How much do you care about steel?

Steel and ergonomics are equally important to me.
The steel type is important because I want a knife to hold its edge as long as possible, or to be as durable as possible, or just to make the knife as good as it can be.
 
Fit and finish comes first. Take Bökers little Ekskelibur...a 440C blade in a excellently made and visually pleasing little package.

Yet, knifesteel is still important, cause im a knife-enthusiast. That being said my no-name steeled Gerber Gator is still going strong and sees alot of use.
 
The correct heat treat of a particular steel for a specific knife is more important to me. The steel and heat treat, correct grind/edge, then the handle ergonomics, after all that, the asthetics.
I imagine I was blind, and focus on how it feels, in various grips. Time tells how well it cuts, holds an edge, and resharpens. I can sit around and look at how pretty it is some other time. If it's too pretty, it's like a new car, I don't want to scratch it.
 
Screwdriver said:
I own blades from the 1970's marked just "Stainless" that held up to years of abuse....So steel really doesn't matter a whole lot to me as long as I like the blade design and it comes from a reputable manufacturer. But I really have to laugh when a person says they will never buy a knife if it has 154CM, only if it has S30v. Like the safe will ever know the difference. ;)
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That's a good one!:D
 
PropThePolecat said:
Fit and finish comes first. Take Bökers little Ekskelibur...a 440C blade in a excellently made and visually pleasing little package.

Yet, knifesteel is still important, cause im a knife-enthusiast. That being said my no-name steeled Gerber Gator is still going strong and sees alot of use.
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Those are great! I have one and love it!:thumbup:
 
I have actually worn out several knives. Two reasons, I was in the culinary industry, and back then I was learning how to sharpen a knife. If I knew how to sharpen correctly back then, I just wonder how much longer those knives would have lasted.
In that context, I think the steel is important.
I don't like to sharpen knives, and in a kitchen, today I'd like one that's hard. Maybe L6, M4, CPMS35VN, CPM154, or some other new super steel. I'd rather sharpen once in a while, just stropping on a daily basis.
I'm not as hard on my chef knives these days either.
 
Technically, I don't "need" a new knife. So if I'm going to get one, I want it to be pretty nice, and steel is one of the main things I look for. Before, when I didn't have as many knives, it didn't matter as much.
 
As long as the knife is good enough for the price. On inexpensive (cheap) cutlery 420HC, 1.4116, 440A, AUS6, 12C27 is fine and fun to experiment/play with. More expensive steels only interest me if the price seems reasonable (it took years of over spending to get this boring).
 
I've been unimpressed by a lot of the "super steels." They are sharp, sure, but I lack the appreciation needed to drop an extra $200 on a knife based solely upon the steel used.

My favorite steel is probably L6 sawblade steel. Takes a wicked edge and stays sharp, but I know it isn't perfect.

With the notable exception of 1980s vintage Japanese knives imported from Seki City (which were probably a type of 440C) I will not buy a knife of mystery steel -- especially if it is stamped "stainless" or "surgical steel." Most of them have been crap.

I am prejudiced against 420 stainless. I've had a few go dull just from sitting in the sheath and will not buy a 420 blade. I'm also prejudiced against VG-10. I've used older Cold Steel knives made from AUS-8 then tried the new "improved" version of the same knife made from VG-10 and decided I liked the AUS-8 better. Maybe the grind was off, I dunno.

Heat treat is very important. I've seen two custom knives that had poor heat treating and the tip didn't break or bend, it sort of rolled up. Brushed it against a sharpening stone and it straightened out again. Very uncool.
 
For me, the steel is not very important at all. As long as it was heat treated properly, then anything like 420HC, 1085, or better is absolutely fine by me.

My #1 criteria for picking out a knife is its overall design -How it was built, how its mechanism(s) function, how it was designed to fit the hand, what it was designed to do, and how well it does that. Things like edge geometry and handle ergonomics really bring a knife to life.

A simple Opinel will out-cut many different pocketknife designs simply because of its blade geometry and not its steel type. Even after it "dulls" it still cuts.

It is sad to me that most super steels are applied to knives with the same grind geometry and shape. It is always a big tank of a knife with an obtuse edge bevel. Where is the fun in that!

What would make the super steels "super" to me would be extremely thin knives with extremely acute edges that are tough enough not to snap or roll under normal usage. YMMV
 
Steel is 50% of the knife for me. And in all fairness, steel is a personal choice, and everyone has their own preference for steel, which might not be the latest flavor of super steel.

I use my knives for a wide range of tasks, from food processing to opening letters and cutting down cardboard. Living in Hawaii, the weather is harsh on carbon and tool steels. I've chipped my knives cutting corn and cardboard and rolled plenty of edges as well. So I require an all-rounder that's wear resistant, corrosion resistant, and tough as well, with a preferred hardness of Rc60+. I also prefer the carbide "teeth" on my edges to be fine, so vanadium carbides are preferred in large quantities.

I've found CPM-M4 to be almost perfect aside from corrosion resistance, though M390 seems to be pretty close to being a stainless M4. Only time will tell if I like M390 or S90V better. I'm also drooling over the prospect of getting my hands on Vanax 75.
 
tyr_shadowblade said:
I'm also prejudiced against VG-10. I've used older Cold Steel knives made from AUS-8 then tried the new "improved" version of the same knife made from VG-10 and decided I liked the AUS-8 better. Maybe the grind was off, I dunno.
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They have never sold a knife using VG-10.

They switched to VG-1 from AUS-8, and tried to market it as an improvement as opposed to the cost cutting measure it was.
 
Construction/structural design above all else.

Then:
Ergonomics
Handle material
Blade steel
Aesthetics
 
hatidua said:
Country of origin is more important to me than type of steel. I won't own a knife from China or Taiwan, regardless of the steel or the name of the maker.
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But you will use a computer made in Taiwan and China (like the one you used to type your post)?

I've never understood this, just like people who demand certain steels when they will only be doing basic chores with their knives.

For me, I prefer basic tool steels that are well-made and properly heat treated. Easier to keep sharp & touch up.
 
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anthony cheeseboro said:
How much do you care about steel?

My point is that assuming a steel is decent, is general fit and finish more important when choosing a knife than blade steel for most people?
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I care a lot. But not in the way that most people do.
I want a knife to hold an edge for a days worth of work at least. And I prefer if I can sharpen it in a reasonable amount of time. Also I don't want to pay a huge amount for it.

I've have owned many many knives. And the things that I use knives for tend to chip the edges of "premium" or "super" steels.
For example, I once carried a Spyderco folder with a very nice S30V blade. I TRIED to use it to cut a garlock gasket. The edge was ruined almost immediately, I had to finish the job with my lowly Swiss Army knife. On the other end of things, I have experienced mystery steel that would not hold an edge long enough for me to sharpen a pencil hardly (shame on you gerber)
I have paired down my collection considerably lately and only kept the knives that I really enjoyed using. Oddly enough they are almost all AUS8 and 8cr13m0v. I do have a couple in 440c one in s60v, one in D2 and one in 154cm as well.
Remember, YMMV
 
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Gator97 said:
I care enough to create database :)
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And that is pretty much my reference point most of the time to compare steels. Thanks for that. I care about steel, but dont care for the amount of debate surrounding it.

D2 a WW2 steel is still fine in my books as is a good old SAK. They get the job done, but the search for the "perfect steel" will always continue and the debate will be there (and it makes for some good reading sometimes!). I am happy with what is already available, but would still experiment if I am in the mood. If it comes form a respectful and established company/maker I will trust their judgment in the steel used for the said design of the knife.
 
Noctis3880 said:
Really? I use my Para2 in S90V and carbon fiber as a dedicated cardboard cutter:cool:.
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Well, to be fair, I've seen supersteel knives that have been "used" for years that look like they've never even been out of the package, because the owners are too afraid to really use them and mess them up.

If your knife is so expensive that you're afraid to use it, then it isn't really doing anyone any good besides the guy whole sold you a $200 paperweight.



I'm not an expensive knife hater, or a super steel hater, but if more people were able to bring themselves to not have to keep the latest greatest in their pocket at all times, then more people might actually use their knives.




Disclaimer: To those that are already planning an indignant reply after reading the above, this post is meant only as a broad generality. There are exceptions to any rule. I accept the fact that you have an expensive knife and are willing to cut fiberglass fabric with it, and use it to pry paint cans open.
 
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