Favorite Steel

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NJWHN95

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Jun 25, 2011
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Every material used to make a knife is chosen for a reason. Sometimes it's cost savings for the company, sometimes it's to get a better quality. So whats your take on steels? Out of all the steels there are (INFI, 1095, AUS 8, just to name a few) what is your absolute favorite and why? Feel free to name good and bad and everything in between.
 
I know that there really isn't one steel that stands out as the best for everything, but generally speaking is INFI the "best" steel?
 
Well, "best." I don't know about that. But my knives in S30V definitely get the most use.
 
This is always a question that's difficult to answer and always begs the question "Best for what?"
Unfortunately, my experience with blade steels are limited to only the more common ones namely AUS-8/8Cr13MoV, S30V, D2, and 1095 carbon steel. I like each steel for different reasons.
 
Depends on the knife. Say a folder vs fixed or large vs small.
 
I like the time-tested Infi and 52100 steels because they're tough and take a nice edge. M4 is excellent, too, for the same reasons. Spyderco does a great job with M4. For stainless, I like M390. It just rises above the rest for edge holding, ease of sharpening and fineness of the edge.

My latest knife is from Benchmade, the Onslaught. I've never paid a lot of attention to 154-CM, but this blade came extremely sharp, with perfect 15-degree edge angles per side. Better yet, it's edge width at the shoulder was 0.017 inches, making for an extremely good slicer on a huge blade. Hey, hey, Benchmade can do edges right.
 
infi whats so great about it? i have a street boss but i have never used it. i work in a any office and live in the city. anything i need to do my chive can tackle pretty well.
 
NJWHN95 said:
Every material used to make a knife is chosen for a reason. Sometimes it's cost savings for the company, sometimes it's to get a better quality. So whats your take on steels? Out of all the steels there are (INFI, 1095, AUS 8, just to name a few) what is your absolute favorite and why? Feel free to name good and bad and everything in between.
Click to expand...

To paraphrase Will Rogers, I never met a steel I didn't like.

They're all good for something.
 
I went through, and may still be partly in, a phase where CPM 3V seemed maybe the best steel. Crazy tough, not nearly as hard to sharpen as it probably should be. Sort of rates up there on the steel "exotic-o-meter"...if you will...so it's fun to talk about. Great knife steel for sure.

Way less exotic steels like VG-10, S30V, and 12c27, and 1095 (and similar Swedish carbon steels) in the end, cut more than anything else.
 
My current favorite has to be M4. I have yet to use anything that holds an edge as well. That may soon change cause I just ground some 3V, M390, and S90V to play with. My EDC folder is a Griptilian 154CM and I carry a 3.75" fixed daily that I made from M4.
 
I have several folders that are made from 154CM. I've always liked this steel as an all around steel. It takes a good edge, holds it well, and resharpens easily. Works for me.
 
1095. Works for a small stockman or a large bowie. Reasonably priced. Readily available. Still a very good performer.

Frank
 
In my pocket knives and small fix blades I like s30v and 154cm. For large chopper-size blades I like some infi or 1095 :)
 
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