Sometimes I think too much of an emphasis is placed on edge retention, especially because I've noted that even relatively dull blades will still cut, except in the most exacting of circumstances.
That's an understatement. If a blade has high edge retention, then it will need sharpening less often but that sharpening will require more work. If a blade has less edge retention then it will requre sharpening more often but the sharpening will require less work. For me it is a wash.
I have only destroyed three blades in my life by having them snap. Two of them were "dendritic" 440C which was too brittle for the application (pocket knife) and the third one was a kitchen knife made from ZDP-189 - again, too brittle for the application and thinness of the blade. All quite high in edge retention. I've had Japanese hard carbon steels like aoko and shiroko chip badly about the edge but were always restored with sharpening. These are also steels high in the edge retention department. But I wouldn't recommend these steels for use in a camp knife or cleaver or any striking application to be sure.
My S30V blades hardened to 57-59 have proven to be excellent performers. I think it is an outstanding steel for most cutlery applications. I have fixed blades, pocket folders and even a chef knife made from it and it performs well in all of them. I can say the same thing about VG-10 at the 59-60 hardness level. Another excellent performer in a wide variety of cutting applications with a good compromise of toughness and edge retention.
When S30V was introduced earlier in the decade, it was heralded as the new super cutlery steel. I don't think that's far from the truth.
