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Price is$300$250 ea (shipped within CONUS). If you live outside the US, I will contact you after your order for extra shipping charges.
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One More Question-Blade Material
- Thread starter Dart368
- Start date
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- May 28, 1999
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- 2,606
The most basic answer I can give, with lots of exceptions, is that carbon steel is generally superior in shock resistance, flexibility, and overall hard use. Stainless resists rust better, and tends to stay sharper longer if the edge isn't stressed past its limits as it doesn't micro rust at the very edge as carbon steel will.
- Joined
- Jun 8, 2005
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In general, it seems like most people agree that carbon steels have better edge retention, but inferior stain and rust resistance.
I have two D2 knives, which is a very popular carbon steel, and while I am careful not to accidentally stain them, I never have any trouble with rust. Their edge retention is fantastic, I'd say on par with S30V.
While I really enjoy D2, it wouldn't be my choice steel on some applications, for instance, marine work.
It does seem to be priced quite a bit better than the super steels.
I can only speak about D2 because that's the only carbon steel I've ever used.
I have two D2 knives, which is a very popular carbon steel, and while I am careful not to accidentally stain them, I never have any trouble with rust. Their edge retention is fantastic, I'd say on par with S30V.
While I really enjoy D2, it wouldn't be my choice steel on some applications, for instance, marine work.
It does seem to be priced quite a bit better than the super steels.
I can only speak about D2 because that's the only carbon steel I've ever used.
D2 is a tool steel, not a carbon steel.
Carbon steels are very easy to work with and heat treat. They sharpen easily and have good overall performance. They also tend to be cheap. The downside is that they rust easily. Examples are Opinel carbon steel knives, Moras such as KJ Eriksson and Frost, and the classic KA-BAR. These steels are numbered 10XX.
Tool steels are non-stainless, just like carbon steel. They are generally much tougher. They use a letter/number naming system. Tool steels tend to be more expensive, but higher performance. Some rust *VERY* easily. Some, like D2, are near-stainless-steels and bridge the gap between tool steels and stainless steels in performance and rust resistance.
Stainless steels vary from soft steels with poor edge retention (420J2), to very hard steels that can hold an edge for a long time and can compeat with tool steels (S30V).
Stainless steels are good for small and medium size EDC knives as they resist rust and perform well when not too large. Tool steels and carbon steels (and softer, tougher stainless steels) are better for large knives as hard stainless steels can be too brittle for heavy chopping.
What steel is the best depends on the application. For a EDC folding knife, I want S30V (stainless) or D2 (A tool steel, but very similar to S30V in performance and stain resistance). For a camp knife, I want a tool steel, not S30V.
While carbon steel is easy for knife makers to work with and heat treat, stainless steel is very difficult.
A steel with more than 13% chromium is a stainless steel. Some stainless steels barely qualify, while some non-stainless steels barely don't qualify.
Carbon steels are very easy to work with and heat treat. They sharpen easily and have good overall performance. They also tend to be cheap. The downside is that they rust easily. Examples are Opinel carbon steel knives, Moras such as KJ Eriksson and Frost, and the classic KA-BAR. These steels are numbered 10XX.
Tool steels are non-stainless, just like carbon steel. They are generally much tougher. They use a letter/number naming system. Tool steels tend to be more expensive, but higher performance. Some rust *VERY* easily. Some, like D2, are near-stainless-steels and bridge the gap between tool steels and stainless steels in performance and rust resistance.
Stainless steels vary from soft steels with poor edge retention (420J2), to very hard steels that can hold an edge for a long time and can compeat with tool steels (S30V).
Stainless steels are good for small and medium size EDC knives as they resist rust and perform well when not too large. Tool steels and carbon steels (and softer, tougher stainless steels) are better for large knives as hard stainless steels can be too brittle for heavy chopping.
What steel is the best depends on the application. For a EDC folding knife, I want S30V (stainless) or D2 (A tool steel, but very similar to S30V in performance and stain resistance). For a camp knife, I want a tool steel, not S30V.
While carbon steel is easy for knife makers to work with and heat treat, stainless steel is very difficult.
A steel with more than 13% chromium is a stainless steel. Some stainless steels barely qualify, while some non-stainless steels barely don't qualify.
They are not mutually exclusive concepts. There is alot of cross-over between them. The good ones all have enough carbon to be tough and hold an edge. Lots of these steels were designed for uses much more extreme than a knife (like jet engine turbine blades).
Here is some techy info covering heat treating of blade steels but it has gobs of good basic info.
http://www.ajh-knives.com/metals.html
Here is what our resident Blade Forum expert knife maker wizard guru, Mr. Joe Talmadge, has to say about knives and steel types and sharpening.
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=368828
A great knife for marine use is the serrated sheepsfoot design Spyderco Atlantic Salt which has about a 4.5 inch effective cutting surface yet is a very easy carry. It is made from a very unique steel called "H-1" that is rarely found in any other knife. If you are looking for a serious "cutter" this is one.
http://spyderco.com/catalog/details.php?product=172
Here is some techy info covering heat treating of blade steels but it has gobs of good basic info.
http://www.ajh-knives.com/metals.html
Here is what our resident Blade Forum expert knife maker wizard guru, Mr. Joe Talmadge, has to say about knives and steel types and sharpening.
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=368828
A great knife for marine use is the serrated sheepsfoot design Spyderco Atlantic Salt which has about a 4.5 inch effective cutting surface yet is a very easy carry. It is made from a very unique steel called "H-1" that is rarely found in any other knife. If you are looking for a serious "cutter" this is one.
http://spyderco.com/catalog/details.php?product=172