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

wensynch said:
There are two broad categories for steel: stainless and carbon. Stainless steel resists rust very well but it can dull easily. Carbon steel keeps an edge really well but it rusts easily. Most mass produced steels are somewhere in between.

However, if you read the marketing on knives, it’ll talk about how the steel used to make a certain knife is very “special” compared to others on the market. Don’t be fool. Almost all steel used for knives come from a handful of steel suppliers. This rule applies to US as well as foreign knives.*Most knife makers temper the steel to added additional qualities but it won’t drastically change the steel’s properties.
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Huh?

Heat treat can be just as important as the steel type. Some brands/makers have far superior results from the same steel.

Blade geometry plays a huge role as well. Look at the Opinels. Steel is nothing special but are well made and come truly rediculous sharp from the factory.

To the OP, obviously any steel can be effective. You know that as evidenced by your mention of the "fork". For a user, and not neccesarily a "blade addict" you just need to make sure it suits your needs. Hardness vs Toughness, edge retention vs ease of sharpening, maintenance required, etc. For everyday cutting boxes, ropes, etc the blade I carry is 8cr13mov, one of the newer chinese "designer" alloys. Very similar usability wise as Aus-8. They try to make cheap steel perform, and for things like that I have no problem with it. Many production folders are using these steels right now and very common nowadays. I can get it real sharp real quick and it holds ok. Not too hard so with any "heavier" use you have to touch up the blade. These will not work well for choppers. For that you want a big chunk of tool steel (a1, d2, 1095, etc)

It's all about what you use it for. There is no perfect steel (even though busse guys will tell you INFI is) there is give and take in all of them.

For normal uses, just pick a reputable manufacturer that is known for producing economic, quality knives. Imo the Kershaws, Opinel, Ontario, CRKT, Spyderco, Benchmade, Zero Tolerance, obviously there are more those are a few of my favorites. I try to buy American but like I said, I do carry the Kershaw Cryo II which is made in China and is 8cr13mov. If you buy supersteel and are not highly proficient at sharpening, expect to pay someone a good chunk to do it. You get a XXcrXXmov, aus-8, 440c, 420hc, vg-10, etc and you will experience good quality and be able to keep an edge likely yourself even with limited experience.
 
It's important that any average Joe with a knife have an "adequate" knife steel in their blade.

Whether they know it or not, it's like changing the oil in a car, it's crucial to the performance at hand.

That said, 420hc, 440a, 1075,
even Chinese 7 and 8crXmov (really, even 5cr) properly heat treated

All make for "adequate" knife steels for the tasks of your average Joe. AND they are more user friendly in terms of toughness and sharpening, for the amateur avg. Joe.
 
Herlock said:
Hi. For me it’s not so important for my EDC use. And it’s not a matter of price only. I run an average of 50 cuts per day on various media, from different packaging materials (cardboard, plastic, EPS, etc.), to food, from various types of cordage to wood. I can’t tell the difference today when cutting with a 440C or an M390. I have different steels I carry with a weekly rotation and, for me, the “cutting” it’s just the same, if the tool is properly sharp. Maintenance and sharpening it’s a different thing, I can appreciate some differences there.

I maintain these steel discussions are just an educated and civilized pass-time, when it comes to real or supposed cutting performances of different steels for recreational use of sporting knives :). Generally, just for fun, I always compare these to the discussions of enthusiasts around wines :): I know a lot of great sommeliers in front of labelled wines, feel the liquorice after taste here, wild berries fragrance there, the marl limestone lands bite, etc. The real fun begins with blind taste… :D Different ball game for industrial cutting tools. Then it makes a lot of sense discussing cutting performances!






This is actually very true and, for me, this is the key issue. I have recently sharpened a Niolox blade and it was a pain in the … was quite difficult :). Yes, maybe it held its edge for longer time, but, for me, the “trade-off” when compared to e.g. a 440C blade isn’t that worth. I consider myself an Average Joe, a knife hobbyist and a week-end hiker. I use my knives and, for me, maintenance became something to really consider before buying this or that, both in terms of skills, time to dedicate and needed equipment. If I need a 200 EUR sharpener to sharpen a 200 EUR knife, then, for me, the knife total cost is 400 EUR. This, for me, could be a deal-breaker. Pity these infos are generally rather “hidden” behind the allure and glamour of the newest, coolest steel of the month. But of course, as a knife hobbyist, I like to try new things out in the field :). That’s part of the fun :)!
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Great analogy

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arty said:
I was never happy with 420HC, since it required too frequent sharpening, even with light use. I have a relatively soft Case penknife in "surgical steel" that A bottom line for me would depend on use, but I am OK with 440C if done well. I normally want at least the edge holding of something like VG10 or 154CM, but I really like S35V or XHP.
I wouldn't go near a blade that is low carbon steel under the carbon level of 5160 (.6%), and would reserve 1070 or 1084 carbon steels for larger blades. There are lots of knives out there that really require sharpening after every use. I have an old knife that is in 12C27, and it is on the soft side. It was a pre made blade that was handled by a knife maker. He told me to sharpen it before each use, and that was good advice. I would stay away from any knife that requires sharpening after each use. I have some old kitchen knives like this, and really prefer steels with better edge retention.
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420HC can take and hold a great edge if heat treated right. It's just not going to hold up as well as steels with higher carbide content in highly abrasive cutting.
 
I love 154CM easy to sharpen, I carried a benchmade with 440 for 12 years stayed sharp a long time to blade was just to small. I used it regularly to cut the nub left behind on wood turnings and cut plastic, paper, rope, everyday stuff and it worked great. I got a mini grip in 154cm I carry everyday use for the same purpose, at first the edge with get micro chips but after sharpening it really good it does not get micro chips at all. The 440 never got micro chips and both steels stayed sharp for the same amount of time once I got the chips out of the mini grip. I have a brand new PM2 in s30v that's I have never used its to big, I also have a ZT 0450 in s35v I sharpened it for what seems like hours it is very sharp will probably stay sharp longer than any knife I own but since it took so long to sharpen I with great passion hate it abhor it! So to me my lower grade steel 154cm and 440 is much better stays sharp long enough and sharpens up in 5 to ten mins. Life is to Short and cost to much to spend it on sharpening equipment and super steel! Now turning tools or a different story what's funny is how little a huge turning tool in super steel cost over the price of a small super steel knife. I pay 40 bucks for a turning tool maybe 50 that's made of super steel and lots of folks get a knife for 300 plus with way less steel something don't add up but hey that's just my 2 cents


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FortyTwoBlades said:
420HC can take and hold a great edge if heat treated right. It's just not going to hold up as well as steels with higher carbide content in highly abrasive cutting.
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A quick question regarding metal:

My buddy is a beginning knife maker who just got his own Forge, he's making me a dagger out of a RAILROAD TIE. Anyone know what type of metal that might be?
Tbmfish said:
I love 154CM easy to sharpen, I carried a benchmade with 440 for 12 years stayed sharp a long time to blade was just to small. I used it regularly to cut the nub left behind on wood turnings and cut plastic, paper, rope, everyday stuff and it worked great. I got a mini grip in 154cm I carry everyday use for the same purpose, at first the edge with get micro chips but after sharpening it really good it does not get micro chips at all. The 440 never got micro chips and both steels stayed sharp for the same amount of time once I got the chips out of the mini grip. I have a brand new PM2 in s30v that's I have never used its to big, I also have a ZT 0450 in s35v I sharpened it for what seems like hours it is very sharp will probably stay sharp longer than any knife I own but since it took so long to sharpen I with great passion hate it abhor it! So to me my lower grade steel 154cm and 440 is much better stays sharp long enough and sharpens up in 5 to ten mins. Life is to Short and cost to much to spend it on sharpening equipment and super steel! Now turning tools or a different story what's funny is how little a huge turning tool in super steel cost over the price of a small super steel knife. I pay 40 bucks for a turning tool maybe 50 that's made of super steel and lots of folks get a knife for 300 plus with way less steel something don't add up but hey that's just my 2 cents


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Wrenches are in and I just read about using drill bits. Hey, try it!
But not wood. :)
 
Even for heavy users (ie their very existence is defined by a functioning blade) the steel material matters little. All that matters is what they're using kinda works.
I can't tell you how many turkeys I have carved with dull knives and tees I've chopped down with dull axes before I got into this hobby. When I worked in a meat department, our knives were constantly dull because some woman kept on cutting meat on the steel counter tops.
 
CV and whatever Victorinox uses for me. I can't believe the amount of steels that are available. I have one knife in S30V that I cannot sharpen no matter the method or tool used. Simple, forgiving steels are the best.
 
Unless it's junk it is not important for the average Joe. And no, 440A, Tru-Sharp, 420HC, 4116 Krupp and friends don't count as junk!
 
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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I agree. Used on many of my Spyderco knifes of old.
 
I'm a knife nut I'm constantly giftingy brother cool ass knives. You know what I catch him carrying anytime I see him?

His beat to crap Boker AK 47 auto in aus-8.

In truth one year I got him a dmt set and a diamond rod and I swear he was more ecstatic about that gift than the Protech I got him one year ..most likely because he could bring his precious Boker back to life...lol.
 
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