List your favorite steels

Macchina

Macchina

Joined
Apr 7, 2006
Messages
5,215
Here are the steels I've used, in my favorite order:

1. D2
2. VG-10
3. S30V
4. Swedish Sandvik 12 C 27 (Mora knives)
5. N690
6. 440C (Benchmade heat treat only)
7. 420HC (Buck knives heat treat only)
8. Swiss army knife steel

What are your favorite steels?
 
My favorite is AEB-L/13C26 for the type of knives I use, the tasks that that I do regularly, and the ease of maintenance that it provides. S30V for steels requiring high wear, and CPM-M4 for knives that would require high toughness along with it, but like I said, for me, AEB-L is my favorite.
 
For day to day use, Sandvic 13c26 and AUS 6 & 8. For high wear, CPM S30V and ZDP-189 (although I don't really know how 189 is going to be in the long run. * seems to be good at resisting rust) oh yea, forgot the very important VG-10 (love this stuff!) and N690
 
I no particular order, depends on the use I'll give to knife:
S30V, AUS8, ATS34, D2. I'm testing 154cm now and like to try M2.
 
In order ZDP 189,tied with BG42, M2, D2, Blue super steel, Gold steel laminate, 1095, 52100, 5160. VG10 is here for it's excellent edge, sharpenability, etc.

AUS 8A for cheap but decent folders, 10A for it's decent performance and excellent look when polished well.

S30V isn't on the list due to it having chipped out on me opening a thin plastic bag of dog treats. Other than that it would be a great steel. 440V/S60V was on there but has been surpassed. ATS 34 has been surpassed in some ways but can still make decent knives, as can 154 cm.

I'm beginning to think the super high vanadium steels aren't the only way of making the steels I like. I'll withold judgement on CPM 154cm untill more is known, but it is still not a competitor to the better steels according to Catra tests that I've seen, though higher ( slightly) hardness and a finer grain is welcome. I hope, and believe that Crucible will come up with something for us like a ZDP. In the mean time I'd like the best companies like spyderco to begin trying and offering folders in M4, and some others. S90, 10V, 15V are all good for what they are used for but they are rare, and not exactly what we are looking for in small, acute edged, super hard yet not brittle bladed folders. I'd love to have a 15V hunter though. I'd also like to try one of Faihrids ( sp?) folders in T-1. Don't laugh, think about it.

Oh yeah. BRING BACK VASCOWEAR! Joe L.
 
BG42

I've never had a bad knife with this steel. I sold my S30V knives before using them, on the strength of the chipping rhetoric. I have knives with other steels but have proven BG42 to be a great steel in my working knives.
 
The Mastiff said:
I'll withold judgement on CPM 154cm untill more is known, but it is still not a competitor to the better steels according to Catra tests that I've seen, though higher ( slightly) hardness and a finer grain is welcome.
Click to expand...

A P/M version of 154CM has existed for a long time as RWL34 by Damasteel. There is a lot of information available available already on RWL34 vs ATS-34, Landes has compared them extensively for example. The ironic thing was that S30V was origionally promoted over RWL34 yet now another P/M version of 154CM is an upgrade in responce to maker demands. The P/M version of 154CM doesn't have a higher hardness, there were a number of knives available in ATS-34/154CM at 61/62 HRC and I would be very surprised if the majority of P/M 154CM doesn't run at 60 HRC.

At first it might seem that the P/M version would offer a much more stable edge but this isn't the case because the carbide volume fraction is still very high, ATS-34 has a higher edge stability than S60V for example. Take the pictures of RWL and ATS-34 posted and using a ruler draw random lines through them and see how much of the line goes through the steel itself and how much passes through carbide. The higher the ratio carbide/steel the more coarse and unstable the edge.

BRING BACK VASCOWEAR!
Click to expand...

The big complaint about that steel was the low grindability, considering makers are now willing to grind 10V and T15 that doesn't seem to be much of a problem any more. I'd like to see more use of non-stainless steels and more use of steels actually intended to be cutting tools and not molds or dies.

-Cliff
 
Sad to say, but overall I lack enough experience with a wide variety of steels, with the various heat treatments, that would allow me to truly gage superiority.

So, I'll take BM's M2 and 154CM (not their ATS-34), Boye BDS and BDC, Spyderco S30V and BG42 (seems to be working well), Fallkniven's SGPS and VG10, Buck's BG42 (seems to ...), Gene Ingram's D2, 80's Cold Steel Carbon V and San Mai, and whatever metal Kershaw used in its Model 12 (1075) knife (it keeps going after all these years - mid 80s).
 
I prefer properly heat-treated tool steels (especially D2 @ 60-62 HRC & M2) and good 'ol 1095 to stainless. This is especially true for a fixed blade that is going to see some sort of chopping/hacking/abuse (A2 and CPM-3V).

In a knife where corrosion resistance is paramount, BG-42 is king for a folder. AUS-8A near its optimal hardness, 440A, and H1 are also great steels for my needs; they hold an edge long enough for my purposes and are easy to reprofile or get shaving sharp.

Kitchen cutlery is a whole different animal...I use my kitchen knives more often and at greater lengths of time than any knives in my collection and I expect a lot out of them. I opt for high-hardness Japanese propriety steels instead of the typical 440A (or the equivalent) found in European kitchen knives. I know I said I like 440A above, but only in slipjoints or folders that don't see prolonged use like my kitchen cutlery does.

I've chosen not to drink the S30V kool-aid ;), but CPM-154 looks to be a promising variation on an already good stainless steel.
 
I've had knives-both productions and customs-in just about every steel listed and while most have great characteristics for a particular job, I find myself really liking A2 and then good old carbon steel. The A2 on my Severtech really sharpens up fast AND holds an edge very well to boot. And, since I'm fanatical about keeping things lubed and clean (possible leftover USMC "indoctrination?") I don't worry too much about the rust monster. Best Regards--Jim SEMPER FI
 
S30V
D2
VG10

Probably in that order. I'll throw in 440C as an honorable mention. Bought my first 154CM knife yesterday, so we'll see how that goes.

Here's something weird. I've had many D2 and S30V knives....and none of my D2s have ever rusted even the tiniest speck. But on more than a couple of my S30V knives, I've noticed very minor rust on the edge. They weren't exposed to any unique situation the D2s weren't. Just humid Nort Texasy weather on EDC.
 
1. BG-42
2. M-50
3. 154CM
4. 440C
5. M-2
6. ATS-34
7. S30V (if kept at or below 59 RCH according to the chart)
8. D-2 (preferably fixed blade)
9. AUS-8 (heat treated and sub-zero quenched like Cold Steel)
10. 440A (fixed blade only)
 
I haven't really used a steel that didn't meet my expectations. Plain Carbon steel like on an Opinel or Kabar seems to work good for me. VG10, S30V, 420HC, SAK Steel, AUS8...I'm fine with any of it.
 
For my purposes, highly wear resistant steels are very appropriate, and hardcore toughness is not needed.

D2 (favorite)
M2
S30V
BG42
ZDP-189
VG-10

154CM, ATS-34, AUS-8, and 440C are okay, too.

If I wanted a tougher steel, I would go with INFI, A2, or 10XX.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top