What is a good "Starter steel?"

I'd say start with something cheap. Really cheap. Don't worry too much about what kind of steel it is, worry about the price, because there's a pretty good chance you're going to bugger it up. Once you get your technique down, you can move on to the more-expensive stuff.
 
Samael said:
I'd say start with something cheap. Really cheap. Don't worry too much about what kind of steel it is, worry about the price, because there's a pretty good chance you're going to bugger it up. Once you get your technique down, you can move on to the more-expensive stuff.
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+1 :thumbup:
 
Buck 420HC. It takes a fine edge. The 301 stockman is a good place to start -three blades to sharpen for less than $30.
Kershaw's sandvik steel
AUS8
Victorinox steel is great to learn on. (Look for used ones)
 
Get something cheap, but also something decent enough it will take an edge. If you get a gas station $5 knife, the blade might not take a good edge regardless to your best effort, thus discouraging the kid.

Anything below 440C is easy enough to sharpen for a beginner with a cheap hardware store stone. Think 420HC, AUS8, 13C26N (or its newest incarnation 14C28N), or any carbon steel (1055, 1095, etc.).
 
Perhaps a $20 or less buck from your local sporting goods store, 420HC will be simple enough to sharpen, and it takes a good enough edge so that you can tell when it's sharp.
 
420HC was actually the first thing that popped into my mind, too. It's relatively easy to sharpen, and you'll sure get lots of practice.
 
Another vote for a Buck knife in 420HC. Not real expensive. Easy to sharpen Takes a great edge.
 
Go out and buy yourself a couple of Opinel carbon steel knives. Say a #6 and a #10. These are cheap as chips, steel is easy to sharpen, even reprofiling on a Spyderco Sharpmaker is not much of a chore and, to top it off, they're excellent value for money cheap pocket knives.

If you bugger one up, no problem, start again. If you REALLY bugger it up, no big deal, they don't cost much, get another one.

They'd be good starters and those two sizes will give you an idea of sharpening different sized blades.

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Buck's 420HC would be a great place to start. You can also use junk kitchen knives to practice making even bevels at a consistent angle.
 
I suppose a monkey wrench to toss in is what kind of sharpening stone/device/system are you going to be using?

When I started, I had to teach myself to use freehand on an Arkansas stone, then I got a lansky clamp system, which makes re-beveling a lot easier, and more recently I bought a poor man's sharpmaker (a lansky turnbox set) for touchups.
 
The opinel, the case CV sodbuster ( or other style case with a CV blade), The Mercator, or the Douk Douk.

These are simple carbon steel blades that are run fairly soft, to middle of the 50"s RC. Very, very easy to learn to sharpen, or reprofile on. On my Mercator "black cat" knife I was able to actually hear the burr snap off.

If you prefer stainless steels I'd suggest something in aus6 steel, not too thick or obtuse of a grind. It's the stainless equivalent of the above steels when it comes to ease of sharpening. It's a great way to learn how to put hair shaving edges on a knife.

I'd suggest not beginning with D2, S30V, ZDP 189, and a few more that are best left to people with experience, and diamond sharpening systems.
 
deerhunterp said:
What steel is good for a kid who is just starting to sharpen?
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S125V. It'll teach him patience, and it should be a little sharper by the time he's an adult.:D

In all seriousness, I'd echo what the others have stated in choosing a steel that's easy to sharpen, but I'd recommend something more along the lines of AUS-8. I've found it just as easy to sharpen as 420HC, especially using a system like the Spyderco Sharpmaker, but find it takes a better edge and holds it a quite a bit longer.
 
gajinoz said:
Go out and buy yourself a couple of Opinel carbon steel knives. Say a #6 and a #10. These are cheap as chips, steel is easy to sharpen, even reprofiling on a Spyderco Sharpmaker is not much of a chore and, to top it off, they're excellent value for money cheap pocket knives.

If you bugger one up, no problem, start again. If you REALLY bugger it up, no big deal, they don't cost much, get another one.

They'd be good starters and those two sizes will give you an idea of sharpening different sized blades.

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This is OT, but damn those are nice shots, Gajinoz! For the mandatory knife content, I think that an Opinel is a great choice to learn on.
 
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