Is AUS-8 OK?

[Edgesnarf]

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.

Heck yeah! My favorite work beater knife is a Cold Steel medium Voyager tanto. I have hammered that knife ; literally with a hammer on the butt of the handle as well as the blade spine. I use it for woodwork joinery chores like chopping and parring( mostly onsite where I may have forgotten a chisel).
Yeah it's good stuff. I'd say that I even really like it. Not as much as s30 v , elmax or s110v, but... you get the picture.

 

[RemyKaze]

I like it, and especially like the Rat 1 and ESEE Avispa.

Haha, man I love the Avispa. Wish I could talk more people into trying it out before the Rat. I use mine every day, on plastic, molded hard plastic, thick cardboard, straps of all kinds, zip ties. It is dropped on concrete sometimes, and at times I have to use it to cut material away from steel rods which has caused a roll in another knife of mine with S30V. It just sharpens out and keeps on kicking. The crazy thing is that, as much as I use it, I rarely have to do more than run it 5-10 passes on my Sharpmaker before it is back to shaving sharp. Don't hesitate to try it out. The super steels are awesome, but they each have their pros/cons, and I believe some of them do not belong in the workplace. AUS-8 definitely does.

 

[AntDog]

^^^for sure. AUS-8 is definitely "work proven" for me! Takes a lickin, keeps on tickin:

 

[RemyKaze]

^^^for sure. AUS-8 is definitely "work proven" for me! Takes a lickin, keeps on tickin:

Got the mini Recon clip point. That thing was a pain to strip, but the light stonewash underneath looks pretty awesome.

 

[AntDog]

Got the mini Recon clip point. That thing was a pain to strip, but the light stonewash underneath looks pretty awesome.

How'd you strip it Remy? Did you take it apart? The coating on mine is on it's last leg.... It went from beautiful when it was new, to pretty cool looking with a little use (bevels showing, a little wear on the flats), to butt ugly.... Big patches missing, scrapes all the way down. It's looking like crap.

If you want to keep the black coating looking halfway decent on your cold steel knives, don't open any canned food with it! Don't cut much cardboard either.

 

[AntDog]

See? Butt ugly.

 

[Sunyata]

It is OK. Not great not bad, just OK.

 

[RemyKaze]

See? Butt ugly.

I used multiple soaks in paint stripper, for an hour or so per soak. Reason being is that I didn't want to have to scrape or sand anything off; I wanted it to curl and peel. Teflon coating may wear easily but it is a PITA to take it off completely. And yes I did take it apart. Sanded the screw heads a bit because soaking did nothing to their coating(black oxide) stripped the lock gear and the blade; they were both coated.

 

[AntDog]

I used multiple soaks in paint stripper, for an hour or so per soak. Reason being is that I didn't want to have to scrape or sand anything off; I wanted it to curl and peel. Teflon coating may wear easily but it is a PITA to take it off completely. And yes I did take it apart. Sanded the screw heads a bit because soaking did nothing to their coating(black oxide) stripped the lock gear and the blade; they were both coated.
View attachment 462991

Wow! Looks great! You can still see the logo too. Cool. Thanks for the info pal!

 

[RemyKaze]

Wow! Looks great! You can still see the logo too. Cool. Thanks for the info pal!

No prob. Back to the topic, I think AUS-8 falls into the category of a real "user" stainless steel. Along with 154cm, VG-10, 440C(among others), it is a steel that can be sharpened on a rock if need be, but performs well enough that you don't have to spend time fighting to get an edge on it. I think it's a great outdoors steel, just like the Sandvik steels they use in Moras and Victorinox. I feel the same about the others mentioned above, however 154cm and VG-10 are a bit tougher but will hold their edge longer. Definitely in my sweet spot for steels.