How good is SOG AUS-8 steel?

A

Ad58

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May 23, 2005
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I wonder. I own a few blades and I like to choose different steel when a buy a new blade. By now I own S-30V steel, ATS-34 steel, D2 steel and 420HC Steel. Even the last one is not too bad at all.
Recently I ordered a SOG knife. I know that SOG knives have an outstanding rep. However, SOG uses AUS-8 steel, which isn't known for its excellent properties. I expected SOG to use a different steel.

Anyone can tell me something about the SOG AUS-8 steel? Do they have a special treatment?
 
I only own one SOG, so I may not be the best to comment here. But my old Flash II in AUS-8 came wicked sharp, probably the sharpest knife I've ever had out of the box.

That said, AUS-8 doesn't hold an edge as well as S30V and the like, but it isn't bad either. I never gave that SOG too much of a workout because I really don't like the design of the knife. But I've sharpened it a few times and it sharpens up nicely... has a kinda toothy edge to it, somewhat similar to VG-10, at least in my experience.
 
I've had a CS Master Hunter in AUS-8 for years . It's a good steel as I found using it as my prime hunting knife for many deer . Dressing out, skinning, and completely butchering a few without resharpening.So I know the edge holds up well.
 
Can take a really sharp edge and is pretty corrosion resistant. Pretty decent in other areas too
 
AUS8 is much better than 420HC, IMHO. Higher carbon, and it contains Vanadium.
 
Danbo said:
AUS8 is much better than 420HC, IMHO. Higher carbon, and it contains Vanadium.
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Both alloys contain Vanadium in the levels necessary to refine the grain structure. AUS8 has more Carbon, but it also has a bit more chromium. The extra chromium will have a tendancy to combine with carbon. The actual carbon available in the alloy itself is unknown to me. So I am unsure as to which alloy will actually hold an edge better. I've never run a side-by-side edge retention comparison. It's on my list.

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Gents the original question was specifically about SOG's heat treatment of AUS8. AD58 correctly recognizes that AUS8 will perform differently depending on the heat treat. I do not know what hardness range SOG uses for its AUS8. Benchmade runs theirs at 58-60. KaBar runs theirs at 56-58 in their regular Doziers, somewhat higher for the Large Dozier.
 
I've owned several SOG's with AUS 8. The Field Pup, the SOG Trident folder, The Flash II, the Twitch II, and the Pentagon Elite I before the VG-10 update.

SOG's Cryogenic heat treatment really does help with that edge. Look for the logo, it's found on the Flash family and the Trident family for certain. Their AUS 8 gets a shaving sharp edge almost instantly, and holds it about as long as 440C in my opinion.

Here is the order (greatest to least) of edge holding abilities among a few companies where I have used their AUS 8:

SOG, then Cold Steel, then CRKT.

SOG's AUS 8 holds it's edge longer than Cold Steel, and Cold Steel holds it's edge longer than CRKT.

After the steel components it's all about edge angles and preference.

IMO this is the Sharpness and Edge holding abilities which I have posted in another thread recently:

SOG: Sharpness:10 Edge Holding: 6
Cold Steel: Sharpness: 10 Edge Holding: 5
CRKT: Sharpness: 9 Edge Holding: 4

This is from use and abuse to all of these steels from the different companies from the knives that I have owned. Hope this helps, J.
 
batosai117 said:
I've owned several SOG's with AUS 8. The Field Pup, the SOG Trident folder, The Flash II, the Twitch II, and the Pentagon Elite I before the VG-10 update.

SOG's Cryogenic heat treatment really does help with that edge. Look for the logo, it's found on the Flash family and the Trident family for certain. Their AUS 8 gets a shaving sharp edge almost instantly, and holds it about as long as 440C in my opinion.

Here is the order (greatest to least) of edge holding abilities among a few companies where I have used their AUS 8:

SOG, then Cold Steel, then CRKT.

SOG's AUS 8 holds it's edge longer than Cold Steel, and Cold Steel holds it's edge longer than CRKT.

After the steel components it's all about edge angles and preference.

IMO this is the Sharpness and Edge holding abilities which I have posted in another thread recently:

SOG: Sharpness:10 Edge Holding: 6
Cold Steel: Sharpness: 10 Edge Holding: 5
CRKT: Sharpness: 9 Edge Holding: 4

This is from use and abuse to all of these steels from the different companies from the knives that I have owned. Hope this helps, J.
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That's exactly how I would describe my expierence with AUS-8. :thumbup:
 
@ Batosai: Well, CS ain't to bad, is it? It will probably be one of my next choises; time to investigate the San Mai steel! Thank you for your extended answer! You truly are a gentleman and a tutor!
 
Ad58 said:
@ Batosai: Well, CS ain't to bad, is it? It will probably be one of my next choises; time to investigate the San Mai steel! Thank you for your extended answer! You truly are a gentleman and a tutor!
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Don't worry, Cold Steel is perfectly fine. At least their lowest end steel is AUS 8, unlike CRKT where it is their highest ;). Cold Steel's VG-1 is nice too. It's very similar to their AUS 8, but some of the older buyers prefer the AUS 8 still. Their Voyager line is my favorite, followed by the Recon 1.
 
I like AUS 8 it is very easy to sharpen and holds the edge reasonably well. I wouldnt hesitate to buy any knife made from AUS-8 except maybe CRKT.
 
I got a deal on a new Pentagon II last year (didn't need it, just satisfied the knife jones). I first frowned on the AUS-8 steel, but carrried it anyway. Months later, I've torn down cardboardboxes with it, stabbed it into trees, etc. The edge holds decently, it comes back with ease on a
Sharpmaker. The steel has no rust from cuting into foods and the like. It's a great steel for EDC and general cutting duties while keeping a knife's cost low. I plan on getting more of SOG's AUS-8 blades now and I still EDC the Pentagon II. Hope this helps.
 
aus8a is easy to sharpen but has to be sharpened often.JUst get vg-10 easy to sharpen holds better edge and longer.
 
420HC contains Vanadium? That's news to me(and, probably the rest of the World).
 
I feel like playing the devil's advocate here; I think CRKT has produced some decent AUS8 knives. The Carson knives in particular are among the best production knives I've used, and I use my knives hard. I've worn out a SOG (PEI) and a Cold Steel (Ti Lite), but I've had an M16EDC and an M21SF that have stood up to just about everything and they're still ticking. They've actually had a lot of the smaller parts replaced, (the washers, the autolawks, the screws, etc.) because those all get lost or they wear out themselves, before the fundamental parts of the knife do.
As for performance, I'm gathering that cryo-quenching makes a difference in AUS8 performance, but brand name, by comparison, really doesn't. The SOGs I used were from the era directly before they started with cryo-quenched steel, and I found them comparable to CRKT's steel - which is plenty adequate. The Cold Steel that I used, however, was cryo-quenched, and I thought this made a difference in edge-retention even during hard-use cutting tasks (landscaping tarp, cardboard, etc).
My .02
 
Esav Benyamin said:
http://www.agrussell.com/knife_information/steel_guide/index.html

Shows 420HC with Vanadium.
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Thank you, Esav. As a matter of fact, I did confirm my data at agrussell.
(I keep saying the white in the beard is not what causes me to have to check my specifics all the time. These days I don't remember exact data so much as I remember where to look up exact data)


However, it is more than his chart that provides confirmation:
So does matweb
http://www.matweb.com/search/datasheet.aspx?matid=19480&ckck=1

So does Latrobe
http://www.latrobesteel.com/assets/documents/Sheets/Stainless/LSS_420_HC.pdf

I remember being impressed with the complexity of the 420HC composition. For a steel that does not get much respect, it is quite interesting stuff.
 
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