Preferred/favorite knife steel?

[Jax knives]

Beginner knife hobbies here. My first 5 knifes were hand filed A2 tool steel professionally heat treated and etched with logo and micarta scales. Not perfect but we're reasonably acceptable and easily pleased my friends/family as a gift.

Fast forward my next knives presently building are 1095/1080 carbon steel and heat treated myself with a DIY pid controlled oven and stamped myself with makers mark.Ive somewhat struggled and going through a huge learning curve and I think a little to ambiguous for my zero experience level.

Now to the point: I've learned or have this pre developed opinion (accurate or not) that if I don't have a knife build that specifically carbon steel would be the best suited steel that I have little desire to do carbon steel and deal with the added work of carbonizing and a blade with no corrosion/rust resistance.

question: What carbon/ tool /stainless knife steel do you guys prefer to work with and why?

 

[Daniel Carraher]

I use CPM154 most often or stainless Damascus from a few sources. It’s excellent to work with from a finishing perspective and very clean steel with solid performance.

 

[Scaniaman]

Yes CPM154 or in my case the virtually equivalent RWL 34 hits a sweet spot in many ways. Price, performance, machinability and finishing.

Another very well performing stainless steel, that is dirt cheap, is 14c28n. I think it was rated as something like most bang for the buck among non PM steels by forum member metalurgist Larrin recently, correct me if I am wrong.
It takes and holds a keen edge, I take mine to 61-62 Hrc. I use it for my kitchen knives and am impressed by their performance.
14c28n is also a complete breeze to work with. I cut it with regular carbon steel blades on the bandsaw without any problems, and drilling and grinding are as easy.

 

[DevinT]

If y

Beginner knife hobbies here. My first 5 knifes were hand filed A2 tool steel professionally heat treated and etched with logo and micarta scales. Not perfect but we're reasonably acceptable and easily pleased my friends/family as a gift.

Fast forward my next knives presently building are 1095/1080 carbon steel and heat treated myself with a DIY pid controlled oven and stamped myself with makers mark.Ive somewhat struggled and going through a huge learning curve and I think a little to ambiguous for my zero experience level.

Now to the point: I've learned or have this pre developed opinion (accurate or not) that if I don't have a knife build that specifically carbon steel would be the best suited steel that I have little desire to do carbon steel and deal with the added work of carbonizing and a blade with no corrosion/rust resistance.

question: What carbon/ tool /stainless knife steel do you guys prefer to work with and why?

If you haven’t already, get a copy of Larrin’s book “Knife Engineering “, it has so much information about steel(s). It outlines the properties of knife steels and will give you a good foundation to explore what appeals to you.

Hoss