How important is the type of metal used on an EDC folder for the average Joe?

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realg7

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Sep 5, 2016
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So I constantly hear people talking about the type of steel or metal that is used to make these knives. If you're just a regular guy looking for an EDC tactical or utility blade to use for cutting boxes or rope and maybe self-defense (God forbid) should that day ever come, is the type of metal important say at the 50-75$ range?

And what is the highest quality metal for knives in the 200-400$ range?

Again please assume that the person using these knives will rarely use it unless it's for a utility purpose.

I am a Kali practitioner and I specialize with knives. It is my professional opinion that it is not the tool that matters, but the operator....

I can find the femoral, cartoid, and jugular with a fork if I need to, why would the steel matter for tactical one time use?

In terms of box, plastic, wood, and rope cutting is there a specific steel that works best for durability?

As a collector I usually by between 3 and 10 of these pocket knives per year, so I'm okay with replacing them periodically.

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I'll try my hand at answering one of your questions:

Before I knew this forum existed, I got by with a VG-10 Delica (which was my primary carry for 7 years). That knife was in my pocket at the office, camp site, road trips, everywhere.

I honestly feel that VG-10 is a great steel for the "Average Joe". It's easy to maintain/sharpen and can be brought to razor sharp edge. It's a steel that will serve them well and is very responsive to sharpening.
 
realg7 said:
It is my professional opinion that it is not the tool that matters, but the operator....
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This is always going to be true, no matter what the subject. A superlative tool will not turn a novice into an expert.

I can find the femoral, cartoid, and jugular with a fork if I need to, why would the steel matter for tactical one time use?
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And for "finding the jugular", I agree, all you need is something sharp. Bayonets are commonly made of 1050 carbon steel, and they do just fine.

People who do A LOT of cutting will benefit from using a steel with greater edge retention. Pro hunters and the like.

In terms of box, plastic, wood, and rope cutting is there a specific steel that works best for durability?
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What kind of wood cutting? Chopping or slicing?


When I buy a knife, steel is something I consider, but is not something that controls the purchase. For any one purpose, there are a number of steels which will perform well. I find a knife I like, check the steel to see if I think it is appropriate for the purpose (99% of the time it is), then buy the knife.
 
sutherland said:
I'll try my hand at answering one of your questions:

Before I knew this forum existed, I got by with a VG-10 Delica (which was my primary carry for 7 years). That knife was in my pocket at the office, camp site, road trips, everywhere.

I honestly feel that VG-10 is a great steel for the "Average Joe". It's easy to maintain/sharpen and can be brought to razor sharp edge. It's a steel that will serve them well and is very responsive to sharpening.
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Thank you brother. VG-10 heard

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knarfeng said:
This is always going to be true, no matter what the subject. A superlative tool will not turn a novice into an expert.


And for "finding the jugular", I agree, all you need is something sharp. Bayonets are commonly made of 1050 carbon steel, and they do just fine.

People who do A LOT of cutting will benefit from using a steel with greater edge retention. Pro hunters and the like.



What kind of wood cutting? Chopping or slicing?


When I buy a knife, steel is something I consider, but is not something that controls the purchase. For any one purpose, there are a number of steels which will perform well. I find a knife I like, check the steel to see if I think it is appropriate for the purpose (99% of the time it is), then buy the knife.
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Cutting wood into Spears. What is your favorite metal type for EDC?

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Not at all. I can't really tell the difference. Sure, some last longer but are harder to sharpen.. but yeah.
 
My favorite average Joe steel for a Edc folder would be S30v with a coasre diamond edge 300-600 grit and some clean up on a white ceramic rod.

It will just cut longer then the 154cm and vg10
On cardboard, rope and other utility cutting.

But that's all user preference.

Some dudes swear by 420hc.

Some just don't want to stop what there doing to sharpen it all the time if they have alot of demanding cutting tasks.

As far as difficulty sharpening. Just choose the right abrasives and apply the proper methods and it's no big deal.
 
For EDC I love steel around the S30V range. I'm falling in love with CPM154 (again) for it's ability to take a scalpel like edge and keep it for a decent length of time. VG-10 is also very good for this, the first "high end" steel I used years ago. Still have a soft spot for it, especially the way Spyderco has theirs done.

For a what you're looking for, a knife that would see occasional utility use but be carried for defense; AUS-8 / AUS-8A / 8CR13MOV or better (edge holding) would be my suggestion.
 
WillardCorspe said:
For EDC I love steel around the S30V range. I'm falling in love with CPM154 (again) for it's ability to take a scalpel like edge and keep it for a decent length of time. VG-10 is also very good for this, the first "high end" steel I used years ago. Still have a soft spot for it, especially the way Spyderco has theirs done.

For a what you're looking for, a knife that would see occasional utility use but be carried for defense; AUS-8 / AUS-8A / 8CR13MOV or better (edge holding) would be my suggestion.
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Thanks for the advice.We are trained to use the weapons, not to know what's in them or what they are made of. Lol

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realg7 said:
Cutting wood into Spears. What is your favorite metal type for EDC?

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I don't have a single favorite, because so many alloys work well.
Among my favorites for general cutting chores are:
154CM, VG10, N690, S30V, S35VN.

If you are slicing and cutting, rather than chopping, any of those would work fine.
 
For general EDC tasks, the steel doesn't matter as much as blade profile and edge geometry.

Today's "super steels" typically hold an edge longer but that only really matters if you do a lot of cutting at one time or cut tough material.

TBH, I was perfectly happy with 1095, 440A, AUS6, and 420HC before I discovered Bladeforums. ;)
 
TravisH said:
For general EDC tasks, the steel doesn't matter as much as blade profile and edge geometry.

Today's "super steels" typically hold an edge longer but that only really matters if you do a lot of cutting at one time or cut tough material.

TBH, I was perfectly happy with 1095, 440A, AUS6, and 420HC before I discovered Bladeforums. ;)
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I'm happy with them all.

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Unless its only for fighting the steel matters. The longer it stays sharp the more likely it'll be sharp when you need it.
Going home after cutting tons of cardboard and suddenly the evil doers attack all clad in leather jackets.
Come on it doesn't take much imagination to come up with reasons for supersteel.

Sure go for vital points with a stick or kick the genitals. It'll always work, promise. Not. Wouldn't a tool which cuts and penetrates better and maybe guard your hand increase your odds (however slightly) compared to a pointy stick?

The tool does makes a difference.
I'm sure without training my wife could out shoot any average musketeer from 1750 for example. Now if you give that musketeer a modern gun I'm sure things were reversed and he'll be shooting better than all his comrades even the guys who bested him before.

How much difference is debatable and if it can be overcome by more ferocity and skills can also be debated on a case by case basis.

Either way if one can afford to have an edge with a better tool over oneself with a worse tool then why limit yourself for no reason?
 
Jens Schuetz said:
Unless its only for fighting the steel matters. The longer it stays sharp the more likely it'll be sharp when you need it.
Going home after cutting tons of cardboard and suddenly the evil doers attack all clad in leather jackets.
Come on it doesn't take much imagination to come up with reasons for supersteel.

Sure go for vital points with a stick or kick the genitals. It'll always work, promise. Not. Wouldn't a tool which cuts and penetrates better and maybe guard your hand increase your odds (however slightly) compared to a pointy stick?

The tool does makes a difference.
I'm sure without training my wife could out shoot any average musketeer from 1750 for example. Now if you give that musketeer a modern gun I'm sure things were reversed and he'll be shooting better than all his comrades even the guys who bested him before.

How much difference is debatable and if it can be overcome by more ferocity and skills can also be debated on a case by case basis.

Either way if one can afford to have an edge with a better tool over oneself with a worse tool then why limit yourself for no reason?
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What is your favorite steel for such things?

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Jens Schuetz said:
Unless its only for fighting the steel matters. The longer it stays sharp the more likely it'll be sharp when you need it.
Going home after cutting tons of cardboard and suddenly the evil doers attack all clad in leather jackets.
Come on it doesn't take much imagination to come up with reasons for supersteel.

Sure go for vital points with a stick or kick the genitals. It'll always work, promise. Not. Wouldn't a tool which cuts and penetrates better and maybe guard your hand increase your odds (however slightly) compared to a pointy stick?

The tool does makes a difference.
I'm sure without training my wife could out shoot any average musketeer from 1750 for example. Now if you give that musketeer a modern gun I'm sure things were reversed and he'll be shooting better than all his comrades even the guys who bested him before.

How much difference is debatable and if it can be overcome by more ferocity and skills can also be debated on a case by case basis.

Either way if one can afford to have an edge with a better tool over oneself with a worse tool then why limit yourself for no reason?
Click to expand...
Here are my 3 favorites thus far! But only fox fixed karambits, the non "XT" folders have issues. Kabar for tactical all day. And a good Ole Smith and Wesson boot dagger for back up....

08511b2046e4f8c98f7491d9858c56eb.jpg


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realg7 said:
What is your favorite steel for such things?

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For (admittedly fantasy scenario) dedicated self defense knives I don't care much what steel. Like you said it would be one time use. Any preferred steel could easily be overruled by function and form which are more important for these scenarios unless we are talking about disposing of 100s of zombies before being able to sharpen it again.
Staples like 440 , Aus8, 1095, D2 even some mystery steel might do. Now if function and form are good and on top of that a fancy steel thats even better, just because ;-)

I'd trust the makers here, they know which steel is good in what function. Steel for a long knife or even sword needs different properties than a small edc.

More tool like Edcs which are on me most of the time and thus would be more likely be used in a highly unlikely emergency, range from elmax to m390 over D2, 154cm and many more. So far I like elmax the most. It stays sharp for a long time and the edge doesn't chip very easily. Other steels stay somewhat sharp even longer but lose that initial extra sharpness too fast. Of course there's always the heat treatment and a not so super steel properly hardened can trump a supersteel which hasn't been.

Regarding the shape. I'm currently amazed by how light and thin historical swords were which they used for actual fighting and today we have knives which "need" to be thicker than that for some folks.
 
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realg7 said:
Here are my 3 favorites thus far! But only fox fixed karambits, the non "XT" folders have issues. Kabar for tactical all day. And a good Ole Smith and Wesson boot dagger for back up....

08511b2046e4f8c98f7491d9858c56eb.jpg


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Click to expand...

Those are knives, not steels. Which steels do you like, or not like?
 
For the average joe, I don't think the steel matters at all. Most of the rest of the worlds population are not knife nuts like on this forum. They get by very well with some very plain steel. Some of the most hard use blades on the planet are the pang's in Africa, machetes in South and Central America, and they are old fashioned 1095 or 1085 carbon steel. Look how many people get by with Chinese mystery steel folders.

I think the average joe would actually be worse off with a highly rated steel, because some day he's going to have a dull knife on his hands. A steel that is easy to re-sharpen is way better for the non-knife nut than some high end steel that is a PITA to sharpen. With a simple steel, the bottom of a coffee mug, top edge of a car window, or even a smooth rock from a creek will do the do that job of sharpening. The underside of a toilet tank can be used as well.

One of my favorite knives, the stainless Opinel uses 12C27, and I love that stuff. Cuts well, holds an edge a good amount of time, yet I can sharpen it up in a few minutes on a wide variety of things. LIfe is short, and I don't want to spend large amounts of it sitting there sharpening a knife. A few minutes to newsprint shaving and I'm done.

As far as the tool, it's always been the operator/user that makes the difference. Too many people think because they went out and bought such and such gun/knife/whatever, that they are the expert. Some inner city street guy will hand them their head using a cheap paring knife he stole from his grannies kitchen. Or a box cutter. The tool does not make the man. Never has, never will.

Edit to add; I'd be willing to bet that many of the knife nuts who quote the steel of the month specs, wouldn't actually notice a real difference if you handed them a knife with the steel unknown to them and told them to use to for a month. So much of it tis the belief of the hype.
 
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