What did we use before the “age of supersteels?”

TheEdge01 said:
Sounds like you could use something like this

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No. That is an abomination. This worked just fine on the job.





Only had to really sharpen it once a year. Used a smooth steel to realign or a strop to pop the edge back up in between.

Through the course of that job I learned just what’s what when it comes to actually using different steels. I’m not one to pontificate on statistics and what should do what out of the alphabet soup of steel types, but I can tell you Al Mar’s VG10 is good stuff.

I can also tell you INFI is the real deal as far as toughness goes and holds an edge a lot longer than most think it would. Also, Cold Steel’s AUS8 that a lot of folks say is the best ever, isn’t. It sucks. I had to sharpen it much more often. It would take a razor edge, but it would get knocked off to a “working edge” instantly and go to subpar in short order (a week or two). Benchmade’s S30V is badass.
 
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So what I learned so far from this thread: It’s definitely great to have modern, high-end steels. But for the most part, our ancestors were able to get by just fine with less sophisticated alloys.
 
not2sharp said:
There nothing wrong with that. Just how much cutting would you want to do in a session? A lot of the steel snob attitude seems to come from people who are terrified by the prospect of ever sharpening a knife. I remember the old time neighborhood butcher or hunters just stopping every so often to touch up their knives before continuing. They were back at it in under 30 seconds and nobody cared.

n2s
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Yes, you know it's funny...I like all the super edge holding steels, but I find myself sharpening them often anyway, just because I also like to maintain that top-tier level of sharpness.
There's no doubt that the modern "super steels" represent a huge gain for edge performance, but no steel holds a hair-popping edge for very long.
 
There were sort of "super steels" way back upon a time. Like Wootz. There were a few places in the world where they found ore that contained some beneficial elements, such as Vanadium. They learned how to smelt it and the smiths learned how to process it into blades they were superior at the time. They didn't know what was in it but they knew it worked.

Others found hematite or magnetite sand in river beds and processed that in charcoal forges. Seems to me it was a rather clean iron and the charcoal forges may have added enough carbon to make a decent steel for the time.
 
I think 'super-steels' are best at emptying wallets than they are out in the field actually cutting. The warm and fuzzy feelings knife hoarders get knowing their knife is xyz-super steel with a bunch of unused knives that were never bought to be actually used. The best steel is the one that has helped you cut the most amount of things, not one that meets criteria on a spec sheet...
 
Yup! Tougher steels, and hotter hot peppers; are showing up at faster and faster paces...
 
Yes people have cut things with lots of different materials before super steels came along and before iron and steel came along. Flint, obsidian, glass, bone, copper and other things that we wouldn’t think of trying to use.

If it weren’t for these “super steels “ and the men who dared to do things outside of contemporary thinking we probably wouldn’t have had the industrial revolution or many of the modern age items we use everyday.

Some have mentioned that super steels aren’t necessary for the mundane tasks that most people do and that’s probably not far off base. But for some other people they are more than just pocket jewelry. The professional, industrial, trades, craftsman, and serious outdoorsmen super steels have helped raise the bar in optimum performance. Not only in knives and other edged tools but in machinery, tools of many kinds, equipment, medical equipment for doctors, EMTs , dental tools and equipment for dentist, many other professionals. These special metal steels and the technology that came with them are taken for granted if we dismiss them as being un-necessary.
Just think, the knife knuts around the world have helped to get us where we are today in modern times. 😆
 
I've always found it odd that the industry that uses a knife the most: Chefs and restaurants, etc, never use the "Supersteel of the week" mantra. Very few kitchen cutlery companies even advertise their steel, yet they get used far more regularly and harshly the 99% of the super steel knives sold to the ELU's....
 
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