What is your favorite steel and why???

TattooBlade

TattooBlade

Joined
Apr 4, 2009
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I own many knives of many different steels. I've learned most of what I know about steel from surfing the net, this site and talking with a few custom makers. I own blades in 1095, CPM 154, S30V and A2, oh yeah, and 440c and I'm sure a few others. Just curious what you guys like and why.

Thanks
 
I like S7. Jeremy Horton made this knife for me, and it my most used fixed blade knife. S7 is a tough tool steel that is easy to sharpen.



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Ive had really good luck in Gossmans A2....Its my favorite. The stain resistance, and edge holding vs. ease of sharpining work nicely for me.

However its all in the HT...Ive had O1 that is fantastic, and O1 that sucked. Same with any steel I guess....
 
It all depends. Different steels for different knives and different applications. I wouldn't want 01 on my fillet knives, but I love it on my scandi bushcraft style knives.

I have yet to find my favorite knife let along my favorite steel...
 
Anything that holds a decent edge, and is relatively easy to sharpen. O1 has generally been my favorite though.
 
I like a lot of the steels used in cutlery today. Old stand by steels like 1095, O1, 5160 and others are great and I certainly use them plenty, particularly in my fixed blades which are few compared to my folders. I have played with several 3V blades in recent months that merit high praise also.

Although I have some carbon blade folders the number of those compared to stainless is quite low so I'd have to say from looking at my own collection that its apparent that I prefer stainless in my folding knives. Looking over my collection its amazing how many folding knives I have in 440C that are among my favorite knives. While this steel may not be one of the so called super performers for edge keeping I find its more than adequate for my uses and 440C steel touches up easier than more wear resistant steels when it does dull so I like that also.

I like ATS34 a lot and have many of those anymore even though I had many in the past that I had burr problems with in this steel. I've found here in recent years that it seemed to be more related to hardness and heat treat issues with this steel and since learning what to look for I've been quite happy with my knives in this steel and even started using it myself in my own custom folders. S30V of course is a great steel with a 440C as the base platform steel that it was developed around. BG42 is in my opinion a fine alloy and among my faves personally. I've used other steels I found quite good like 20CV in my Hinderer folders. These are very good edge keepers also and seem quite tough to boot. I'm also fond of all the AUS steels out of Japan and often times find myself carrying a folder with that steel. I can't say I've ever found a complaint about these AUS Japanese steels. I prefer them over many of the so called better steels made in Japan. Overall for all around use for edge keeping, toughness and corrosion resistance I've been very pleased with them.

STR
 
I like D2 and O1 but recently got a knife in 3V and so far I would rate it above the previous two but I haven't given it what I would consider hard use yet.
 
pitdog said:
I don't think ya can go far wrong with good old 1095 !
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Good old 1095 is my favorite. Some people find it bothersome to have to maintain this high carbon steel, but I never have. But then I grew up with this blade steel and learned early to love good, honest patina. I have hunting knives dating back to the very early 1900's (like the pre-patent Marbles Woodcraft, some early Remingtons, a Kingston etc.) and the steel is just as good now as it was then.

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Oh yeah, why? I find it is hard enough to stay sharp for the tasks I use a knife for, yet easy to resharpen when needed. And I like a good patina. I've even been known to force a patina on a new knife. IMHO, it gives the blade charactor and a bit of corrosion protection like bluing or browning on a gun.
 
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Codger said it all.

I've been carrying knives in 1095 all my life, even before I knew what 1095 was, and they've served me well. It's a steel that I really like and, although I own knives in other steels, 1095 is still my favorite.

You young whippersnappers can have your fancy steels, and I'll take 1095, by cracky.
 
TattooBlade said:
What do you guys think of the A2, S30V and CPM steels???
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Any steel can be made good or bad by heat treat and quench. I have one knife made with O1 and while I was hesitant, I love it and can not tell the diference between that steel and 1095. I credit the maker, Breeden with that.

I own and use a variety of stanless steels for non-woodsrunning tasks such as in my kitchen and in my work solely because of increased corrosion resistance. I work with caustic pool chemicals. But they are somewhat harder to sharpen (to me) than carbon steel blades. I can't tell you about A2, S30V and CPM though.
 
1095 is good, but the question wasn't "What steel is good enough for you?"

What is my favorite steel? Hard to pin it down to just one, but if I had to, I'd say INFI. It's one of the few "super steels" that lives up to its hype. It's extremely tough, pretty resistant to corrosion, and surprisingly, quite easy to sharpen, even with normal stones.

A close runner up is 5160. I love it because it's also very tough, and there isn't any other steel that I can get as sharp as 5160.
 
Cpl Punishment said:
1095 is good, but the question wasn't "What steel is good enough for you?"

What is my favorite steel? Hard to pin it down to just one, but if I had to, I'd say INFI. It's one of the few "super steels" that lives up to its hype. It's extremely tough, pretty resistant to corrosion, and surprisingly, quite easy to sharpen, even with normal stones.

A close runner up is 5160. I love it because it's also very tough, and there isn't any other steel that I can get as sharp as 5160.
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That was actually demeaning, Cpl. The question was "what's your favorite steel?" Your implication is that, if we like 1095, we're just settling for a lesser "good enough" steel. I happen to like 1095: it is my favorite steel.

That's not to say that there aren't other good steels out there, and one of them may be your favorite, but allow others to make their own choices.

From what I've read about Infi, I suspect that it very well might be my favorite if I owned a blade made from it. Since I don't, 1095 is still my favorite.

YMMV.
 
I LIKE a steel that works well for me. And it is good enough. I've never had a 1095 blade fail me for the tasks I use one for. Do you have an INFI blade that is nearly one hundred years old and still works like new? If that steel is either good enough for you or simply your favorite, then great. I'll still like and use my 1095 until I can buy a blade made from unobtanium. :D
 
That's a tough one. Just about all my fixed blades are 1095 HC. But I really REALLY dig Solingen Stainless.

I'm gonna have to say it's a tie between those two. That or their just so close to me old heart that I can't see who's crossing the line first.
 
It can depend on what the knife will be used for.

For large, rough use knives I really like S7 (SY Dogfather) and SR101 (S5 and Swamp Warden, latter is my EDC).

I like CPMD2 (Millie) and S30V (Swick) for smaller utility knives that won't used used for things like chopping and prying. Both hold an edge well, resist corrosion and are easy for me to sharpen.

I'm a big fan of H1 for serrated blades (Salt 1, Tasman Salt, Spyderhawk). Holds an edge well and these knives make great summer EDC's so I don't have to worry about rust. I have an Aqua Salt PE that performs well but my S5 does take a more aggressive edge and hold it well, though the Aqua Salt is very tough and stain proof.
 
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