How good is BMF 440A

[Twindog]

I've had a Gerber sawtooth BMF since the late 80s. I love this knife, although I realize that everytime someone on this forum talks about substandard steels, 440A is always mentioned.

But when I read the history of the BMF, I see that Gerber was trying to make the best possible production survival knife, partly to fight Buck and its Buckmaster Rambo knife. Gerber's efforts included choosing the best steel available for a survival knife. Gerber chose 440A because it was an extremely tough steel that could be field sharpened relatively easily. I don't know what they did for heat treat.

So for the BMF, which is it? Is 440A a great steel for this application? Or was Gerber cutting corners?

 

[averageguy]

I think Gerber could have opted to use 440C for this application and still achieved a tough - low maintenance - and reasonably easy to sharpen tool.
In that sense they may have cut the corner a little bit.
But I believe that 440A is correct for this knife as well. Ontario - SOG - Buck - Cold Steel - Fox among others used similar steel in similar knives.
I generally don't obsess too much about steel type if I like everything else about the knife.