest that I will really go is AUS-8 ad that's great steel. :)
 
I won't go below .5% carbon or 420HC or 1050.
Those steel types are best suited for hard use applications, usually fixed blades or swords.

I like Victorinox Special just fine, so I guess .6% carbon can be ok for folders where stain resistance is a high priority.
 
if you can deal with corrosion imho 1095 or even 1070 cant be beat. its a simple steel but it sure does work...


fried
 
The "lowest quality" steel I have purchased and enjoyed is Bucks 420HC. But the other day when I ordered an Izula I threw a couple of Spyderco slipits, the Bug and Honeybee, into my order. I have no idea what to expect from 3cr13 but considering I spent $11 on the two combined I'm not expecting to be blown away. But we'll see.
 
cultivateitnow said:
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For EDC it is just simply hard to beat a good heat treat 440C/AUS8 or D2.
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I wuz gonna type it myself, but this is all I really wanted to say. The only occasional exceptions might be Case CV and Buck 420HC. The 1095 in the ESEE knives is nothing to sneeze at either.
 
cultivateitnow said:
I've seen some pretty good test setups for testing the ability to hold an edge and sharpness. The issue is 90% of real world knife users would call you nasty names if you made them use the top end blades every day.

It kind of like saying saws cut bone better so you need to use a saw blade to cut stakes and trim fat.

Test show you can get about 30 more cuts with some highend blades. Some people need to make thousands of cuts per day. Having a knife you can quickly put an razor edge on will be far more pratical to them.

I suppose for people that use a knife once a year that don't know how to sharpen a blade highend steel would be a good choice. :)
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Took the words right out of my mouth . Process a couple of pigs with most high end steels and see how wear resistance and hardness balance with the ability to touch up and maintain the edge .

I don't feel I have a particularly diminished capacity for sharpening tools , but the last time I had to do something like this , it came at the end of a long afternoon/early evening of tracking a wounded sow through brush so think you had to crawl on hands and knees to penetrate it . After that, I had better things to do than break out a $200 sharpening kit and spend ten minutes slicking up edges every time I turned around.

Hard use is rough on any cutter , I don't care what you bring ; so bring a steel that can be easily maintained .This is all the more so if we are talking an extended duty knife . I have had my share of " princess " knives, and have a few still . I want them to have the death edge preserved for the time when it will be a purpose dedicated weapon ( should I ever find myself in a zombie movie ) . If I am using it for actual work, though , I don't want to have to scrape on the underside of the space shuttle for half an hour to get it back where I can use it .

A variant of 154 is about as hard to maintain as I ever want to go . Properly HT 440C can do wonders , why re-invent the wheel ?

Oh yeah. Because we're knife guys :D
 
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I'm no longer infatuated with the steel type and try to pick something that fits the job. I'm more concerned about handle ergonomics, Blade geometry, F&F, heat treat and price. While I do buy knives with higher end steels nowadays, many times it's because I enjoy the whole package (ie. Sebenza). As long as I feel the steel used fits the price and I enjoy the overall package, I'll give it a whirl.

Currently some steels I enjoy are

Folders: S30V, CTS-XHP, Victorinox's steel, VG-10, AUS-8

Fixed blade: BRKT's A2 is fantastic but I'm open to any good carbon/tool steel.
 
I'll admit, I have super steel burnout. S30V was easy to sharpen for me. That's because my Doug Ritter Grip was not dull when I sharpened it. I let my Bob T slipit get dull before I sharpened it, and ruined the blade so badly that I was actually sharpening the grind before I turned it over to Scott Gossman for a resharpening job!

I am fine with 1095, 1084, 440C, 154CM, ATS34, O1, A2 etc. S60V was 440V was S90V etc. I am familiar with most steels, and some of their attributes ;), but give me good old 1095 or O1 or 440C. Sometimes it gets to be a little much.

I am interested in checking out that new Carpenter Steel though ;).

I have so many different steels in my collection, from mystery carbon steel in an old Boker stockman from the 40's/50's to my Gossmans in A2, to my Chris Reeve Nyala in S35VN.
 
Great comments. It's not so much super steel burnout as it's a realization that the design is more important nowadays than the blade steel. I guess I used to look at the blade steel as a priority, but nowadays it's more a combination.

Part of this realization came from having had numerous Sebs (& a couple Umnums) with S30V at a slightly lower RC of 58-59 & have been fine with them. Their edge holding has been acceptable & I haven't had any chipping issues. Also, I've been using a Hogue/Elishewitz EX01 with 154CM & it works just fine.

That kind of got me thinking about how much I really "needed" a higher end steel. However, I fully know that us "knife nuts" definitely do perk up when we hear about/see a new steel. I'm just talking about what's enough for an EDC.

Also, for a couple yrs now I EDCed a HAK in S30V, but recently started trying out neck carry again & have used a CRKT/Folts Minimalist with 5Cr15Mov. While that steel is not something I'd want in a knife I use with any regularity, it's fine for what it is (A last ditch knife for weapon retention use).
 
When it comes to stainless steel folding knives, I look for AUS-8 or 440C as a bare minimum. The only exception are SAKs, the extra tools make up for the blade steel (and I don't use the knife blades very often). I've got a soft spot for VG-10. It suits my needs very well and I find it extremely easy to sharpen.
 
If you have a 440A that has good heat treat you may find that it is perfect for every day use.It will resist rust very well also.It is a 440 so it will hold an edge for daily use.If you are going to be throwing it at trees or banging it on metal then pass on it.A good heat treat is the key to any knife regardless of 440A or C or whatever.
 
These days I'm more interested in form factor rather than blade material. The cut off point for me is unnamed steel, if it's not specifically mentioned as any of the recognized grades, I don't want it. The only exception is traditional folders like Case that don't usually advertise their steel.

I've used soft Victorinox steel for ages and not found it wanting for my EDC applications. I still buy and use super steel blades from time to time just because, but I no longer buy on steel alone.
 
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