Is AUS-8 OK?

It's fine for a user steel as long as it is really AUS-8. :)

Cold Steel has likely the best reputation using AUS-8.
 
Nothing wrong with AUS-8 so long as the knife you're buying is from a reputable company. I have an Ontario RAT 1 and Utilitac 2, and they're both great. And as mentioned above, the AUS-8 that Cold Steel use is very good stuff. I have a Code 4 and it's one of my sharpest knives. AUS-8, depending on the treatment, can be a very good user steel. In my limited experience with it with folders from Ontario and Cold Steel, I can tell you that it takes a very sharp edge, holds it for a decent amount of time (not as well as many of the 'super' steels out there), and it's very, very easy to sharpen. For $30, that RAT 1 is a fantastic value, and a nice introduction to this steel.
 
I like it a lot, sharpens easily and will take a wicked edge. With the right heat treating from a good manufacturer, it can handle pretty much most things you'd want it to.

Never had something I wanted to cut/chop say "you can do it, you're only AUS8".............
 
Yes it is a good "user steel". What other kind of steel is there? "Only admire, or it will disintegrate"?
 
A significant percentage of my knife collection is made of AUS-8. In my experience, it sharpens very easily, and takes a good keen edge, though it does dull with use a bit quicker than more expensive stainless steels. One of the quirks of this alloy is that it tends to rust pretty easily if it's bead blasted, but holds up just fine if it's given a satin or polished finish. The performance of this steel really depends a lot on the heat treatment it receives. Some companies do a good job with it, some don't. The best variant I've dealt with is the japanese AUS-8A that cold steel uses.

I suppose that whether it's a "good" steel or not depends upon how finicky you are as a user. It all comes down to whether or not you're good at sharpening and willing to invest a bit of time once in a while into maintaining your knives. Some people prefer a steel that will hold a razor sharp edge for months on end. I personally think that's bordering on unreasonable, and certainly don't think a 30% increase in edge holding capability justifies a 300% increase in price. But hey, if you don't care about money and just want a super high quality tool, then by all means go out and get something that uses one of the super-steels.
 
AntDog said:
Yes it is a good "user steel". What other kind of steel is there? "Only admire, or it will disintegrate"?
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The kind that we can only expect from awesomeness such as great lateral strength knives. Not only do they have great lateral strength, they probably have whatever is more awesome than our lowly user steels.
 
My personal favorite stainless. Cant beat combo of reasonable price/edge holding/ease of sharpening.
 
marcinek said:
My personal favorite stainless. Cant beat combo of reasonable price/edge holding/ease of sharpening.
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Pretty much yep, been using it for more than 20 years myself and it's always worked fine. :thumbup:
 
Ankerson said:
Pretty much yep, been using it for more than 20 years myself and it's always worked fine. :thumbup:
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A very fine knife steel.

It's far superior to the low grade stainless steels.

But It does not offer the toughness and edge retention of some of the newer stainless steels.



Big Mike
 
Ontario Knife Company does a great job with their AUS8.

It gets screaming sharp with minimal effort, holds that edge for a decent amount of time, and knives using this steel are generally pretty affordable.

What more could you ask for?
 
Good steel with an undeserved bad rap. Probably a lot of the people who talk crap never bought their first Spyderco with an AUS8 blade like I can remember doing. Don't quote me on this but I think the A after the 8 stands for Austenitic.
 
A lot of my knives are AUS 8. Just make sure to buy from a reputable company.

I, too, have heard the Cold Steel AUS 8 is very good. Also that "Japanese" AUS 8 is considered very good.

AUS 8 is about the 'lowest' I go on the steel scale for folders but I consider it a good steel and not a deal-breaker if I like the knife. I have yet to have a corrosion problem with it but I wipe down my knives now and then.
 
Excellent steel IMHO, based on my CS Voyagers. It has a bit of vanadium which adds to its edge-holding qualities. Tough, very stain resistant, relatively easy to sharpen, takes a very fine edge. There was a review on this forum a few years back from a guy who used his CS Master Hunter in AUS8 to skin out several big game animals without needing to resharpen. In real life it would be difficult to tell any difference between AUS 8 and VG-10, for instance.
 
I only have one AUS-8 knife, a SOG Tech Bowie. It's a decent, inexpensive stainless steel, but it does lose its edge relatively quickly. Like most other things, you get what you pay for.
 
My pimped Boker Kwaiken is in AUS8, and as the gentlemen above have already mentioned, it will get screaming sharp with only a modest effort. It won't have the edge retention of El Max, much less A-11, but it is quite a useful steel.
 
AUS-8 is not considered premium steel anymore (if it ever was). I have no problem buying, owning, and depending on a knife made with the steel. It sharpens up pretty easily and certainly doesn't hold an edge as long as some of the current premium steels. I have Cold Steel and SOG knives in AUS-8 and have no complaints.
 
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