fav steel

Currently, CTS-XHP is my favorite. Excellent edge retention, comparatively easy to sharpen, very stain resistant. It's also supposed to be quite tough, but I find myself caring less about that these days.
 
I don't have much experience with lots of different steels but currently I really like S30V for ease of sharpening and edge retention. It is a really balanced steel between edge retention and ease of sharpening because I am not a pro at sharpening.
 
My favorite steel is... properly heat treated. I currently EDC a Kershaw Random Leek. While I like the blade profile and ergonomics, the S30V blade has never really held an edge well. The leek replaced a Chive with an AUS8 blade that was sharp as a razor and held it's edge for ages. I also occasionally carry a Benchmade mini-griptillian that holds an edge for quite a while.
 
I agree with Lemmen, I'll take a properly manufactured knife out of any good stainless, but I am fond of the high alloy stainless like ZDP-189 or M390. You would think that once a well known production knife company has committed to using a relatively expensive steel that they'd go the extra mile and get a proper heat treat done, but that has not always been my experience. The quality control of the manufacturer is a major factor in knife performance. I like high wear resistance knives since I cut a fair bit of cardboard at work, and those two alloys have performed very well for me. Also, I don't jump to any conclusions about the performance until I've sharpened a knife a few times. Sometimes first impressions are deceptive.
 
I like cpm154cm because its easy to get sharp, has good corrosion qualities, is easy to grind, holds a good edge. It has a good mix of qualities. I also dig H1, just because of where I live. Rust Proof!
 
CPM 3V, Like in my ZT 0100. Pure toughness, holds a good edge and decent corrosion resistance.
 
Lots of threads on this already, about 3 pages actually, here's the first four...
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...your-favorite-steels?highlight=favorite+steel
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/947084-Favorite-steel?highlight=favorite+steel
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...op-5-favorite-steels?highlight=favorite+steel
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/877268-Favorite-Steel?highlight=favorite+steel

I prefer high edge retention steels in smaller fixed and folders and tougher steels in larger fixed blades. currently
CPM-10V, CPM-S90V, M390 and CPM-3V & 52100 for the bigger blades.
 
Dan57 said:
I lke the 440 stuff thats in mtechs!!!!! its the best man, ull luv it!!!!!!
Click to expand...

So do I. Only, not in a clumsy attempt at irony - 440 is a good all round steel, MTECH's version is decent, and the price is excellent if you're actually going to use a knife as a tool rather than clutch it to your chest and fantasize about being an "operator." But each to their own...
 
michaelm466 said:
Lots of threads on this already, about 3 pages actually, here's the first four...
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...your-favorite-steels?highlight=favorite+steel
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/947084-Favorite-steel?highlight=favorite+steel
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...op-5-favorite-steels?highlight=favorite+steel
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/877268-Favorite-Steel?highlight=favorite+steel

I prefer high edge retention steels in smaller fixed and folders and tougher steels in larger fixed blades. currently
CPM-10V, CPM-S90V, M390 and CPM-3V & 52100 for the bigger blades.
Click to expand...

Of course a lot of these "high edge retention" steels only give significant edge retention increases if you measure the time to reach something like 90% bluntness; if you measure to to 10 or 20% bluntness - the point where a knife with an easily sharpened steel can usually be touched up with a few strokes on a pocket sharpener, and which a professional knife user like a butcher or fisherman wouldn't dream of letting his knife drop below - then they often aren't significantly better than 440, 12c27, etc. Marketers tend to bullshit unwary buyers over this by quoting the single most favourable point on a CATRA graph, however ridiculous it is.

Otoh, some of the super steels do give big improvements in toughness - but it seems to be best measured by a figure no one ever talks about, the transverse toughness - everyone quotes longitudinal charpy if they talk numbers at all.
 
Overall and in general I like 1095 series steels best. Knives made with this steel can have a very hard edge and be differentially heat treated to still be very tough. They are easy to sharpen and hold their edge very well. 1095 can be forged and ground and while not stainless its easy to take care of.
 
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M390 hands down. It holds its razor edge longer than anything I've ever used (s30v loses its razor edge if you look at it wrong...) and seems to keep a working edge almost indefinitely. Add to that the fact that it's about as easy to sharpen as vg10 as well as being extremely corrosion resistant and you have a winner in my book.
 
Im a big Fan of M390 also I wish more production knives came with that option. Hell id buy a set of kitchen knives with M390.
 
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