What are your favourite knife steels?

For user knives:

1095 (from ESEE (Rowen))
Aus8 (from SOG)
Vg10 (from Spyderco, and laminated from Fallkniven)
 
3G and Lam CoS: currently used by Fallkniven in fixed and folders alike. Both are superb edge holders and not unreasonable to maintain. The VG 10 Used ain't to shabby either.
 
154cm, CPM M4, and S30v are the only premium steels I have owned. They work great but I find myself using cheaper steels most often. Moras and Victorinox get the most use in my house.

I have been extremely impressed with the 154cm in my Benchmade. It has held a wicked edge for quite a while and maintained it with only light stropping.
 
SurvivalKnives said:
Thanks for all that info - especially from a butcher. I am sure learning a lot about 1095 steel. I don't own a knife made of 1095 steel YET. I think I need to get one - maybe a Becker BK 2?
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Caution, you will not buy Just one Becker. Consider that your first warning. Check out the Becker subforum.

Depending on what you want to use it for. The 2 is a tank, I would suggest a 15/16/17 or a 10/12 as a first Becker. I suggested those as overall usage without being too heavy and still great camp knives. Especially the 16, but the 15 is on sale Cheap.

I know it looks like a kitchen knife, but it just works. Steepen the edge angle a little and keep a small diamond rod/card on you and you shouldn't need much else for campsite/hiking needs.

Check out coyle outdoors ( http://www.coyleoutdoors.com/bk-15/ ), Tate is a Great guy and will make sure you get Exactly what you need/want.
 
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My favorite steels are high carbon steels, opinels, Mora's, Ontario knives in 1095, and super blue. It just sharpens up so easily and to a razor edge. Super blue is prone to chipping, which makes it good for light tasks like food prep and breaking down boxes. 1095 just takes a beating and asks for more. M4 is pretty sweet too. My m4 Ritter saved our ass once out on the water, I had to cut through several copper wires to repair the transmission controller. I expected a rolled edge or something, but there was nothing. Still sharp as f. Shocked.

I find s90v somewhat annoying, as I prefer a shaving edge all the time. It will cut forever, but its a chore to sharpen and loses its razor edge quickly.

Another favorite of mine is CTS-XHP. I find that it takes a finer edge than S30V and holds it longer. My spyderco chaparral is amazing.
 
SurvivalKnives said:
what is your favourite knife steel?
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Call me, "Will Rogers." I never met a steel I didn't like.

Which category of steel I like at any one time depends partly on what I'm doing with the knife. There's lots of categories. And there's likely 6 or 7 alloys in each category.

Tool steel O1, W1
Alloy steel 1095 Cro Van and Case CV
Carbon steel. 1095, 1085, 1075
Medium carbon stainless 420HC
Carbide containing stainless. 440C, 154CM
PM alloys (S30V)

I like em all. Which one I like best, depends on what I'm doing with the knife.
 
Current overall favorite is CPM 3V (my experience is with Bark River). Much easier for me to sharpen than S30V, durable, and resists corrosion pretty easily with minimal maintenance.
 
CPM-20CV and CPM-S35VN
 
Used to be VG10 but M390/20cv/204p has won me over.



Well..........That is unless the knife is 4+ inches and then I would probably prefer CPM 3v.
 
non stainless:
CPM 3V. needs no introduction
80crv2. Tough and great edge holding.
O1. just great steel

Stainless
M390. speaks for itself in edge holding
Elmax. just awesome for hard use stainless.
CPM 154 pretty good all round
12C27. great sharpness, fairly good edge holding and super tough.

Still love 440c... basic, good and affordable

All of these are depending on usage in my opinion... but all have performed very well.
 
Favorite steels I own are,

1095 in a '60's Schrade-Walden Deerslayer fixed blade.
The 420x of my '70's Tekna dive knife.
G-2@59RC -- circa '92 Benchmade Panther folder.
Hitachi White #2 -- BK-11 san mai necker.
VG-10 -- Gryphon M-10 fixed.

...and good D-2.

I prefer easier to sharpen steels...because they are easier to make real sharp.
 
So far, my favorite steel is Benchmade's S30v, followed by their 154cm.

For an entry level steel, I love the Sandvik 14c28n that Kerhaw offers on some of their knives.

Never had the chance to use any of those fancy, uptown steels yet.
 
SurvivalKnives said:
I agree, it depends on your environment and what your using it for.
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I agree completely depends on what knife and what you use it for outdoor fixed blade I prefer 1095 or A2 ... on my folders I like several steels I guess top three would be M4 ... M390 ... and Sandivik but are so many good quality steels and different one excel at different things.
 
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