What is the best stainless for a bushcraft knife?

[SouthernCross]

G'day baliodude.

I'm not in a position to nominate a best steel. There's too many good ones from reputable makers

What I can comment on is my experienecs with two of them for a number of years now.

I've been using VG10 for the last 5+ years and 3G for the last 4 1/2 years. Both are fine steels for bushcraft (and hunting & Fishing & the kitchen & ....).

I use a refined edge and have not noticed any tendency in either VG10 or 3G to chip when working seasoned hardwood.

The same can be said when processing animals...

or opening oysters (with care)

VG10 at 59Rc has good edge holding and with a polished edge hasn't shown itself to be prone to chipping.

3G with a edging steel at 62Rc, has about 2x the edge holding of VG10 without being prone to chipping either.

Both are fine steels that work well in a range of knife related tasks. Personally I prefer the edge holding of the 3G and have both bushcraft blades in it.

Good luck with your choice.


Kind regrads
Mick

 

[ZombaiO]

Buck's 420 HC ! I love it

 

[Marion David Poff]

Without changing the subject...

A very important thing to consider is your skill at sharpening...

If you have high skill, then the world is your oyster... Think any of the V steels, with high carbon and high vanadium, which then leaves all the chromium free for stain resistance.

If your sharpening skill is not so good, then a simpler/softer stainless would be best. Think the steels the some people sneer at... 440A and the like, or step up a bit, like into 4116 Thyssen Krupp, one of the better steels in that range. I love the 440A in my Ka-Bar Dozier folder, it takes a wicked wicked edge, best edge I can make.

Another consideration is how hard or how careless you are with a knife....

If you are very careful and aren't likely to push the knife too hard, then any steel will do.... And in my personal opinion, some steels have undeserved reputations, because their owners never really push their knives to see the steels limits.... see Cliff Stamp spank knife after knife, many of which get glowing reports from throngs of fans.

If you are kind of abusive, and not very careful, if you like to take things to the limit, and then push just a little farther..... Then a tool steel, which will have more stain resistance than simple carbon steel, may be a good choice. I have heard from what I consider a reputable source, that 3V is about a tough as you could imagine a knife could be.

Hope that helps,
Marion

 

[AfterTFD]

...I think I'll actually help with answering the QUESTION, and agree with the post above. S30V and VG-10, if heat treated properly, are great outdoor STEELS

Ok, I'll play along. The following stainless steels among others could be used to produce a very high quality bushcraft knife (in no particular order):
154 CM
CPM 154 CM
ATS-34
AUS 8
8Cr14MoV
X15 T.N.
3G
S30V
VG-10
12C27
440C
N690
13C26
9Cr13CoMoV
INFI: Not technically "stainless" but very stain resistant



Buck's 420 HC is a good example of the importance of heat treatment. The fact is it's a mediocre steel that is made to perform very well due to an uncompromisingly superb heat treatment.