What is your favorite Blade Steel?

[Rusty McDonald]

Just out of curiosity what is your favorite steel for a Slipjoint?
I included a poll, you can choose more than 1 if you wish.

I know most prefer to have a Carbon steel if it can be had but what about the others?
1090 and all 10xx series steels
52100
O1
W2
440C
ATS-34
CPM-154cm
154cm
D2 ( I know it's a carbon steel but just barely)
Fallkniven's SGPS*
Case CV
M4*
M2*
S30V*
S60V*
S90V*
H1*
and the list goes on and on If I have missed your favorite one please list it. I will add to this list but cant change the Poll sorry.
*(I forgot these steels but they are not common to the Traditional slipjoint.)

 

[kc custom]

Ats-34, 01, and D2 in that order.
Ken.

 

[Blues]

I tend to go for 52100, D2 and CPM-154 ordinarily but so many of the others you listed are adequate (or better) that it's almost pointless for me to enumerate them all.

Fact is, I could be satisfied with a knife made with any of the steels on your list (since I already own knives that I like with each of them except Tru-Sharp).

 

[Chewy1]

You forgot Fallkniven's SGPS. Love that stuff! Super sharp, not bad to sharpen, and like 62 RC.

 

[knarfeng]

I actually like them all, though I voted for ATS-34.
By "ATS-34" I am including the same alloy sold as 154CM and 14-4 CrMo.

 

[hunterfisher808]

FOR slip joint knives I like 1095, D2, Case CV and ATS 34. that would pretty much cover the steels in my personal slippie lineup.

 

[BlazenGem]

Where is S30V?

 

[nate1714]

right now its H1 but who knows that could change in a few months....

 

[cotdt]

CPM M4, M2, 52100, S30V are my favorites but none are listed here. Boo.

 

[hunterfisher808]

I think the OP was polling steel used in traditional knives. I may be wrong but as this is the traditional forum I'm pretty confident that was his intent. I like a lot of the steel you listed and have them also....but in a different genre of knives.

CPM M4, M2, 52100, S30V are my favorites but none are listed here. Boo.

 

[JTR357]

I don't have many slipjoints,but I really like Case's CV,so that's what I voted for.

 

[jiggyfly16]

BG 42 is awesome on my seb....BG it is

 

[Ice Tigre]

you can remove 1 vote from ATS34 and move it too 154Cm, I miss clicked...

Day to day, I can swap back and forth through all I have and not know the difference, but long term use has given me these thoughts;

154CM or Case True Sharp for long term use where i am not likely to be able to sharpen soon or at all, 1095 or O1 for the best patina hues in existence(an utter rainbow!), Damascus for the best look, IF its not chemically etched, but simply let to patina.. Case CV or 1095 for the easiest sharpening...

If I have to narrow that down, then True Sharp, and 1095.

If I absolutely had to pick one.... The True Sharp. I've become a great believer in it with the (relative) ease of sharpening for the amount of time it holds an edge... months of use on my peanut without a touch up has made me love this stuff.

G.

 

[cotdt]

I think the OP was polling steel used in traditional knives. I may be wrong but as this is the traditional forum I'm pretty confident that was his intent. I like a lot of the steel you listed and have them also....but in a different genre of knives.

... yet he listed BG-42 and CPM154.

 

[Rusty McDonald]

... yet he listed BG-42 and CPM154.[/QUOTE

Gonna have to agree with Hunterfisher808 on this one, Not many Traditional slipjoints made out of M4 or M2. Spiderco and some of the other tactical/frame lock makers use it a bit but I have not seen many traditional slipjoint makers use it.
And most Custom makers will use CPM 154cm and BG-42.

I do apologize for not listing the S30v or S60v or S90v, but you rarely see them in a slipjoint either I will ad them to the list at the top of the post.

 

[300Bucks]

Well,
Here's my problem, I carry a slipjoint every day, but I got started in the multi-knife mode by collecting the old knives. Which I carried when I could find a old 'user', even doing that now. The old Buck's were 440C which was good for me but I limited my experience by doing this. I have never sharpened much of anything but 420HC, 440C+A,carbon, misc. stainless filet knife steel and ATS34(once). Hence, I am steel deprived in my experince.

I can feel a difference and like the vibration and sound of carbon steel on the stones and the few I have fiddled with I like using the mustard treatment to get that "blue" patina...... But, when skinning big game it dulls out before the job is done.

I am a user who became a collector and I guess I will have to live with the stigma and handicap of my old time steel "limitation". My Buck '400s' steel ain't the worst of the lot so I will just be happy in my own shoes......I keep hoping for a new model issue with jigged bone scales and fancy steel, maybe someday........300Bucks

PS I know it is a blot on my record, but the best skinning knife I have ever experienced was a ceramic bladed one....I know I shouldn't of used it but I was young and everyone else was.

 

[Peregrin]

I prefer CPM154 and ATS-34 for my slipjoint blades. They both sharpen well, hold a nice edge and I like stainless steel in a pocket knife, especially one that I've paid hundreds of dollars for.

I do have others in Damascus, D2 and BG-42 and all have served me well.

 

[jackknife]

Well, since 3 out of my 4 peanuts are CV, and my small yella soddie is CV, I must love the stuff.

 

[blades&grace]

I Like D-2!

 

[wintermute]

1095 and Case CV for normal use. If I ever get one of them real purdy custom jobbies, I'd definitely want it in CPM-154