What is the ULTIMATE super steel?

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shane45-1911 said:
Proof again, that your ignorance and trollish behavior knows no boundaries. :rolleyes:

I have several D2 examples that compete favorably against any of my "super steel" knives.
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I'm starting to think you really love me, Shane. IT'S ALL GOOD, because I love you, too. 😊

Please, enlighten me. What is the threshold that D2 breaks at? How many ft lbs of pressure?
 
sharpknives23 said:
Question: if we can coat knives in a TiCN coating, or a DLC coating, have you considered developing a steel that has great hardness and blade retention at the cost of being prone to corrosion? Is there even a way? (Please pardon my ignorance if the question is farfetched)
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If it is only hardness and edge retention you are after you should take a look at S125V, MAXAMET and REX 121.

They can take high hardness and have insane edge retention. BUT that comes at a cost; they can be pretty chippy and can snap on you if you dont know what you are doing. They also require some oil maintenance to keep from corroding.

EDIT: They can also be a mf to sharpen..
 
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S sharpknives23 , do you have an app. called Knife Steel Composition Database ? If you don't, then you need to get it on your phone. If I'm not mistaken, the person whom put it together is a member here. It will help in the very question you've asked in this thread. It will also help educate you on the different steels. There is a plethora of knowledge here and by observing what other members mention about the different steels, you can choose which steel will be your ultimate super steel.
 
Look up pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis. Hell, try to say it! I could, in the 5th grade. Don't dare me...
 
RousingRabbles said:
This is one of those questions that would be relegated to a perma-thread labeled “FAQs for knife newbie’s” if we had one. It has been asked countless times, and many of us here have likely mulled over the same idea in search for the illusive “ultimate knife.” For better or worse, though we all have our preferences, and new “super steels” enter the market consistently, the answers for this question remain more or less the same.

1. As others have pointed out, there are trade offs with every steel, and the answer of which is best can change depending on intended use, ability to sharpen, blade geometry, etc

2. Heat treat is arguably one of the most important factors when comparing the attributes of a steel, if not the most important. A poorly heat treated magnacut, 3v or m390 will be outclassed in every way by a well heat treated D2 or 420HC. So even if you think you have the answer for yourself, your mileage can very significantly from maker to maker.

3. Try different blades, experiment, find the attributes you value in a good knife, and you’ll find the steels your more drawn to. My personal favorites lately have been Elmax, and S35VN for folders or smaller fixed blades, and good quality 3v in my larger fixed blades.

4. Another attribute to any good knife is the warranty to back it up. If a company doesn’t offer a strong warranty for their blades then there’s a good chance they don’t have enough confidence in their own work to stand behind it. Esee does amazing things with 1095, Carothers makes a bomb proof delta 3v, and Buck has one of the best produced 420HCs you’ll ever find. They all back it with an excellent warranty. And most other reputable makers will do they same.
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This is the real answer. Heat treat and geometry trump steel choice any day. In fact, I'd argue that choice of steel means nothing if you can't get the heat treat and geometry right.
 
Can a "Bos" heat treatment make a "pretty good" steel: act like a "super" steel?
 
Not sure about BOS in particular, but many custom makers have heat treated steels like 52100 and ultra blue (which are by no means super steels) to some incredible results. I'd take a custom in either of those steels over a batch produced s30v knife.
 
nattynarwhal said:
This is the real answer. Heat treat and geometry trump steel choice any day. In fact, I'd argue that choice of steel means nothing if you can't get the heat treat and geometry right.
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Yes, most of us knows this, but if we are to compare different steel types, we will also have to asume they are treated right and have good geometry.

Then you are left with only the composition of the steels. That is the OP's question. And from what I gather, he is only after edge retention.
 
shane45-1911 said:
I was afraid you were going to reference that video as your source. Unfortunately, his statements carry no more weight than anyone who reviews knives on the Tube. He is not a metallurgy expert, nor is he a bladesmith.

I could make my own videos (if I was so inclined) that show just how good my D2 blades are - even when compared with some of my premium-steel knives as I mentioned in my previous post.

The bottom line is, that everything is a variable. D2 can differ substantially from manufacturer to manufacturer, all dependent upon the quality of the base metal, the heat treating process, the edge geometry of the finished blade, etc.

A good quality D2 blade will still outperform an AUS 8 blade. And while I am neither a metallurgist or knife maker, I have 40 years under my belt using every type of steel imaginable, from dozens (hundreds?) of makers and manufacturers, for every task imaginable. And there is no way that AUS 8 compares D2, let alone surpasses it.
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As I mentioned before, this was about the very specific situation of D2 being used in high production knives, and nothing whatsoever to do with low production and custom knives, where the problem cited wouldn't be an issue. The guy doing the testing is very clear that this isn't about low production and custom knives. Of course a good quality D2 blade will outperform an Aus 8 blade. The problem cited is that D2 is more susceptible to fluctuations in the heat treatment, when the manufacturer is tossing hundreds of them into the oven at a time, than steels like Aus 8. It would mean that you're rolling the dice with D2 in mass production knives. Some will be perfectly fine and others not so much. Again, absolutely nothing to do with low production or custom knives made from D2.

 
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