Knife Steels Historical > Current

22-rimfire

22-rimfire

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Nov 20, 2005
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Folks here mention steels frequently obviously since it's a knife forum and then sometimes mention that it appeared in the 1990's or whatever..... I wonder and think... heck, I only became familiar with that steel a couple years ago.... example Bohler M390.

So, please assemble a list of steels when first used on knives and when they became more commonly used and available. Appreciate any input. It might be really interesting.
 
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Very interesting topic idea. I'll be interested to follow this.

I imagine that the more modern steels will be easier to trace to development at specific foundries at specific time periods. simple carbon steels like 1095, 1075, etc... probably lost to time, and also who the heck could ever know. Who knows which blacksmith in a Podunk town added a little more carbon to one steel or whatever, and unknowingly came up with the recipe for what we now call 1055... Heck, maybe the recipe for that was developed and lost and developed and lost numerous time before someone actually established that recipe and attached it to the name that we know today.
 
How far back are we starting this, the Bronze age, the Iron age, the Silk Road?

The first pocket knives emerged near the end of the Iron Age about 3000 years ago, or so I believe.
 
I think 1900 would be a good starting point.... unless someone is really interested in the Bronze age. ;)
 
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The first time I ever heard of 52100 being used for knifemaking was in the late '80s early 90's when Ed Fowler was using ball bearings to make his blades. The video he made "from bearing to blade" is what really cemented my interest in custom made forged knives!
 
Shear Steel - 19th century mainly.

Cast Steel - 1800 - 1920's mostly.

I believe #300 and #400 series steel dates to the 1910-1920's, but didn't see much use in sporting cutlery till the 1950's when tempering, etc.... was figured out.

18/8 Stainless was first used in the mid 1920's.

CV Steel - 1930's - 1960's was it's biggest heyday in cutlery. Still used somewhat now.

ATS-34/154cm - 1970's onward.
 
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