Is AUS-8 OK?

I like AUS-8 as well. All of the AUS-X steels are produced in Japan, and all of them correspond closely with the US 440 series. AUS-6 is like 440A, AUS- 8 is somewhere between 440B and 440C, and AUS-10 is like 440C or a little better. At least thats what I *think* the general consensus is, anyway.

Im not sure anymore what the A stands for in AUS-8A, but I knew at one time, so the answer is out there somewhere. Like the posters above, me AUS-8 has served me well. I think part of the reason it gets a bad reputation is because Cold Steel uses it in a lot of their knives, and a lot of those have sheaths that dull edges very quickly. Thus, AUS-8 is thought to have bad edge retention. But dont believe it. Ive gotten some pretty decent edge retention from AUS-8, even on the SRK I own, provided that Im careful to avoid letting the edge contact the inside of the sheath. And like others have said, it takes a crazy sharp edge very easily. Good stuff:thumbup:
 
The way I see it, if the AUS-8 steel didn't have some measure of quality to it, it wouldn't see widespread use among a number of different knife makes with reputable names.
 
I really like aus-8, some of my favorite folders use it like my RAT 2. It's a perfectly useable steel, holds an edge longer than my victorinox and is easy to sharpen.
I have no probelms bying any knife in this steel, but I am not really a high end steel guy, I have owned knives in SGPS, SG2, 154cm, s30v, cpm440v, vg-10, D2, and some others I can't recall. I would just as soon have aus-8, vg-10, or D2 over any of the other steels listed above except for carbon steels which is a whole nother ball game.
 
TheJeepster said:
I noticed a AUS-8A is it a misprint or does the A on the end add something to it.
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That A at the end stands for "annealed", for the batches which are delivered annealed. It took me few months to figure that out when I was working on the first version of the knife steel chart. Back then a lot of sources stated they were two different alloys, which was incorrect.
P.S. Info came form Aichi rep.
 
I have had several Cold Steel knives and a few Sog knives in it that work quite well for my needs.

The trick to it is to touch it up before it goes completely dull. I also find that stropping it on plain leather gives it a great "toothy" edge.

I don't see the point it taking it up to a super high grit or mirror polish though.
 
Yeah Cold Steel's AUS-8A is no different than knives marked AUS-8 because the A just means "annealed" which the final blade certainly isn't! But they keep the A on there from a marketing perspective because most people don't know what the A stands for and it makes their steel seem like it's a different grade.

It's a very decent steel. I like to call it the 1095 of stainless. Nothing too fancy, but if well executed it can make some mighty nice knives. Reasonable toughness, edge retention, and ease of sharpening, though (as mentioned) it doesn't hold an edge as well as some of the higher-end stainless steels and has the tendency to develop light surface staining if bead blasted.
 
I'll jump on the band waggon and say that it is just fine in my uses. I have only used it by Cold steel, and they do it well.
 
It's a 'good' steel. I wouldn't go out of my way to use AUS-8, but if I really liked a design AUS-8 wouldn't stop me from buying it.
It does sharpen easy, it's durable, and it's very stain and rust resistant. But it doesn't hold a razor edge for long.

If the same knife were available in AUS-8 and AUS-10, I'd pick the AUS-10. Or D2, or ATS-34, or...
 
I have an Al Mar Eagle Lightweight in AUS-8. Al Mar does an excellant job with Aus-8. As posted above, gets very sharp quick and I find it holds an edge for a more than acceptable time period.
 
It's much more durable than most give it credit for. While the edge retention is not as good, I've done things with an AUS8 blade that has chipped S30V. It doesn't roll in my experience, it just goes dull and is considerably easy to get back to shaving Sharp even then.

Full disclosure I have chipped and bent the blade on my Utilitac II, but that was intentional torture. The chip I couldn't even see with my eye, and the blade is back to being a straight razor. After my torturing, I have full confidence in it.
 
AUS-8 has served me well. Pretty much echoing the above posts...easy to sharpen and holds an edge well, much better than AUS-6 in my experience.
 
Yes, easy to sharpen, takes a razor edge, holds the edge well enough, and it doesn't cost an arm and a leg.

Basically all you need in a mid range knife.

Because it's reasonably priced Cold Steel can sell you a 5.5" blade of it for around $50. If it were XHP that would probably be around $150 (estimate based on comparing the $40 AUS8 Recon 1 to the $120 XHP Recon 1).
 
Im not a fan of this steel.
Get a decent edge quickly and wears the edge as fast.

Probably it's just my experience with some knife I had.
 
20 plus years ago, AUS 8 was considered one of the two best steels to have in a blade. the other was 440C. Then came 154cm, S30V, S35V, and other the other super steels that have been developed in the last 10 years, but the biggest development in the last 10 years is the evaluation of the "Steel Snob" All of these whiny punk ass kids that will tell you that if it is not one of the latest, greatest steels. then it's a junk steel. I just can't figure out how man survived for over 1000 years with inferior steels. :)
 
I had an A.G. Russell featherweight one hand knife in AUS-8. It took a shockingly sharp edge and held it very well. That was a great little carry knife.
 
bjh_deals said:
20 plus years ago, AUS 8 was considered one of the two best steels to have in a blade. the other was 440C. Then came 154cm, S30V, S35V, and other the other super steels that have been developed in the last 10 years, but the biggest development in the last 10 years is the evaluation of the "Steel Snob" All of these whiny punk ass kids that will tell you that if it is not one of the latest, greatest steels. then it's a junk steel. I just can't figure out how man survived for over 1000 years with inferior steels. :)
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Most of those so called new steels have been around longer than 10 years, a lot longer.... ;)

Just used in other parts of the steel industry and by some custom makers....
 
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