Knife Steel equals Price, uniqueness, marketing diferentation?

[Niagara]

I hope my search didn't miss a similar post. I am wondering what exactly the value of knife steel is above corrosion resistance?

I must be honest, I have pocket utility knives, fondling friends, safe Queens and brutal users.

Pocket knives cut boxes and plastic ties, maybe a bit more but not much. Fondling friends are more expensive demi users, are opened again and again and played with ( example Acies, Sebenza, etc ) as well as ride in my pocket and don't do much at all, as I also have a pocket knife at all times to do utility work. OK they cut paper. Like I need ZDP 189 steel for that.

Safe Queens are collector knives and barely get open, never used or sharpened. I have knives i have never , will never cut with so who knows, example M4 Mili

My brutal users are camp knives, survival knives and generally tool steel not stainless at all ( ESEE stainless 6, come to me!)that come on hiking and kayak trips with me for woodcraft, cooking etc.


My question is what percentage of knife steel gets used hard? Hard enough to care if its anything more then 440c type of steel which has worked well for me for decades and lasted on my utility knives. Do we use all our $150+ knives enough to care how hard or sharp they can be?

Is the super steel trend a result of need or hype to drive up /stabilize value in higher end knives. A lot of talk argument and debate is issues here about RH and heat treating and stuff gets talked about yet I am not sure many of of us as a percentage cut 500 yards of carpet daily, or use a $150 + knife to do anything that could actually break it.

If I was in a labor job that needed a knife for work I would a) have my company pay for it and b) gives 2 craps if it broke. c) claim a new knife edge was better from my $1.99 excato knife with break off new edge then having to resharpen a knife daily.

So what is your opinion, is this steel thing just marketing hype that makes us want another of the same knife in a different steel, pay more because its the latest and greatest, I have to have one of each of these steels.?

 

[Tsujigiri]

No, going longer in between sharpenings is something that everyone can appreciate. Also, keep in mind that a lot of the really high end knives, like the Sebenza, don't have supersteels at all. I'd consider supersteels to be more of a function enhancement than a luxury.

 

[Neo]

Of course the super steels are not really needed.
We can do without.
But is it not more than logic that someone with a passion for knives keeps searching for better knives and better steel.

The European knife market is very different than the one in the usa.
Less focus on high end man-made materials and tactical knives.
More focus on traditional knives and exotic natural materials.
Steel is mostly 440, 12c27, some 1085'isch carbon steel ...
Hardness is considerably lower than in the USA, 55-56 rc
People seem to prefer to sharpen more often but with more ease
This seems to make the point you are referring to

The last years the European market seems to be going to the higher end stuff, but this is still a small part of the market.
The very strict laws on knife carry prevents people to give more attention to knives ( and thus the marketing )

This said, European custom knifemakers do use a lot of very high end steels, even more than American custom knifemakers.
The reason imho is, because of the strict knife laws, only a small percentage of the population is into knives and is willing to buy them from custom makers with the latest materials. There are plenty high end steels in Europe easily available for them.

It seems a contradiction

 

[Niagara]

Neo, Belgium is a beautiful country you live in!

Thanks for the insights from Europe, in my business i know that Europe is indeed different then North America. I appreciate your insights to my query!

 

[Niagara]

No, going longer in between sharpenings is something that everyone can appreciate. Also, keep in mind that a lot of the really high end knives, like the Sebenza, don't have supersteels at all. I'd consider supersteels to be more of a function enhancement than a luxury.

So CPM s30V is not considered a super steel? Interesting that certain premium knife makers don't get caught up into steel like CRK . Protech, which I love seems to only use 154 CM

 

[Poez]

I did not know there was such a thing as European knife market. The legislations and the national traditions are so different that there is hardly anything in common - like Spain, UK, France, Germany, Sweden and Finland - just nothing european there, all very traditional and national...
But that is obviously completely beside the point.
The questiond about supersteel in knife is in fact very interesting and deeper than it seems. I believe that it is a drive from manufacturers - they are competing in creating some perfect knife... That is product-focused approach to business. Instead of marketing approach - which would be dictated by the best and the most efficient satisfaction of the consumer need, manufacturers go into a race for the best product, ignoring the actual consumer needs. It could be quite dangerous. It may work with product enthusiasts and collectors, but by the end of the day some of the industry leaders may just loose the touch and find themselves in a very big trouble. Will have a perfect product nobody buys.

 

[knarfeng]

I hope my search didn't miss a similar post. I am wondering what exactly the value of knife steel is above corrosion resistance?...
...

I tend to agree with some of your observations, though not the tone of your post. I consider that any number of alloys work plenty well for most of my EDC tasks.

That being said, I also like to try different alloys just to see how they perform in edge retention. A sort of niche corner to the hobby, if you will. I have been known to buy a knife, just so I could try that particular alloy. I do my own edge retention testing cutting manila rope.

But it is not up to anyone else to judge what I choose to carry. If someone chooses to carry an uber steel knife for EDC, more power to him. You and I don't, and that's OK as well.

 

[foxx]

Only recently did I get my first "super steel" knives. Bark River made a small amount of the Highland Special, in CPMS35VN, and .190" thick. The handles are about 1/4" longer than usual. They also made a TUSK version.
I could not help myself, I wanted both knives anyway, I was looking at the last ones in each model. Yes they were a bit more expensive than the A2 models. They are also thicker stock, and with the longer handle, I was sold before I read some awesome reviews.
Too soon for me to write much of a review, but seems to be tough steel.
Do I need them, NO. Was I curious about the steel, YES. Do I want to relace all my high carbon users, NO.

 

[Tsujigiri]

So CPM s30V is not considered a super steel? Interesting that certain premium knife makers don't get caught up into steel like CRK . Protech, which I love seems to only use 154 CM

Some people might consider it a super steel, but right now I think it's been easily superceded (although by more expensive alternatives). S30V does everything ok, but steels like CPM-M4, H1, ZDP-189, ELMAX, CTS-20CP, CPM-S90V, and M390 do many if not all things better. CRK makes a super solid knife, which is why people are willing to pay for them. But if you just want a good steel, the larger manufacturers are at the forefront. For that reason, I'd consider steel to be a functional advancement rather than a luxury feature, like the fit and finish of CRK's knives.