Question about steel?

[manimal]

How good is 1095 High Carbon Alloy RC-58? Is this good steel?

 

[J.S. Carter]

That's what Ka-Bars are made out of, Its a great knife steel!

 

[Joshua J.]

1095 will make a great outdoor/utility blade. While not the most wear resistant, it will hold an edge reasonably well, and if you need extra toughness then it is an excellent choice.
If you are planning on cutting lots of cardboard or something abrasive like that, then the fancy CPM S30V or other high wear resistance steel types come into their own.

 

[Midwest Ninja]

Its not uncommon to see customs made out of it. Its a popular steel for a reason.

 

[StretchNM]

I have 2 knives that I can think of right now in 1095. Very good steel. I like because I can sharpen it without problems and get a very sharp edge on it. It holds its own well. It's high carbon so, of course, it will rust and pit if you don't clean it well after use and keep it dry. If you don;t use it much, smear a dab of oil on the blade with you fingers, wiping the rest off gently with a paper towel.

 

[Ben Dover]

It's an excellent steel.

 

[Nosetotail]

... It's high carbon so, of course, it will rust and pit if you don't clean it well after use and keep it dry. If you don;t use it much, smear a dab of oil on the blade with you fingers, wiping the rest off gently with a paper towel.

Quoted for emphasis.

This is NOT a stainless steel which is what you may be used to. I have a stainless steel knife that will form rust right in my pocket if I let it get wet and don't wipe it immediately. I would keep this in mind and remember to keep this steel oiled and dry and wiped off immediately upon getting wet. Also, this steel may form a patina, which is a brown color due to the steel oxidizing. This doesn't effect performance of the knife as long as the edge doesn't rust.