Favourite Steel per Category?

Budget: 14C28N
Premium: S90V
Carbon: 52100

There's a lot in between, though, for general purpose S35VN is a great value or Magnacut a little higher end. 154CM/RWL34/ATS34/CPM154 and D2/K110 are still very versatile and serviceable. And M390/20CV/204P are a great premium steel as well.
 
Carbon steel: 80CrV2
Tool steel: 3V
Stainless: MagnaCut
One steel for life: 3V

Unfortunately, not all the knives I like are made from the steels I mentioned above.
 
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I like and am interested in a lot of steels, but my favorite is AEB-L. It's my favorite because it is easy enough for me to work with, and can be used to make an excellent knife for just about any role, except for the most specialized roles like dedicated carpet cutters, or dive knives.

I may have eschewed naming favorites from time to time, but AEB-L has been very good to me.
 
I honestly don't know.... I'd have to break it down a little further I think.

Carbon/non-stainless steel: Either Cru-Wear or 3V depending on my priority for that blade. Balance or toughness.
Stainless: Magnacut, AEB-L or LC200N Again, balance or toughness.
Budget: Is 154CM or CPM 154 a budget steel now?
One steel for life: Uhhhh..... ummm..... Probably Magnacut. Maybe.
 
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XtianAus said:
What's your favourite?

Carbon steel: (For me) 3V
Stainless: Magnacut or LC200N
Budget: 14c28n
One steel for life: because I am not great at sharpening, probably 14c28n
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Note:
3V is not a "Carbon Steel". It is a "high alloy, non-stainless steel".
The 1000 series (1095, 1085, 1050) are "Carbon Steels". By AISI definition, "carbon steel" can only contain controlled amounts of iron, carbon, manganese, silicon, sulphur and phosphorus. Any other elements that are present are considered accidental contaminants.


I kind of don't have any particular favorite steels. For me there are types of usage, and a list of steels that I immediately think of when I think about each usage. But whether a steel is appropriate for a particular usage also depends to a great extent on how the knife designer designs that knife (geometry of the blade). So there are too many variables to name a single alloy for each usage.
 
knarfeng said:
Note:
3V is not a "Carbon Steel". It is a "high alloy, non-stainless steel".
The 1000 series (1095, 1085, 1050) are "Carbon Steels". By AISI definition, "carbon steel" can only contain controlled amounts of iron, carbon, manganese, silicon, sulphur and phosphorus. Any other elements that are present are considered accidental contaminants.


I kind of don't have any particular favorite steels. For me there are types of usage, and a list of steels that I immediately think of when I think about each usage. But whether a steel is appropriate for a particular usage also depends to a great extent on how the knife designer designs that knife (geometry of the blade). So there are too many variables to name a single alloy for each usage.
Click to expand...
Ahhh yes I always mix that up
 
Leaf springs make good knives in carbon steel.

I have a CRKT M18 in AUS-8 that I am not loving. I have a Leatherman Wave+ that I think has D2 blades that seems OK. Last year I bought and giddied a Large Sebenza 31 in AMgnicut that is a hit with th recipient.

Twenty plus years ago, I bought and gave a Randall #16 in whatever their stainless is (440C?). The owner has much less faith in it than the Chris Reeves "Green Beret" he got at the same time . . .in the then standard S30V.
 
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