I try not to pick and choose, I like most anything I can sharpen easily. I am not a fa of vg-10 I would say.
I admit, I like aus8. I am not good at sharpening and cold steel and SOGs offerings of aus 8 are just about the perfect mix of edge retention for the type of use I put my knife through and easy enough to sharpen. Favorite in my fixed are the 5120 spring steel in the Ontario sp knives I have. Dang they are excellent. Here, my thoughts are in the context of owner higher end knives with much more super steel types. I like those. But I like also the tried and true steels and the lower "lower end" steels which are IMO not low end, just great.
I have been through many steels and was obsessed for awhile....But 154CM, S30V, 14C28N, AUS8 all work great for me.
The knives in my rotation have: 154CM, S30V, Elmax, M390, S90V, S110V, D2, Cruwear and M4. M4 is my favorite, S110V next. In reality all of the steels work reasonably well for me. I've read a lot about S3V and would like to try it in a folder. I have not been able to do a good test of Elmax and Cruwear.
I'm definitely partial to Carpenter steels like CTS-XHP, CTS-204P, and on the lower end of the spectrum the amazing CTS-BD1, but I do really like CPM-M4 as well.
XHP and M4 for me, although I do really appreciate the ease of maintaining VG10. Haven't used my ZT 0456 enough to have an opinion on 204P
Let's see, the steel in the knives that I use the most are 400A, AUS6, 154cm, S30v and Sandvik 14C28N. Surprisingly, I like the 14C28N the best. Super easy to sharpen and the edge is out of this world. For a budget steel, Sandvik is hard to beat. Out of all the steels listed above, the 400A is my least favorite. I will never purchase another Cutco knife.
Like many I have an eclectic mix. But I also have a ridiculous pile of AUS8. Never rusts, easy to sharpen. Cold Steel vendors dumped their AUS8 folders when they introduced their new steels. I took advantage of the transition...and then some.
M4, Cruwear and s35vn Non-stainless is a hard choice between M4 and Cruwear. -M4 cuts for days and takes a Great edge. -Cruwear takes an Absolutely amazing edge and is Very easy to touch up to hair popping sharp and will hold an edge for an impressive amount of time (not as long as M4, but is easier to touch up). I own two stainless knives, a sebenza and a victorinox first mate. S35vn and X55CrMo14 respectively, s35vn takes my preference.
It's surprising how few mentions S35VN has and yet how common it is in use now. Maybe knife makers should take note of that, lol
