Review I'm Sorry but A2 Steel is overrated.

Is A2 Steel Overrated?

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It's all relative to expectations, but I would bet the profit margins are much higher on knives made of tool steel.
 
Jordan@DLT said:
Personally I'd let the A2 build up a patina as a bit of protection from corrosion, I've used A2 fairly extensively in the kitchen and for camp duties and with some patina it does just fine. Even some light corrosion is no harm, very easy to take care of.
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Alright...hopefully it holds up. The rust on the blade was very minimal, which is good. The majority of it showed up along the handle.
 
I voted no, not overrated. I did so because A2 creates a nice combination of toughness and edge retention. My favorite steel is probably 52100 if the HT is done right, for a bigger knife at least. For folders and smaller (4" and under) fixed blades, I like stainless.

My problem with stainless isn't necessarily that I don't like it, it's just that it often doesn't have toughness and good edge retention in a single package. It seems that you really only get 2 of the 3, edge retention, corrosion resistance, and toughness, in a general sense. One that has all 3 is a balance and rarely excels in all of them. I've found that if I keep using a non-stainless blade then it's unlikely to rust. It seems like they rust when they sit. Obviously, it's a time thing but I think you get the point, oil it before you let it set.

Not sure where the "knives from tool steel are usually $100" comes from. That's quite untrue and leaves out far too many variables, like build quality and especially the special sauce that goes into the handle. I think it's easier to find a decent stainless knife under $100 than a tool steel simply because of the higher availability. I think a lot of places using tool steel do well enough on the rest of the knife to necessitate higher prices, like a very nice handle.

Using bark river as a litmus test is also interesting as they are one of those that charge a premium because of their materials in the handle and good design. I suppose they probably have some of the premium in the name and reputation as well.

I do appreciate your opinion but I don't think A2 is overrated but could be more enticed by a discussion if bark river is overrated. However, I've never owned one as their costs are high and there are very good knives available with similar materials and designs for less money. LT Wright being one of them. Even some busse models are less expensive (complete different tastes though).

And really, saying the A2 rusts too fast for the price pretty much attacks all non-stainless steel including A2, CPM-M4, 52100, O1, W2, S7 and so on. This is not an inclusive list.
 
Good points. I did opt for a more "exotic" handle material, which I knew would boost the cost. I created the video, because there is a lot out there about A2 and other tool steels talking about how they won't rust as long as you care for them. I bought the knife with those expectations, and was disappointed when the blade rusted in less than 5 hours or so. In the video, I also point out that the handle cracked on me near the lanyard hole. All of this occurred after processing one deer, so it's not like the knife saw prolonged hard usage. The A2 did remain sharp throughout the process, so that's a plus. I have a Bravo1 in S35VN, and I'm very pleased with it.
 
bikerector said:
And really, saying the A2 rusts too fast for the price pretty much attacks all non-stainless steel including A2, CPM-M4, 52100, O1, W2, S7 and so on. This is not an inclusive list.
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I think yes it's overrated. But not because it's in any way bad. I just like a couple of those other steels better, and they don't get as much love of late.
 
JPricey82 said:
8 Billion viewers per month would suggest that's not the case.
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That’s fallacious reasoning, but never mind. I think you will find that many here, myself included, have between little to no interest in the vast majority of knife videos on YouTube. Merely making a home video and uploading it does not confer any special expertise on the person in question. This forum tends to thrive on the written word, and as far as I can see you have posted five different videos from your channel today, in five separate threads, with little written explanation. Many people here will not bother watching, but you are free to do as you wish.
 
Fmont said:
I think yes it's overrated. But not because it's in any way bad. I just like a couple of those other steels better, and they don't get as much love of late.
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I'm a bit of a late comer to A2 as I've only used it a lot the last year. I've been a huge fan of D2 and CPM-M4 prior but I've really started getting on with A2 and 52100 as I've got into bigger knives and the ease of carry compared to axes or longer machetes. I do still like a good machete or axe if the adventure calls for them.

I would really like to see CPM-M4 in more fixed blades; it's treated me well in a 5" custom camp knife for the past 2 years.
 
YouTube reviews are often too long. I can read faster than any reviewer can drone :)

You can not judge a steel's performance by a Bark River knife since they have been caught selling knives made from a different steel than was claimed.

A2 steel is a good useful steel if you don't want a pretty, shiny blade. However with regular care, the use of Flitz, and oil or wax for storage, you can can keep an A2 shiny a lot of the time :) I've had one for 20 years and can't remember when it was last sharpened, but it regularly opens mail. It's a convex chisel grind. I use Ren Wax on it every so often and store it in its sheath.
 
If you complain about rust on A2... Maybe you shouldn't be reviewing knives. Seems like you don't know too much about different types of metals and there properties.

Also bark river are known for rusting steel, even if they label it a stainless. Well documented here on bladeforums.

It was funny when I hear people call maxamet a bad steel because it rusts or etc. Why did they buy it in the first place, it's known for that.

In any case, maybe you can do a review about how there support is when you do the warranty for the cracked handle and the 5 hour rust accumulation.
 
JPricey82 said:
I knew it would rust over time if it wasn't cared for. But I was ready to oil it 5 hours after the first use, and the tang was already ravaged. Perhaps it does excel in other areas, but I don't like it for a hunting knife. Maybe it would do better with a Kydex sheath? I feel like leather really traps moisture around the knife.
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You waited 5 hours on carbon steel and blame the steel? Literally blaming the victim. It is listed as 5% chrome, which means you don't absolutely need to clean and dry immediately, but 5 hours is user error.
It's great that you prioritize rust resistance, but that is only one quality of a steel. You never set that as a criteria and given that there are all sorts of users and experience levels it isn't reasonable to expect that the knife world at large shares the same values.
There is plenty of steels that have extreme rust resistance that I wouldn't want for a knife.
Keenness of edge, ability to sharpen, durability, and wear resistance are also qualities I look for. The balance I want depends on use.
 
This has been an informative thread. Knife review videos are typically aimed towards people who are new to a particular steel or manufacturer as opposed to an "expert". I was highly aware that A2 would rust, I just didn't know how fast it would set in. I focused on that trait in the video, because I don't want others to have to learn about it the hard way. I think tool steels have their place, but it wasn't suitable for me as a hunting knife. It takes a fair amount of time to get back to camp after field dressing an animal, and it's not practical to carry around a can of oil and a cloth while I'm in the woods with a bunch of other gear.
 
JPricey82 said:
This has been an informative thread. Knife review videos are typically aimed towards people who are new to a particular steel or manufacturer as opposed to an "expert". I was highly aware that A2 would rust, I just didn't know how fast it would set in. I focused on that trait in the video, because I don't want others to have to learn about it the hard way. I think tool steels have their place, but it wasn't suitable for me as a hunting knife. It takes a fair amount of time to get back to camp after field dressing an animal, and it's not practical to carry around a can of oil and a cloth while I'm in the woods with a bunch of other gear.
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I think the difference in opinion is arising because you seem to see any corrosion as an avoid at all costs issue, while people more used to tool steels don't mind staining or surface level corrosion, especially since it won't be an issue once it takes a patina.
 
JPricey82 said:
I'm a fan of Bark River in general, but this stuff rusts too fast for the price.

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The problem is you're a novice in the hobby of knives. You don't know your bum from a hole in the ground.

I think reviewers who don't know squat are useless honestly. Perhaps spending time educating yourself in the topic you'd like to be taken seriously in would be a better idea?

A2 steel isn't over rated, it's a compromise between attributes just like every other alloy used in knives. Its attributes are quite suitable for knives and once you understand the limitations of the alloys, you'll see A2 isn't over rated at all.

If high corrosion resistance is what you want from a knife you chose the wrong steel. That's not a fault of A2. That's your lack of knowledge.

I've been using knives and hawks with A2 for years and am here to tell you, it's not over rated.
 
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My previous post may come off harsh but I don't intend to insult you personally. I'm being honest. You should learn more about knives and steels before doing reviews..

YouTube is filled with "reviewers" who aren't really knife guys. Stand out by being educated on knives and experienced! Sure it will take some years to build up experience but, damn, it's better than not knowing what you are talking about..
 
If you judge by looks marry the prettiest girl in the class,if by all around traits marry the one with the most class.
Same with blades, some look better, some hold an edge better, some resist corrosion better etc.
A2 is a good all around performer, send me all the A2 knives you don't like, I will give them a good home;)
 
JPricey82 said:
Alright...hopefully it holds up. The rust on the blade was very minimal, which is good. The majority of it showed up along the handle.
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Can you take the handles off the knife to clean any rust underneath?

I recommend you watch a few youtube videos of how fo force a patina. If possible to get the handles off patina the whole knife so that way you have rust resistance all over. (Under handle rust is particularly dangerous since it can spread without being seen)

If you don’t want to patina the knife there are other options than mineral oil. Try froglube or tuffglide. Just make sure the knife is completely clean of oil from your hands and moisture before you apply a layer of these. Otherwise it can trap the moisture between the coating and the steel and actually cause rust that way.
 
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