What is your favorite steel and why???

When done right, D2, SR101,1095/01, A2. BRKT stainless, the number escapes me this morning.

My favorite steel has to be affordable to me or it's useless, this leaves out many of the super steels.
 
CPM S90V (Spyderco Military and Mule) has been my favorite steel because it holds an edge so well. But I will carry pretty much any blade steel.
 
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You don't see many camp/bush style blades made from it but my all times favorite is
Aus-8 as far as folders go.

It is relativly tough , takes a very nice edge and is easy to sharpen.

Otherwise , put me down as a 1095 fan as well.

tostig
 
Carbon tool steel, A2 and O1 are my favorites with an extra nod to A2. I've beat the sh*t out of both steels over the years and they come back for more. Stainless steels, my absolute favorite is CPM 154. Edge holding is unbelievable. I also like 154CM and 440C.
Scott
 
The knives that work well for me come in a variety of steels. The ones that I particularly like are carbon steel, and O1, A2, 1095, D2 and 52100 seem particularly good for the tasks I use them for.
 
INFI is my favorite because it has the best balance of all steel qualities. My S30-V lone wolf edge chipped and I have never used it hard. Kabar 1095 has been very good over the years. My 420 HC leatherman has been good for a stainless blade.
 
I don't really pay attention to steel anymore. I buy a maker's craftsmanship and make my decisions about who I'm investing in. I've learned to trust their judgment and experience. I have found that those markets that depend on cycling the same knife design over and over again but offering it in the latest new steel rather off putting.
 
Tostig said:
You don't see many camp/bush style blades made from it but my all times favorite is
Aus-8 as far as folders go.

It is relativly tough , takes a very nice edge and is easy to sharpen.

Otherwise , put me down as a 1095 fan as well.

tostig
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I'm a fan of Aus-8 too. Like opinel carbon steel, it hold an edge long enough to get the job done and can then be stropped back to a razor edge.

I have knives in O1, 1095, 1075, 440C, VG10, and Aus-8. They all work well. I think that I'm at a stage now where as long as it's a decent steel with a good heat treat, I'm more interested in the edge geometry.
 
have always been a fan of 1095. the steel on my yard guard (S7) has me wondering "what cant this thing do?" and i am currently having a knifemaker make me a custom in 154 CM. have never tried the steel but i have read a lot of good reviews on it. so once i get that one i will be able to make my judgment on it.
 
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A few of my favorite knives (Fowler, Burke, Olson, old Marbles) are 52100. Also have quite a few good blades in 1095, 01, etc. And I've always been happy with D2 from Dozier.

DancesWithKnives
 
dawsonbob said:
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.
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No, it's not.

I think people are getting sand in their girl parts way too easy these days. <~~ that's demeaning.

The question was "What's your favorite steel?" The posts previous to mine often said "1095 is plenty good. . .works for me. . ." etc. They didn't say it was their favorite.

If you've read many of my posts, you'd find I am a big fan of 1095, but is it my favorite? No. 5160 is better, objectively, and as far as folks wanting to try the old "But has it been around as long" argument, 5160 is exactly new. But if you want to run with that line of thinking, then bronze, copper or even stone blades still exist and have been around thousands of years before 1095, so they must be better, yes? ;)

Have I not been the one who is lately championing the idea that anything you can make sharp can be "good enough"? So how would I be demeaning to someone who likes 1095?

I just want to be sure they are answering the question. I think everyone knows 1095 is "good enough". Is it your favorite? Then say so, (like the posts after your have).
 
Cpl Punishment said:
No, it's not.

I think people are getting sand in their girl parts way too easy these days. <~~ that's demeaning.

The question was "What's your favorite steel?" The posts previous to mine often said "1095 is plenty good. . .works for me. . ." etc. They didn't say it was their favorite.

If you've read many of my posts, you'd find I am a big fan of 1095, but is it my favorite? No. 5160 is better, objectively, and as far as folks wanting to try the old "But has it been around as long" argument, 5160 is exactly new. But if you want to run with that line of thinking, then bronze, copper or even stone blades still exist and have been around thousands of years before 1095, so they must be better, yes? ;)

Have I not been the one who is lately championing the idea that anything you can make sharp can be "good enough"? So how would I be demeaning to someone who likes 1095?

I just want to be sure they are answering the question. I think everyone knows 1095 is "good enough". Is it your favorite? Then say so, (like the posts after your have).
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Yes, the original question was "What's your favorite steel?" which I answered in post number 13, well before the post to which you refer. I answered there that 1095 was my favorite steel. Still is.

Yes, I do read your posts, and generally respond favorably since they're almost always well reasoned and well presented. This one, IMO, was not, and I read it exactly like I responded, as a put down of those of us who expressed a liking for 1095. If you have another steel that you like better, that's up to you, and you can express that. That, after all, was the purpose of the thread.

Never, at any time, have I said anything about how old or new a steel is. If it's a good steel, it's a good steel, whether it's 500 years old or was developed yesterday: good is good, period. Where you came up with this "But if you want to run with that line of thinking, then bronze, copper or even stone blades still exist and have been around thousands of years before 1095, so they must be better, yes?" thing, I have no idea.

This is not meant as a personal put down in any way, shape or form. I was merely pointing out that your post came across as a put down of those who favored 1095. I do read your posts, and have for quite awhile. As I said, they are generally insightful and well reasoned. This one wasn't, in my opinion.
 
I own and like:

A2
D2
1095
1075
01
CPM 154
12C27

All have worked very well for me. Edge geometry seems to be the deciding factor.

TF
 
I think my favorite all around steel is VG10. I have several spydercos and an Al Mar with it. It's easy to sharpen and holds and edge well.

I like my S30Vs but find them a little harder to sharpen than I'd like. I bought the diamond sharpmaker sticks which make it much easier, but I still find it difficult.

For carbon, NWA's 01 is great and I've had many 1095s that I like. Ranger's 5120 (pretty sure that's the number) is great.

Benchmade makes a great 440c.
 
There are far too many great steels for me to have a favorite. But I have favorites - assuming the heat treat and geometries are right on:

For smaller knives used for hunting, CPM 10v, Dozier D2.
For smaller knives for general woodcraft, 1095, O1, SR101/52100, Carbon V/0170-6C, CPM 3V
For larger choppers, INFI, Carbon V, 5160
For bragging about edge holding, ZDP 189, M2 HSS
 
cpm3v is my favorite but any carbon steel will do, I really hate stainless there are a few exceptions but for the most part stainless doesnt float my boat.
 
Personally my favourite steels are both laminated stainless steels. 3G is my favourite, with laminated VG10 being my second favourite.

Both take & hold very good edges (the SGPS edging steel in the 3G holds its' edge for about twice as long as VG10).

With a polished edge, neither steel has shown any tendency to chip.

I haven't had any difficulty maintaining or sharpening the edge on either 3G or VG10, especially on extended field trips :thumbup:

Both have proven to have good corrosion resistance.

I'm currently evaluating 3V, which at this stage shows every indication that it will also join the ranks of favoured steel :thumbup:




Kind regards
Mick
 
For small to medium sized blade, It's M2. Reasons are followings.

Benefits
+ Developed for cutting job. Excellent in both hardness and toughness. Keeps excellent edge exceptionally long.
+ Heat-treat is well-known. Can be processed to it's best at professional heat-treat shops without no mistakes.
+ Readily available in all sizes (thickness)

Shortcomings
- Loses it's edge rapidly if sufferes corrosion
- Difficult to heat-treat at home nor differentially

For larger blade, differentially hardened straight carbon steel is best (in my imagination :D).
 
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