Steel types.

A

Alduin

Joined
Nov 2, 2014
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I am working on a prototype knife, it's an outdoor general purpose fixed blade around 6 inches in length somewhat resembling an Esee 6 in shape and intended usage. Can anybody suggest an ideal steel for this type of blade? I'm after maximum toughness and edge holding, either stainless or carbon both are fine, price and heat treating methods are not an issue. So far A2 is top of my list, any tips or advice is greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
 
I think you would be impressed by Cpm s35vn, with a proper heat treat and cryo you will get good toughness and edge holding, people are also doing some great stuff with elmax, then there is THE 3V, I think you would be happy with all those steels, although A2 is a fine choice.
I think geometry and a proper heat treat are just as important as steel choice for performance.
 
Thank you, I will check those steels out. I've used s35vn before but had some issues with it snapping, maybe I'll take another look into it. 3V is definitely appealing. As for geometry I am going for a high sabre grind almost full flat, On 3/16" stock thickness. With a 25 degree edge. Approximately 2 inch wide, 6 inch long drop point blade.
 
Do you intend to do rough work with it or will it be for wood processing and food prep only? By rough I mean digging, prying, batonning, limbing, etc.
 
It's designed to be halfway between a machete and a knife, so mainly wood processing. Batonning, limbing, carving, food prep maybe... Basically I want it to be able to handle anything I can throw at it.
 
3v, 5160, L6 8670 for carbons are all awesome and cpm 154, cmps35vn, in stainless should be more than enough, but if you're worried about toughness over edge retention, i'll throw in my vote for 12c27 for stainless as well. you shouldn't have issues with toughness using it at all and it's pretty stain resistant so you don't have to care for it a lot. it's pretty much the equivalent of a stainless carbon steel in use and is tough as useful stainless comes.
 
For Carbon steel I might take a look at 80CrV2. For stainless I would consider CTS-204P.
 
I'm going to offer a suggestion that is going to sound odd. Get some S7 and have it drawn down to 55 or 56. The goal is that it be shot enough to be filed. I have 3 blades i use for rough use around the house made of 1055 around 53 to 55Hrc. They'll hold an edge for an afternoon of chopping brush and small firewood, then go to root cutting and digging and I can have sharp enough after that to shave my arm in just a few minutes, like 5 to sharpen 2 12 inch blades. Wear resistance isn't even a factor in that kind of use. Even if it's 3x better that's just 3 cuts instead of 1.
 
Well here's the thing, I probably should have added earlier... I have already made one from O1 tool steel that is hardened to around 62Hrc, with a 25 degree "toothy" edge, It chops wood all day long and shaves hair like it was freshly sharpened. I made it a few months ago and haven't sharpened it since only stropped it occasionally. I've hammered it into logs with a sledge hammer and had no signs of damage to the edge or spine, even whacked the edge into mild steel bars a few times with no rolling or chipping. I am looking to go a few steps up from this in terms of performance, I know it sounds crazy. Looks like I will need to make a bunch of test blades in different steels.
 
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