Whats Best?

Bruce Bump

Bruce Bump

Joined
Dec 2, 1999
Messages
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What in your opinion would be the best blade steel for an EDC (every day carry) folding pocket knife? I use my knife for everything from cleaning my finger nails to scrapeing paint off the house siding before repainting. My ats-34 blade is dull again. What is your favorite? I would switch if I could find the best edge holding and toughness ratio. Stainless or high carbon, either one is fine with me. I just want it to work and work good.
 
Bruce,
I'd have to go with S90V (420V). D2 is my second choice. The newer 154CM would be the third.
Problem with S90V is:
1-More expensive
2-More difficult to heat treat
3-More difficult to grind and finish
But, IMHO, it's worth it.

Stellite 6K is my all time favorite but is out of the ballpark for most makers/customers due to costs, difficulty of working/grinding.

:)
 
Hey Bruce

I like carbon steels so when I start
makeing pocket knives I`ll use D2 or O1.
The only folders I make now is friction
folders with 1095 or L6.
I had one customer fieldress two deer
with a F.F. & he said it would still shave
hair. Just my oppinion
 
i don't make folders but i have been useing more BG-42 instead of ATS-34/440c and have been real happy with the results. paul bos does the heat treat.its just a little harder than ats to grind and improved edge retention and corrosion resistance. the heat treat is the same as ATS-34
 
The most outstanding and I do mean outstanding steel for edge holding is David Boye.s dendritic cobalt. Far more edge holding than talonite or 440v and very easy to sharpen. This steel does not take buffing and with a very fine hand finish it may show cloudyness in places. Certainly this is my opinion but having used most of the more accepted steels for edge holding I am willing to be very strong in my opinion because of the results I.ve seen from each type. One thing it does not have is a lot of elasticity and will a some point start to bend. Not ever making a very flexible blade such as perhaps a fillet knife my testing on this was very limited. It's expensive and very limited in size availability-1 1/4 x 10" and either 1/8 or 3/16 only but what a nice job it will do. Grinds about the same as Ats-34 in the hardened state and does not require heat treat. Frank.
 
For EDC and a pocketknife my personal faves are *by far* 3V and D2. Neither one seems to take an outstanding finish but if the HT is right then they cut and cut. I haven't tried out the 420V but by all accounts it is a great steel as well.

I have a generic loveless style drop point out of D2 that I carry most days along with a Whitewing lockback in 3V and I beat the snot out of them on cable, drywall, zip-ties, and cardboard on a regular basis. The ATS34 and BG42 knives I had performing the same tasks didn't hold up nearly as well.

This may have something to do with the blade grinds as well. One is a very thin flat ground and the other is so close to flat ground it is hard to tell it ain't and this works well for my needs.

YMMV.

-Sam.
 
I know that Ed Caffrey is making folders now and when he isn't using damascus he is using 52100. With the triple normalize/triple quench/triple temper method of heat treating that works so well for 5160 and 52100 you probably get an everyday carry blade you'd be hard to beat. I'd be interested in hearing from Ed how these 52100 folder blades are holding up.

Guy Thomas
 
Thanks guys for the input. All the steels mentioned so far would make a good EDC. Do you have first hand experience with them? I always thought ATS was the best until I used it on a daily basis. I finally threw away my shop knife after 9 years of abuse. It broke in half after just a couple stray hammer blows to get dried on JB Weld off it. It was Paul Bos treated ATS 34. The tip broke off after a couple years and the edge chipped a couple times but it was very tough and held a pretty good edge. It was never used as a prying tool but it wouldnt last my life time. I want steel that will. People tend to treat their customs with kid gloves but I want to tell them what they can expect if used hard. Ya know what I mean?`
 
I've not seen any custom makers using it, but manufactured knives made with VG-10 seem to be growing in popularity. I think it may be pretty close to BG-42. Some compliment the edge it takes, and others its edge holding. Fallkniven has proven it is a strong steel. Have no idea if it is available for knife makers.
 
Peter, That thread you led me to made me laugh. I think the Rasta steel may be the way to go. If Chris Reeve, Jerry Busse, Tom Mayo, Seki City and Cliff Stamp have all switched over I should too. Ja Mon, Bruce B
 
Only a coupla hammer blows and it broke (no Good) LOL

Bruce I got a spyderco with an AUS-8 blade I use it like it was a do-all haven't hit it with a hammer yet. Though i have used it to chip welds, cut rope, carboard, aluminum, skin a fox scale fish cut a car tire off the rim, pry those big staples out of cardbord boxes with the back of the blade (good Lock) and even stabbed a hole in my Dakota with it. Now I have to sharpen it and clean adhesive, paint and other gunk off it once in a while but it has withstood this treatment for 7 yrs. MY Gerber that I do almostt the same thing with has lost a heavy third of its width due to sharpening.

Sweany who will try the hammer blow test, NOT:D
 
Mike, You give your blades a pretty good thrashing everyday too. I dont think we can buy the AUS8 steel can we? Isnt it branded Spyderco? Im leaning to CPM420v (s90v), BG42 and D2 Doesnt the new D2 have more chrome in it? The Boyes Dendritic steel sounds interesting but can it be drilled? Anyone know?
 
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