How "inferior" is AUS6M?

D

Deon

Joined
Oct 5, 1998
Messages
257
I am wondering how "inferior" is AUS6M compared to the so called "super" knife steels? Is AUS6M still, objectively seen, an acceptable steel to use on a knife or is really so inferior that it is not worth it to buy a knife with a AUS6M blade.

Does anyone know if it is eg. for edge retention just 50% the steel ATS 34 is or is it better or worse than that.

It is so easy these days to say it is no good although it could still be a reasonably good steel depending on the intended use. If for example I buy a AUS6M bladed knife purely for defensive purposes as a carry knife (not trainer or utility) would it be good enough? - I think it would, If for eg I carry a secondary folder for utility use with "better" steel.

 
I have never had a knife with that steel. What knives uses AUS6M?

As far as self defense, as long as the blade is sharp and has a decent length on it, why not? Heck, a sharp pencil can do the same damage to a person if stuck in the right areas of the body!

Mark
 
I have had an old Spyderco delica with AUS6 steel. Its best attribute is its rust resistance. It is noticeably less able to hold an edge when compared to the ATS steels. If the knife you are considering will be subject to much water exposure, it may be worth purchasing. Otherwise, I would suggest a more edge retentative steel.
 
I believe AUS6 and AUS8 are a different makers brand names for steels with properties very similar to 420 and 440. The folks on the makers forum should be able to give you a better answer.
 
I was under the impression that AUS6 was basically the same as 440A, AUS8 was similar to 440B and AUS10 was similar to 440C. If that is infact the case, then AUS6 is a good steel for low end knives and better yet for larger knives due to more ductility and toughness than some harder steels. Edge holding while not as good as ATS, CPM's should be good enough for most purposes.
 
These aren't CPM steels are they? You must have meant AUS steels.

-AR

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- AKTI Member ID# A000322

[This message has been edited by Jackyl (edited 04-19-2000).]
 
I have no experience with this steel. I would think it is pretty low on the totem pole though. Columbia River uses it on their new KFF. I will probably buy one, but wish they would have used at least aus-8. If I get one I will post about its performance.

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Dennis Bible
 
It's conceivable that AUS6A and AUS8A are similar to 440A and 440C respectively, except that the 440 steels do not have nickel and vanadium but have higher levels of Molybdenum. 420 appears to have too little carbon to be a contender. This much I gleaned from the AGRussell steel site (http://www.agrussell.com/steel/index.html)
 
You can find a fair amount of discussion regarding the relative merits of AUS-6 if you search the Spyderco Forum Archive.

I would put it to you this way: if you've ever used a Ladybug, or an SS Delica/Endura II, and thought that this was a pretty good knife for the money, then AUS-6 is okay; if you've used one of these knives and thought that it didn't hold an edge worth s**t, then it's a lousy blade steel for your purposes.

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Dave

Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of More Knives
 
I have a CS Mini Tac neck knife in AUS 6. I got it for it's rust resistance, and it cuts good enough for me. Holds an edge long enough for the jobs it was intended to perform, takes an edge that shaves hair, and was really inexpensive.

That seems like a good set of characteristics in a steel. Inferior? I don't think I would classify it as that.
 
The CRKT Kiss is in Aus 6 steel - I've had one over a year now and beat up on it for all
kinds of things - and the others are right it's not ATS 34 or ATS 55 BUT THERE IS A DEFINITE PLACE FOR IT. It makes a decent less expensive knife that you can depend on - holds an edge fairly well and is fairly easy to sharpen. - IMO don't overlook it.

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Don't wrestle with the hogs - they enjoy it and you get dirty !
Jonesy
 
I have a CRKT Patton in AUS6 or 8...forgot which one. But edge retention isn't that great. But it gets pretty sharp though and it's cheap. Inferior is a relative term, what are you comparing it to?
 
I just bought a CRKT Urban Shark with AUS 6 but I haven't used it very hard so I can't comment on edge retention. I can say, however, that it does take a hair shaving sharp edge.
 
AUS-6 is a Japanese cutlery steel. It has about .6% carbon like 440A or Sandvik 12C27. It has vanadium in the alloy and takes a very sharp edge. It can be hardened to about 56 rockwell. For comparison 420J2 is likelier to be 54 RC, AUS-8 around 58 RC, 440C around 59, and ATS-34 around 60.

So AUS-6 is a step up from your cheapo 420 knives in both hardness and sharpness, but it is bottom end of the better knives. I would go for AUS-8 as a minimum personally, it is harder and takes a true razor edge.
 
Tom: ralph
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Everybody is perfectly right.
AUS-6 (aka 440-A) is used for "larger" knives where "some" flexibility is required and rust resistance is more important than mere edge holding. It is NOT inferior for such a use. (Large stainless SOG, e.g.)
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D.T. UTZINGER
 
Jackyl, I meant "while not as good as ATS, and CPM's, it is still a good steel". No they are not CPM steels, hehe. Sorry for the confusion.
 
Jackyl, I meant "while not as good as ATS, and CPM's, it is still a good steel". No they are not CPM steels, hehe. Sorry for the confusion.
 
Hehehe...no problem man.
wink.gif
I just wanted to know, if I was missin' out on somethin'.
wink.gif


-AR

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- AKTI Member ID# A000322
 
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