Favorite steel family to use and sharpen

[HeavyHanded]

The best 12c I've used is Bark River and EKA. The Mora HT does not seem to be as high Rockwell. The first two outperform 420hc, the Mora flavor is a lot more comparable.

The thread below is a reprint of some retention testing I did over on Cliff Stamp's site years ago - done with Buck's 420 hc. It held up really well under pretty rough testing.

To be honest, almost every time I do a deliberate retention test the results are a bit better than I expected based on my EDU usage - as if doing all the cutting in a single session avoids some sort of aging related dulling (even though I dry all my knives well before sheathing/closing) even on stainless.

https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/edge-wear-micrographs.1203862/

 

[maximus83]

The best 12c I've used is Bark River and EKA. The Mora HT does not seem to be as high Rockwell. The first two outperform 420hc, the Mora flavor is a lot more comparable.

The thread below is a reprint of some retention testing I did over on Cliff Stamp's site years ago - done with Buck's 420 hc. It held up really well under pretty rough testing.

To be honest, almost every time I do a deliberate retention test the results are a bit better than I expected based on my EDU usage - as if doing all the cutting in a single session avoids some sort of aging related dulling (even though I dry all my knives well before sheathing/closing) even on stainless.

https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/edge-wear-micrographs.1203862/

Thanks! That is a cool thread. I have Bucks and Gerbers in 420HC, so am interested in this too as a maintenance strategy on "softer stainless." Do you find as David did, that for typical EDU type usage with 420HC folders, that a good all-around grit for sharpening is something in the 400-600 range, and not much polishing or refinement after that?

 

[HeavyHanded]

Thanks! That is a cool thread. I have Bucks and Gerbers in 420HC, so am interested in this too as a maintenance strategy on "softer stainless." Do you find as David did, that for typical EDU type usage with 420HC folders, that a good all-around grit for sharpening is something in the 400-600 range, and not much polishing or refinement after that?

That's where I often run it, but in reality it takes a good edge from 120 grit all the way up to a bright polish. All depends on what your EDU usage is.

 

[AFAustin]

To be honest, almost every time I do a deliberate retention test the results are a bit better than I expected based on my EDU usage - as if doing all the cutting in a single session avoids some sort of aging related dulling (even though I dry all my knives well before sheathing/closing) even on stainless.

Forgive a slight derail of the thread, but this phrase caught my eye. More than once I've had the experience of tuning up a knife, putting it away (and yes, clean and dry), and when I pull it out some time later, it's lost some of its sharpness. I always thought I must be imagining it but HH's post makes me wonder. So is "aging related dulling" a fact and, if so, what explains it?

Thanks,

Andrew

 

[Roikyou]

Wouldn't you categorize S30v/S35vn in a different category than M390/20CV and S90v. I can work easier with S30v. S90V got the better of me when using water stones. I've yet to dare M390 and 20 CV after working with S90V. Honestly kind of sticking with S30V.

 

[HeavyHanded]

Forgive a slight derail of the thread, but this phrase caught my eye. More than once I've had the experience of tuning up a knife, putting it away (and yes, clean and dry), and when I pull it out some time later, it's lost some of its sharpness. I always thought I must be imagining it but HH's post makes me wonder. So is "aging related dulling" a fact and, if so, what explains it?

Thanks,

Andrew

I don't know.

I have noticed something interesting in line with this though, my carbon steel knives if stored clean and dry seem to retain their edges better while being stored. This would be the opposite of what one might expect. I suspect a lot of it is my imagination, poor recall of how much use a given knife has seen etc.

 

[Kyle363]

I would have to say A2 and O1 only because they are a good mix of all the qualities you look for in steel and field sharpening is simpler. After that 3V and similar steels.

 

[matilda]

I prefer hard tool and stainless steels because they are more difficult to sharpen. I tend to learn a lot more on difficult jobs then easy ones. A few days ago I received a knife made of Z-Ware at Rc67 and was a little disappointed at how easy it was to sharpen.

 

[microtech85]

Low-alloy steels in both the stainless and carbon camps, with a slight bias towards stainless. Particular favorites are in the Sandvik permutations. Fine-grained steels that readily take a very refined edge, and have a moderate to high toughness. I'm fast at sharpening, so don't mind if it dulls faster in abrasive wear than high-alloy steels so long as it lasts long enough to get some meaningful quantity of work done.

I concur! Above all else i believe a steel's ability to take a fine edge is paramount. If a steel can take a fine edge and hold it without chipping or rolling, then i am a happy camper. Long term edge retention is not a concern for me, i really appreciate fine grained steels around rc-60. I really like sandvik 14c28n and 12c27. I would be very happy to have my benchmade 940-1 in sandvik 14c28n. However, i am taking a liking to the m390 class of steel. It seems to have a very fine grain for its composition and takes a keen edge. But that would, so far, be my second choice after 14c28n.

 

[microtech85]

On this topic, i did an edge retention test between benchmade valet in m390 vs kershaw leek in 14c28n to see which would hold a razor edge longer (meaning still able to just barely shave arm hair and cut through a paper towel). The results were not quite what i had expected. The m390 maintained a better razor edge longer. About 100 slices through 3 inch widths of cardboard vs thw 14c28n's about 70 cuts. The valet would shave arm hair better at the end but the leek with its very thin blade would still cut very well.

 

[me2]

And there's the difference between edge holding and cutting ability.

 

[Old Traf]

I like 52100 for a straight razor; 12C27 for a folding knife(Opinel);and 1095 for kitchen knoives (line Ontario Old Hickory). Opinel's high carbon steel is also nice.

 

[Zenturio]

Aus 8 Type of steels with good heat treatment. I have used all kinda of steels, but I love how easy they can be machined/abraded and they take all kinds of edge types (toothy, fine, polished,...). They can handle stress and hold an edge quite well. So you can use these kinds of steels for almost every task, just use the edge type you want. In my opinion S30V etc. only workwell with toothy edges, when you polish them they will not perform as well as AUS 8 family does.