Steel whats in ur blade?

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i know theres a page like this one in this site but this so far give the most info.

http://www.workingpsychology.com/diversions/KnifeSteelNotes.pdf

KR’s Knife Steel Notes
Updated 3/07
The 3 primary goals in creating blade steel: (1) Toughness, to resist
deformation & shattering, which is of major concern in a hard-use or
survival type knife which you might use to hack wood or drive through soft
metals (toughness is the main nemesis of stainless steels, but many nonstainless
steels are tough); (2) Edge holding, to resist dulling, which is of
major concern when repeated slicing is called for, or you don’t care to
resharpen frequently (high carbon content and vanadium are often
mentioned as key to edge holding); & (3) Corrosion resistance, of major
concern to those using knives in salt-water or acidic environments.
Corrosion also dulls the edge, so it’s not just a cosmetic concern. Nonstainless
steels aren’t really competitive in this category unless they’re
coated or otherwise cared for.
This list doesn’t consider some of the exotic blade materials such as ceramic
(very brittle) or titanium (not a good choice for a blade, unless you are
probing land mines that have magnetic triggers!) If a knife has a stainless
blade, but doesn’t say what kind of stainless it is, you may assume with
reasonable confidence it’s 420 or 440A or similar, which are very common
steels that may be stamped. Once you get to 440C and upward, makers
typically mark the type of steel because good steel is a selling point. There
are a few exceptions to this rule, of course, such as Queen using ATS-34
steel in some of its 1990 knives without advertising it on the blade.
Regarding a bibliography, this is a collection of informed discussions I’ve
found on the web, but I did not keep precise references for this material.
MMost comments are direct quotes, so to find the source, you can copy and
paste a sentence into Google. See the partial bibliography below--that will
get you to most of the sources, but not all. There is of course considerable
opinion mixed in with fact, as steel nuts are highly opinionated about their
favorites.
======================================================

 

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8Cr13MoV. “It has similar properties to AUS-8…” [which is not saying
much]. A Chinese steel with similar performance characteristics to AUS-8.
An excellent value priced steel for its performance. “8C13CrMoV is
basically an upgrade to 13C26 in terms of wear resistance while reducing
edge stability. Thus it offers better extended slicing aggression though lower
optimal push cutting sharpness and high sharpness edge retention.”
9Cr13CoMoV: A Chinese made high-carbon stainless steel with increased
levels of cobalt [compared to what?] added for greater edge retention. Offers
a higher level of corrosion resistance at a great value.
12C27 & 425M– Both very similar to 440A. 425M is used in Buck knives
and the 12C27 is a Scandinavian material that is used in Finish and
Norwegian knives. Both are less rust resistant.
20CV – a stainless steel. “Highly wear resistant, powder metallurgy stainless
tool steel. Has a high wear, high corrosion, good impact toughness and very
polishable.”
154CM: “American made premium grade stainless steel that was initially
developed for the blades in jet engines. It is the predecessor of ATS-34
steel. Has good corrosion resistance and excellent toughness and edge
quality.”A high grade steel. Considered by some as a Super Steel. Almost
the same as “old” ATS-34. The US version of ATS-34. “154CM is modified
440C. 154CM/ATS-34 is a high carbon stainless steel generally regarded as
a direct upgrade to 440C. It has a high wear resistance for a stainless steel
and a low edge stability. It is one of the more brittle stainless steels and
therefore works best on smaller blades indended for extended aggressive
slicing.” “Some 154CM made from the late 1980's to the mid 1990's was
not as good as ATS-34 [due to a relaxation of the quality of processing,
which several sources say has once again improved to previous standards].”
“An American made premium grade stainless steel originally developed for
tough industrial applications. Known for its best all-around qualities, it
offers great corrosion resistance with good toughness and edge quality.”
420: Widely denigrated. Avoid. Easy to sharpen. Popular with knife makers
because it can be stamped. Extremely soft, and it doesn't hold an edge well.
It is used often for diving knives, as it is extremely stain resistant. Variations
are 420HC, 420J2, which is singled out as: “low achievable hardness and
poor edge retention, but good corrosion resistance. Used in poor quality
knives as it is easy to shear, grind, and heat treat.”
420HC: 420HC is a medium carbon martensite stainless which has a
corrosion resistance similar to Sandvik 12C27 and but has a lower hardness
and wear resistance than 12C27M. It offers similar ease of sharpening and
relatively high edge stability due to the low carbide fraction.
420J2 – Low carbon, high chromium that is a shock absorbing steel that
bends instead of breaking. Has excellent resistance to corrosion and fair
edge holding. Does not require a lot of maintenance. Rockwell hardness
seen at 54-56. “420J2 is a low carbon martensite stainless, commonly used
in fantasy knives and low end cutlery. It is also used as liner material for
folding knives. It has a low hardness and wear resistance for a cutlery
stainless steel but is fairly tough and very corrosion resistant.” Also showing
up as cladding material in laminated steel blades, since its qualities are ideal
as an outer coating.
420V: Not really part of the 420 series. Opinion seen that it’s better than
BG-42 and VG-10, and also tough. Don’t know much about this steel.
440 Series: 440 A - 440 B - 440C The carbon content (and hardenability) of
this stainless steel goes up in order from A (.75%) to B (.9%) to C (1.2%).
440C is an excellent, high-end stainless steel, usually hardened to around 56-
58 Rc. All three resist rust well, with 440A being the most rust resistant, and
440C the least. The SOG Seal 2000 is 440A, and Randall uses 440B for their
stainless knives. 440C is fairly ubiquitous, and is generally considered the
penultimate general-use stainless (with ATS-34 being the ultimate) [this is
old information, probably written early 1990s]. If your knife is marked with
just "440", it is probably the less expensive 440A; if a manufacturer had
used the more expensive 440C, he'd want to advertise that. The general
feeling is that 440A (and similar steels) is just good enough for everyday
use, especially with a good heat treat (we've heard good reports on SOG's
440A heat treat). 440-B is a very solid performer and 440-C is excellent.
440: Widely denigrated. Avoid. Easy to sharpen. Popular with knife makers
because it can be stamped. Comes in multiple grades: 440A, 440B, 440C,
440F, 440F-Se, 440XH, 440C.
440A: Widely denigrated. Avoid except as an outer lamination. “Resistant to
corrosion, reasonably tough, and easy to sharpen.” Popular with knife
makers because it can be stamped. Softer than 440C.”
440B – Same properties as 440A except carbon content (440A has 0.75%
and 440B has 0.95%).
440C: 440C was originally developed for jet engine blades. For a long time,
440C was used extensively in custom knives. While its popularity has
waned in favor of the other newer high performance steels, 440C remains a
true workhorse steel that still has a large following of users. 440C is an
excellent, high-end stainless steel, usually hardened to around 56-58 Rc. All
three resist rust well, with 440A being the most rust resistant, and 440C the
least. 440C is fairly ubiquitous, and is generally considered a very good
general-use stainless, tougher and more stain resistant than ATS-34 but with
less edge-holding. “440C is the basis in which most steels are compared as
for this year [year unknown, but this is probably old information] it has, and
to a degree still is, what the industry standard has been. It has good edge
retention, great corrosion resistance, good impact resistance, is easy to
sharpen, and relatively low cost.” Exhibits good corrosion resistance, which
is a reason why steels such as 440A and 440C are used for whitewater/dive
knives and kitchen knives knives that are subject to marine environments or
high moisture. [Recently high end mfgr’s have moved to H1 for corrosion
resistant knives, see below]. “High-carbon chromium stainless steel with
good hardness and exemplarily corrosion resistance. This steel takes a good
edge and easily comes back. A fair priced steel with performance.” “A highchromium
stainless steel with a terrific balance of good hardness and
corrosion resistance. 440C takes a nice edge and is fairly easy to resharpen.
An excellent value priced steel for its performance.” “440C is an excellent,
high-end stainless steel, usually hardened to around 56-59 Rc, very tough
and with good edge-holding at that hardness. 440C is generally considered a
very good general-use stainless, tougher and more stain resistant than ATS-
34 but with less edge-holding. I keep the hardness down to a maximum of 59
Rockwell C scale. Any harder than that I have experienced a fine gray line
of edge chips when attempting to put the final edge on it. It makes excellent
fillet knives at 56 Rc that will take 90 degee bends on 10" blades. Also
makes very good kitchen cutlery at 56 Rc.” “440C has an increased hardness
and carbide fraction than 440B and thus offers a higher wear resistance but
lower edge stability. 440C can be considered to be a high wear upgrade to
12C27 where a high edge stability isn't desired. However for this purpose,
other alloys are generally regarded as superior such as 154CM.” “440C (in
theory) isn't the best steel for very acute edges.” [Glowing reports of 440C
are largely from the 1980s and 1990s when it was still a competitive steel –
my impression is that it’s the “minimum acceptable standard” to many
afficionados today.]
440V: Not really part of the 440 series. Opinion of some to be better than
BG-42 and VG-10. See discussion of CPM T440V below – same steel,
different name? Some opinion says that it’s a steel whose time has come and
gone already. It’s apparently the same as S60V. Difficult to sharpen.
440XH - Air-hardening alloy with high carbon and high chromium. It is
corrosion resistant and can be described as a high hardness 440C stainless
steel or a corrosion resistant D2 tool steel. Possesses corrosion resistance
equivalent to 440C.
1095 – High carbon alloy that is intended for high hardness and strength, but
is susceptible to being brittle. Will rust if not protected. Not a corrosion
resistant alloy, not a stainless steel.
A-2: Extremely tough, for high end combat knives. Great shock resistance.
Tool steel, not stainless steel. “A2 is a tool steel used primarily by Chris
Reeve in his Hollow Handled Fixed blades. It sports edge retention slightly
less than D2, less corrosion resistance, and amazing impact resistance. In
theory, a fixed blade should consider impact resistance above all others.

 

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(Opinion: “Reeve uses a coating on his blades which are one of the best in
the business.”) The heat treating makes these blades have a great edge
retention...overall, I would tell you A2 is far superior to D2.” “A2…one
session in the kitchen and it's stained and pitted.” “Keep in mind the major
selling point of A2 is extreme impact resistance and good edge retention.”
“High Carbon, low chromium steel with improved toughness and abrasion
resistance. Very receptive to corrosion and needs care. If Cryogenic treated,
then toughness is increased and will have excellent edge holding
capabilities.” Commented on as a sort of gold-standard for toughness, which
is “the main nemisis of stainless steels.”
ATS-34: A high grade steel. Similar to 154CM, but is made in Japan. “The
reigning king of 10 years ago [mid 1990s].” Most opinion is that BG-42,
VG-10, S30V are upgrades to ATS-34. “ATS-34 has been the hottest highend
stainless in the 1990s.” “154-CM is the original American version, but
for a long time now has not been manufactured to the high quality standards
knifemakers expect, so knifemakers switched over to ATS-34. But CPM is
once again making a high-quality 154-CM.” ATS-34 is a Hitachi product
that is very, very similar to 154-CM. Normally hardened to around 60 Rc,
(usually 59-61) it holds an edge very well and is tough enough even at that
high hardness. Not as rust resistant as the 400 series. “ATS-34 is an older
1990s steel. It has great edge retention, so/so impact resistance, and horrible
corrosion resistance. I have had many rust on me. It was replaced by
154CM, the first 'official' super-steel, and 154CM has been replaced by
S30V (hold Benchmade which still uses 154 extensively) which is better
than either in all three elements. Oddly enough, ATS-34 has seen a market
resurgence as of late [due to low prices], and some William Henry Knifes
still use it.” “Japanese steel that is owned by Hitachi Steels that is a premium
grade of stainless steel. 154CM is the American version of ATS-34. Steel
made famous by Bob Loveless.” One Forumite is already calling this a
“dinosaur” steel that has made a bit of a comeback due to its low price.
ATS-34 is more rust prone than other stainless steels.
ATS-55. “Japanese stainless steel similar to ATS-34, but with better edge
holding capabilities and toughness.” Gives ATS-34 like performance,
cheaper because not a high speed steel like ATS-34. “ATS-55 Similar to
ATS-34, but with the moly removed and some other elements added. Not
much is known about this steel yet, but it looks like the intent was to get
ATS-34 edge-holding with increased toughness. Since moly is an expensive
element useful for high-speed steels, and knife blades do not need high
speed, removing the moly hopefully drastically decreases the price of the
steel while at least retaining ATS-34's performance. Spyderco is using this
steel.” “ATS-55 is something toyed mainly with by Spyderco. I cannot say
too much about it but it did not seem as rust prone as ATS-34. ATS-55 was
replaced by VG-10.”
AUS series. AUS-4, AUS-6, AUS-8, AUS-10. [I don’t like ‘em, consider
them equivalent to the 440 series.] “They’re sort of the Japanese version of
the 440 line.”
AUS-4: Even worse that AUS-6, in the new CRKT line. Some opinion is
that it “Dulls like pencil lead.” Like 440A.
AUS-6: Japanese. Denigrated. Avoid. Some opinion is that it’s better than
420, 440A but not much. Easy to sharpen. Loses edge quickly. “Even 440C
is better.” Falls between 420 and 440A. “Resistant to corrosion, reasonably
tough, and easy to sharpen.” Some say this is similar to the steel used in
swiss army knives. Popular with knife makers because it can be stamped.
Like 440B.
AUS-8: Japanese. “Not a premium steel but it does the job.” (Some people
like AUS-6 better than 8!) Popular with knife makers because it can be
stamped. Considered “a mid grade steel.” Durable. Like 440C. “It won't hold
an edge like ATS-34.” “AUS-8 is a steel with similar properties to 440C.
Some people love this, some people do not. I am in the latter as I do not find
it to have edge retention anywhere near to other comparable steels.
Companies usually use this on their entry level models.” (Also referred to as
8A) Japanese stainless steel with high-carbon, low chromium stainless steel
that has a good balance of toughness, corrosion and edge sharpness. “A
Japanese made medium-carbon, high chromium stainless steel, which offers
a good balance of toughness, edge sharpness and corrosion resistance.”

 

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“However in general, in most knives it is run very soft so it tends to function
as more of a tough knife than a cutting tool.”
AUS-10: AUS-10 has roughly the same carbon content as 440C but with
slightly less chromium, so it should be a bit less rust resistant but perhaps a
bit tougher than 440C. “Japanese stainless steel that has the same carbon
content of 440C with less chromium and is less rust resistant than 440C.”
BG-42: “BG-42, an older ball bearing steel, was abandoned in favor of
newer steels because BG-42 is amazingly hard to heat treat.” It’s like ATS-
34 but it adds Vanadium. Bob Loveless announced recently that he's
switching from ATS-34 to BG-42. BG-42 is somewhat similar to ATS-34….
look for significantly better edge-holding than ATS-34. The addition of
vanadium and the clean manufacturing process also gives BG-42 better
toughness than ATS-34. Excellent for kitchen knives. “BG-42 is a very high
purity, high wear, martensitic stainless steel which offers very high heat
resistance [which is of no consequence for knives, usually]. It is generally
regarded to be in the same class as 154CM but better in most respects.”
“High wear and corrosion resistance that produces an outstanding edge
retention and longer life. Found to be similar to ATS-34 steel.” “Is
somewhat similar to ATS-34, with some major differences: It has more
manganese and molybdenum than ATS-34, and has 1.2% vanadium (ATS-
34 has no vanadium), so look for better edge-holding than ATS-34.BG-42 is
usually hardened to 61-63 Rc.” “BG-42 is a very high purity, high wear,
martensitic stainless steel which offers very high heat resistance. The hot
hardness is likely not of significant benefit for knife blades but the other
attributes often cause it to be highly praised among discriminating users. It is
generally regarded to be in the same class as 154CM but better in most
respects for cutlery.” One forumite prefers BG-42 to VG-10 and S30V, but
few knife makers are using BG-42 anymore. “For the smaller and thinner
edges BG-42 works well and holds the edge longer than ATS-34, however
for the large, heavy-duty blades you can't really tell the difference.”
CPM 3V is still the undisputed toughness champ even surpassing some
carbon steels like A-2. Don’t know much about this steel otherwise.
CPM154, CPM S60V (formerly CPM440V) – a powdered steel. See
separate entry.
(CPM) S30V (aka SV30?), “A super steel,” but controversy surrounds it
and opinions run strong about it. Considered among the best of the best,
currently (mid 2000s). A high grade steel. A super steel. Super high carbon
content (due to its powder construction). Specifically formulated for knives.
More popular than S60V or S90V. SV30 is a powdered steel. Developed by
Crucible Metals Corporation specifically for the cutlery market. “CPMS30V
was the first steel designed exclusively for knives, pioneered by Chris
Reeve. It is an American steel, made by Crucible Materials Corporation in
Syracuse, New York. When hardened correctly, it runs 58-60 on the
Rockwell Hardness Scale with a pleasing edge retention even when
sharpened on a 30 degree bevel, sports an impact resistance far superior to
154CM, D2, and 440C, has amazing pitting resistance, and is relatively easy
to sharpen. While some people have reported issues with chipping, when
hardened to a 59 HRC, this steel does not have this issue unless abused
badly. Some people claim S30V is not impact resistant, but realistically,
Strider abuse tests show how impact resistant properly made S30V steel is.
This steel is not cheap and if it would not do the job, something else would
be used. While obviously not as impact as high grade tool steels, it is one of
the, possibly the most, impact resistant stainless steel.” [[The other side of
the story & the controversy surrounding S30V: “Problems with S30V have
been frequently reported on internet discussion forums just cutting soft
materials such as cardboard, corn stalks, plastics and wood. (… After 100
cuts in cardboard, the Spyderco S30V had chipped in half a dozen
places…the Benchmade Skirmish couldn’t be evaluated because the edges
of both would not even sharpen due to the steel fracturing under the
hones…) The frequency of defects is so high that users have reported several
defective blades. Commonly it is found that S30V blades tend to blunt by
chipping at a microscopic level. S30V is a powder metallurgy martensitic
stainless steel made by Crucible. It has a high wear resistance which gives it
high slicing edge retention on abrasive materials such as cardboard. Frequent
problems with edge chipping have been reported on online discussion
forums, the performance was inconsistent in the blades used both in regards
to edge retention and toughness…problems with the edge durability at low
angles have been reported...” “S30V is more prone to small chips initially
(sharpening the blade reduces this dramatically). Guys pry with their Striders
and they are S30V. I've pried with my Manix and it did fine. 154CM
breaks.” “As far as S30V chipping, it does. The prevelence of it is still
disputed. I have never had it happen to me personally, but I only own about
40 S30V knives and almost all are Spyderco sporting an edge geometry
which has been tested, revised, and proven for about 30 years. I do not use
any other knife hard, hold the Sebenza which is also S30V. However, I do
use my S30V Spyderco knives hard and do use them for chopping which is
where the steel's toughness excels.” “We've all heard that even cruicible is
working on other steels and is promoting CPM 154 cm, and now CP M4
over S30V.” “People talk about when they say about S30V that "it (
chipping) went away after a few sharpenings", which we have all heard.”
“Sal [Spyderco’s CEO] has also said in the past that the chipping resistance
of s30v versus other stainless steels is about the same.”]] “For what it's
worth, S30V can be hardened to RC61 without becoming more brittle.” “An
American made and developed premium grade stainless steel created
especially for knives. It is a powder made steel with a uniform carbide
distribution and clean steel properties. As a blade material it offers excellent
corrosion resistance and superb edge qualities.” “S30V is the only steel on
the market that has been designed for knifemaking. Its alloys have been
chemically blended to bring out the best qualities of edge holding, toughness
and stain resistance. Manufactured by Crucible, it too like S60V is made
from powdered alloys heated in a cannister to bonding temperature. The
resulting billet is then rolled or forged by conventional mills into sheets and
bars. Edge holding is incredible! I personally find S30V easier to sharpen
than BG-42 and S60V.” “In time CPM S-30V may hold the place as the best
all purpose work horse stainless steel. It could edge out more widely known
stainless steels like ATS 34, 154CM, BG-42 & 440C.” “S30V has higher
wear resistance than VG-10. S30V will take about twice as long to sharpen
compared to VG-10.” “Hardness is 58-61 with about 59-60 being ideal. It
has an edge rention slightly higher than D2, considerably higher than 154,
and much higher than 440C. S30V also has an impact toughness about 4-6
times the toughness of 154 or 440. In terms of pitting, the test will speak for
itself, but S30V crushes everything short of H1. In terms of wear resitance,
S30V is actually better than S3V although S3V is undoubetly the toughest
steel on the market. Spyderco, Strider (which in the thread here has been
shown to be the tank of knives), Microtech, Kershaw, Chris Reeve, Bradley
Cutlury, Lone Wolf, others (and now finally Benchmade although they love
their 154) are all using S30V exclusively or on their top knives. [Zac]”
(CPM) S60V: A high grade steel. A super steel. Super high carbon content.
CPM S60V had shown promise, but had issues with hardness and chipping.
– a Powdered Steel. “CPM-440V is also known as CPM-S60V. It was really
pioneered by Spyderco and sports amazing corrosion resistance only losing
to H1. It is notoriously the hardest steel to sharpen, and is rather low on the
Rockwell Hardness Scale. Still people love the edge retention so the HRC
may not say everything.” A corrosion and wear resistant tool steel. It is
basically 440C steel with greater blade toughness. “S60V is a steel that holds
an edge superbly. This steel is made with Crucible's particle metallurgy
process, a process that allows it to be packed with more alloying elements
than traditional steel manufacturing methods would allow. Its very high
vanadium content forms some vanadium carbides during the tempering
process which accounts for the great edge holding. Depending on heat
treatment, expect to have to work a bit harder to sharpen this steel.

 

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Don't
expect ATS-34 type toughness. Due to the vanadium carbides that develop
during heat treating, edge holding isn't dependent upon steel hardness alone,
so it is typically hardened to just 57 Rc which helps hold down brittleness.”
Difficult to sharpen.
(CPM) S90V: A high grade steel. A super steel. Super high carbon content.
(formerly CPM420V) – a Powdered Steel. Basically the same steel as CPMS60V
steel but with a better impact toughness. “CPM S-90V was introduced
as an upgrade for CPM S-60V and met all the targets of improved corrosion
resistance and toughness.” "Again courtesy of Joe Talmadge: S30V - S60V
(CPM T440V) - S90V (CPM T420V) Two steels that hold an edge superbly,
world class type edge holding, but it can be difficult to get the edge there in
the first place. These steels are made with Crucible's particle metallurgy
process, and that process allows these steels to be packed with more alloying
elements than traditional steel manufacturing methods would allow. Both
steels are very high in vanadium, which accounts for their incredible wear
resistance. Spyderco offers at least one model in CPM S60V. Spyderco, one
major user of S60V, has cut back hardness down to 55-56Rc, in order to
keep toughness acceptable, but that sacrifices strength so there is a tradeoff.
S90V is CPM's follow-on to 440V, and with less chromium and almost
double the vanadium, is more wear-resistant and tougher than S60V -- and,
in fact, is probably more wear-resistant than any other stainless steel used in
the cutlery industry. As such, S90V is in the running with steels like BG-42
as among the best general-purpose stainless steels; however, S90V is even
more expensive and difficult to work than BG-42, so it's strictly in the realm
of custom makers currently.."
CPM 440 V See CPM T 440V
CPM T440V – “Also known as “Super Steel”. “Outlasts all other stainless
steels.” Hard to resharpen, because of edge retention, but does not have to
be sharpened as often. Used mainly by custom knife makers.” With CPM
T420V Two steels that hold an edge superbly, world class type edgeholding,
but it's difficult to get the edge there in the first place. For 440V, don't
expect ATS-34 type toughness. 420V is CPM's follow-on to 440V, and with
less chromium and almost double the vanadium, is more wear-resistant and
may be tougher than 440V. “440V is also known as ‘Super Steel.’ Outlasts
all other stainless steels. Hard to resharpen, because of edge retention, but
does not have to be sharpened as often. Used mainly by custom knife
makers.”
D-2: Hard to sharpen compared to 440C. Good edge retention. A “semi
stainless” steel, 1% less than needed to claim stainless. It has excellent edge
holding, but may be a little less tough than some of the steels mentioned
above. And it does not take a beautiful finish [I disagree, Queen makes
beautiful high-polish D-2 blades]. Bob Dozier uses D-2. “D2 is a tool steel
which is seen on Randall (I think), Benchmade, Microtech, Queen, and a
few others. It has an excellent edge retention, is said to have good edge
retention (although I have had experiences otherwise), and is a relatively
brittle steel.” “D2 is a tool steel known for high wear resistance through its
very heavy chromium carbide content and high obtainable hardness. In
general it makes a nice steel for fine cutting blades, at moderate sharpening
angles, and especially for coarse finishes. The corrosion resistance is high
for a tool steel, though it tends to pit readily in salt water soaks, and the
resistance to impact is also low.” Air hardened tool steel. Good corrosion
resistance. A good choice for hard use environments because of good
corrosion resistance and excellent mileage. “An air-hardened tool steel,
which offers good corrosion resistance and excellent mileage in wear
resistance. A good choice for hard use applications.” “In edge retention on
hemp rope the D2 blade could cut double the amount of the VG-10 blade
before achieving a similar state of significant blunting, and the VG-10 knife
50% more than the AUS-8A. When the influence of corrosion was added by
soaking the blades in lemon juice, the D2 blade was far behind the two
stainless steels which were similar in edge retention on the hemp. The VG-
10 blade consistently showed the lowest durability and the D2 the
highest….one of the drawbacks for D2 in large blades as when it accidently
hit a rock the edge chipped readily…” A forumite states that D2 has been
“constantly shown to have properties inferior to S30V.” Hardness seen from
56-62.
G-2 Tool steel, not stainless steel. See GIN-1.
GIN-1 – (Previously known as G2) A low cost steel that is slightly softer
than AUS-8.H-1 “H1 is a nitrogen based steel which does not rust, scratches easily,
sharpens easily, does not chip easily, has a good edge retention and good
impact resistance. Marine apps excel with this steel.” High-chromium
stainless steel that offers maximum corrosion resistance in both salt water
and fresh water which makes it 100% corrosion resistance. This makes it
only good edge quality with good edge toughness. “H1 is a highperformance
steel. It has one of the most lopsided performance-tomaintenance
ratios I know.” “The steel is a break through in corrosion
resistance. Edge testing indicates cutting ability comparable to AUS-6 /
AUS-8.” “H1 can't be flat ground.”
L-6 Excellent shock resistance. With the proper heat treatment it can be
banitic in structure which is extremely tough, but slightly softer than
martensite. Used in swords. Tool steel, not stainless steel.
M2- not stainless, but a good steel for edge retention. “M2/M4-high carbon
tool steels made famous for their edge retention. Corrosion resistance is
awful and impact resistance isn't much more. These are what one calls
cutting steels.” Very tough, tool grade high-speed steel used primarily in the
industrial sector for cutting steel. Very high strength and wear resistance. Is
prone to corrosion, because of make-up. Should be coated for blade
longevity. A forumite notes that “M2 died off…in favor of D2”
MBS-26 – High carbon stainless steel that provides high corrosion
resistance and good edge holding capabilities.
N690: It's a cobalt additive steel manufactured in Europe. it´s a steel made
by böhler austria. english term: X105CrCoMo18 2. “N690 is a steel I am
playing more with and thanks to Spyderco and Benchmade, I have
concluded this is pretty good stuff, comparing to the industry standard 440C
and probably beating it out.” Austrian made stainless steel that is
comparable to 440C in value and performance. High corrosion resistance
and edge qualities. “An Austrian made stainless steel, which is comparable
to 440C in performance and value. Keen edge qualities with great corrosion
resistance.”
O-1 Tool steel, not stainless steel. High quality non-distorting cold work
steel that has tungsten high chromium content which gives it improved wear
resistance.
Powder metallurgy - Powder metallurgy allows the metallurgist to create
alloys whose components would separate if they were allowed to exist in a
molten state (which is the way non-powdered steels are made). For example,
it allows exceedingly high concentrations of carbon to remain in steel. It is a
forming and fabrication technique consisting of three major processing
stages. First, the primary material is physically powdered, divided into many
small individual particles. Next, the powder is injected into a mold or passed
through a die to produce a weakly cohesive structure (via cold welding) very
near the dimensions of the object ultimately to be manufactured. Finally, the
end part is formed by applying pressure, high temperature, long setting times
(during which self-welding occurs).
S7 Tool steel, not stainless steel.
S30V – see CPM S30V
Spyderco Notes: “If Spyderco makes a knife it's going to be from its default
steel for the country it's made in - VG-10 in Japan, S30V in the US.” VG-10
is found in Spyderco Persian & many others. CPM S-30V Used in Spyderco
Manix and others. ZDP-189 found in limited run Spyderco Calypso, Jess
Horn, Delica.
SG2 – some kind of powdered steel, some say hardened 64-66 rockwell.
VG-10: Japanese steel. Widely considered a good steel. Great reputation.
Good edge retention. Often mentioned as “the best of the best” with S30V.
However some opinion has it as a “mid grade steel.” “This fine-grained steel
will resharpen up fairly easy to a wicked edge!” Thought by some to be
better than ATS-34. Also seen: “VG10, another 440C variation, was
developed specifically for the knives used in the Japanese grafting industry.”

 

[70939488]

“VG-10 is a Japanese steel with good all around properties. Complaints are
few on this blade. It sharpens easy, holds a pleasing edge retention, has
decent corrosion resistance, and buffs to a gorgeous shine.” “VG-10 is a
high carbon stainless steel, similar to 154CM ... Spyderco has performed
testing which show VG-10 to be superior to ATS-34/55 in corrosion
resistance, better initial sharpness and edge retention, and superior to S30V
in terms of corrosion resistance, but lower in edge retention.” “VG-10 is a
high wear stainless steel in the same class as 154CM, however has better
edge stability and offers superior corrosion resistance and extended edge
retention.” Contains chromium that aids in rust resistance and high carbon
that provides exemplarily edge retention and ease of sharpening. Is
considered “Super Steel.” “Most people seem to consider VG-10 to be one
of the top-tier knife steels. It won't win every category, but it does pretty
well in all of them. I don't know anyone who doesn't think it’s a high quality
steel, though. Although there are some real "steel snobs" out there, my
experience is that a decent knife made in VG-10, S30V, ATS-34, 154CM, or
D2 (along with a few others) will perform "close enough" that in day-to-day
use it's of small concern which one it is made out of. Each steel has some
areas where it may do slightly better than others, and each will have some
areas where it will do slightly less, but any of them will generally work just
fine.” Rockwell hardness range found: 59-62.
W-1: Most popular, least expensive and versatile tool steel (not a stainless
steel). Has high carbon content and is a fine grained electric furnace melted
commercial tool steel.
W-2 Tool steel, not stainless steel. Shallow hardening, rather weak, and
make durable knives only if held below 54 HRC (hardness, Rockwell Cscale).
Rusts very easily due to the lack of chrome and vanadium. Only
alloying elements are carbon and manganese. Usually used in industry for
inexpensive, low yield tooling.
X15TN or X-15 T.N. or X15 T.N or X15 - A French steel. [Benchmade
marketing hype: This French steel was developed for the aircraft industry for
jet ball bearings, as well as the medical industry for scalpels. It has the
ability to resist rust in the worst of conditions while maintaining ample edge
retention. The capability behind this steel is in the way it is manufactured,
resulting in the finest steel for use in harsh environments such as salt water.
The edge on an X15 T.N blade is easier to maintain.] [Boker marketing
hype: "X15 TN blade steel boasts an HRC of 58, with cutting power of 440C
or ATS-34. A virtually rust proof stainless steel with good edge retention.”]
[Opinion: “X15 is along the lines of 440A…Boker is hyping that X-15 is
being close to ATS-34. That's a big diffeence from 440A.”] Have not found
much information on this steel.
ZDP-189: “The next super steel is ZDP-189, This steel is incredible in edge
holding and hardness. The heat treating process for this steel is a guarded
secret. In tests conducted by Blade magazine ZDP-189 out performed VG-
10 by a factor of 10X. But cost is about 20X higher than VG-10. I have
noticed ZDP-189 will not take a super sharp edge like VG-10 or AUS-8 steel
will. That does not mean it won't take a good edge; the factory edge would
shave hair easily but when you run a finger over the edge it feels toothy and
slightly rough. ZDP-189 under this magnification shows a very angular
structure as compaired to VG-10.” A potentially very hard stainless steel
(Hardenable to a very hard 67-68 on the Rockwell hardness scale) has less
brittleness than usually accompanies such a hard steel. The high hardness
and carbide content results in superior edge retention in abrasive situations.
Often laminated with tougher steels. “ZDP-189 is a steel that has unusually
amazing edge retention and it has been measured as high as a 69 HRC.
While it is a cutting steel and will chip, it is not as brittle as one would
presume for such a hard steel.” Manufactured by Hitachi in Japan. "It's like
the Ferrari or Lamborghini of blade steels." “ZDP-189 is a powder
metallurgy martensitic stainless steel made by Hitachi Metals. ZDP-189 is
mainly promoted for the very high hardness 66/67 HRC which is rare in
staniless steels….”
Angles for Sharpening: From web: Edge angles [per side, not inclusive] can
vary from 10° to 40° , but most are between 15° (filet knives) and 30°
(survival knives). Different angles are suited for different tasks. What's
suitable in the kitchen will not do for camping. Twenty degrees [per side] is
about right for kitchen knives, twenty two [per side] degrees is good for
pocket knives, and twenty five degrees [per side] gives a long lasting edge to
a camp knife. Use circular strokes until the old scratch pattern is gone.
According to Lansky: 20° [per side]: A commonly used angle for higher
grade, quality blades. Provides an excellent edge for these types of knives.
Ideal for kitchen knives. 25° [per side]: The recommended angle for most
knives that need a durable, sharp edge. Ideal for hunting and outdoor knives.
30° [per side]: An outstanding angle for knives that see the heavy use of
cutting cardboard or carpets. Only for heavy duty use. “You're less likely to
chip S30V if you don't go lower than 30° (inclusive; or 15° per side) when
sharpening. Going to 40° (inclusive; or 20 per side) will let you take even
more advantage of its insane wear resistance, but you'll need more force to
cut.” The Spyderco Sharpmaker only has two angles: 30° inclusive
(15°/side) and 40° inclusive (20° per side), and generally people will use the
30° to shape the edge and the 40° to set a microbevel. “Sal (CEO of
Spyderco) says he sharpens all his knives at 30° [inclusive; 15° side].”
“Sebenza web site recommends a 40° [inclusive; 20° side] edge on their
knives.” NOTE: Ceramic stick-type sharpeners (such as the Sharpmaker)
tend to refer to inclusive angles; clamp-style sharpeners (such as the Lansky)
often reference single-side angles.
Comparisons:
I think Joe Talmadge explains the relative properties pretty well. (editor’s
note: Strength refers to edge roll resistance and toughness refers to chipping
and cracking resistance.) To Quote: ATS-34/154CM, VG-10, and S60V are
the next group up. It's difficult to make generalizations about ATS-34 and
154-CM -- they are in such widespread use that heat treat varies widely.
These steels provide a high-end performance benchmark for stainless steels,
and hold an edge well, and are tough enough for many uses (though not on
par with good non-stainlesses). They aren't very stain resistant, however.
VG-10 can be thought of as being like ATS-34 and 154-CM, but doing just
about everything a hair better. It's a little more stain resistant, tougher, holds
an edge a little better. And VG-10 has vanadium in it, it's fine-grained and
takes the best edge of this group. S60V has by far the best wear resistance of
the group, though consensus is becoming that it should be left around the
same hardness as 440C (56ish Rc), which means it will be relatively weak
compared to ATS-34, 154-CM, and VG-10, and so it will indent and lose its
edge quickly when strength is required. BG-42, S90V, and S30V constitute
the next group up. BG-42 has better wear resistance than all the previous
steels except for S60V. It is tougher than ATS-34, and more stain resistant.
It is wear resistant to the point where it can be difficult to sharpen. S90V
represents the ultimate in wear resistance in the steels discussed so far. Also
tougher than ATS-34, and more stain resistant. It can be very difficult to put
an edge on. It is difficult enough to machine than it is used almost
exclusively in custom knives, not production knives. In your buying
decisions, you might want to take into account the difficulty of sharpening
these steels. S30V backs off on the wear resistance of S90V, but is
significantly tougher and easier to sharpen. It is more wear resistant than
BG-42. The jury is still out, but it may end up this week's ultimate high-end
all-around stainless steel, due to high performance coupled with easier
machinability and sharpenability than the other steels in this class.
Some Sources (not a complete list):
http://members.home.nl/b.ollivier/html/SteelChart.htm
http://spyderco.com/forums/
http://users.ameritech.net/knives/steels.htm
http://www.benchmade.com/about_knives/our_blades.asp
http://www.bladeforums.com/
http://www.cutleryscience.com/
http://www.edgedconnection.com/bladesteels.html
http://www.internetarmory.com/knives.htm
http://www.knifeart.com/steelfaqbyjo.html
http://www.matweb.com/
http://www.seamountknifeworks.com/article6.htm
http://www.sff.net/people/pff/steel.txt
http://www.warrenknives.com/blade steels.htm

 

[Bowie Mike]

Thanks 709...

Very informative.

I have found S30V to be my favorite. It does take a little more time to sharpen, but it is a great steel.

 

[mete]

Some errors in there and some obsolete info too. Cryo does not increase toughness,there is actually a slight decrease in toughness. In the past both ATS-34 and 154CM have had some quality problems and availability problems. Crucible has come out with CPM versions of some steels which are tougher and easier to sharpen than the standard grades. 154CM=ATS-34, CPM154= RWL-34 [european ].They also have a CPM D2 version.These steels and S30V are not hard to sharpen as long as you use a good diamond or ceramic sharpener. Fallkniven has a super steel like S30V which is 3G. I don't know if anyone else uses it....We now have a large collection of knife steels including the very fine ones I've mentioned and that's great news !!

 

[The Mastiff]

Fallkniven has a super steel like S30V which is 3G. I don't know if anyone else uses it

Mete, Kershaw uses SG2=Super Gold 2, Falkniven uses Super Gold 1. There are 2 versions of super gold, with very small differences in chemistry. Falkniven laminates with VG2( SG1+VG2=SG3). I think Kershaw uses 420, not sure though and just calls it SG2.
http://www.e-tokko.com/eng_original_list.htm

Kershaw has had the chemistry posted in a thread here in the kershaw forum. Falkniven has it's chemistry posted on it's website. If I had more time I'd look them up and post them. They are very similar. Joe

 

[Ben Dover]

For the things that I use a knife for,
S90V (My all time favorite, so far)

D-2 (or better yet, CPM D-2)

S30V

Those three are all I need.

 

[kbaug06]

D2!!!