Low end carbon vs high end stainless

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Hermit_Knight

Joined
Mar 19, 2018
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I’m pretty new to the qualities of different steels but just want to ask something random, would a ‘lower end’ carbon steel such as Sk5 be tougher then a ‘higher end’ stainless steel such as s30vn?
 
Short answer would be yes for the most part. It is helpful to think of toughness as a function of lower Rockwell hardness and good heat treatment rather than of low end vs high end steels, or even carbon vs stainless for that matter. This forum is a goldmine of information for questions such as this, a lot of people with much more expertise on the matter will follow behind me.
 
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So in general carbon steels have higher toughness than stainless, varying edge retention, and lesser corrosion resistance. In general all steels balance those 3, when one goes up usually one has to suffer (like 3V with insane toughness, okay edge retention and mediocre corrosion resistance, compared with M390 with incredible edge retention, great corrosion resistance, and acceptable toughness). Of course your super high end steels change up the formula, some of them being exceptional in all categories, or being off the charts in one but not lacking in the others.

In all but the rarest of comparisons, simple carbon steels will have higher toughness, lower edge retention, and a fraction of the corrosion resistance compared to the stainless super steels. Carbon steels are better suited to a fixed blade that's going to be beaten on, and stainless supers are better suited for pocket knives where toughness isn't as needed but edge retention and corrosion resistance are more desireable.
 
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