Folding knife steel.

[Petunia D. Feeble]

Some good steels that should be found on folders in your price range:

VG-10 (Easy to sharpen to a very fine edge)
CPM154/154CM (This is my favorite "all around" steel)
S35Vn (Best of the three at 60+ HRC for edge retention)

I think you should take a look at a BM grip (many variations) in 154CM.

Wonderful EDC knife, made in the USA.

Hey! And here I thought I was the only one. I absolutely adore CPM 154 and 154 CM.

It's a "mid level" steel, but performs very well in all areas, is easy to work with and doesn't come with a premium price tag. If S110v is $100 more, I'm taking the 154 all day. Same for VG-10.

 

[Petunia D. Feeble]

I'm using a cheap Norton's stone not 100% on which each side is in terms of grit. I've gotten decent at a few kitchen knives, my Izula isnt as food and a condor machete that I've gotten a decent working edge. I think a decent sharpening kit is in the future as well. As my free hand is sub par at best. I can't seem to get a good even edge on my Buck 110. I think I may invest in a strop and some honing compound to touch up my knives as I use them to try and limit my need to sharpen. As of right now I think the BM Griptilian in 154 CM is growing on me. Next time I'm in town I'll see if the outdoors store has one I can handle first. That's where I handled the PM2 and 940 Osborne.

I'm happy to send you a user Griptilian to try out if you like. I'm in a location where walmart is the closest thing we've got to a cutlery shop.

It really sucks trying to get into the knife hobby without a way to experience the knives in hand before throwing down hundreds of dollars to buy them.

 

[Star]

I'm happy to send you a user Griptilian to try out if you like. I'm in a location where walmart is the closest thing we've got to a cutlery shop.

It really sucks trying to get into the knife hobby without a way to experience the knives in hand before throwing down hundreds of dollars to buy them.

That's real nice of you to offer. The store I go to has alot of knives Benchmade Spyderco Kershaw etc plus there is an Academy and Dicks sporting goods in the same area. I'll check those first. If I can't get my hands on one that'd be great.