What's your favorite steel?

[kane22]

For me 3V @ 60HRC does everything I want. Really tough, holds a good edge, easy to sharpen, and I've never had any issues with rust in normal use.

 

[CDHumiston]

As a knife maker I am fond of using AEB-L. It's easy to work and fairly easy to heat treat. I can get a consistent 63HRC. It also sharpens easy and holds a nice edge. It's also stainless.

 

[Hammer67]

D3V

 

[Slice O Life]

I used to care a lot about what kind of steel a knife has, but now I just care about how well it's done

 

[Ajack60]

Today it’s S30V and Magnacut, probably tomorrow also.

 

[Another Shepherd]

1) Magnacut - All around (S35VN is very good, too)
2) 14C28N - Toughness (AEB-L is very good, too)
3) S90V - Edge retention (S110V is very good, too)
4) LC200N - For really wet weather

Rust resistance is very important to me. We just had over 15 inches of rain in one week. Until mid September, every day will be wet, or I will be soaking wet from sweating. But I do use 3V and Cru-Wear in cool, dry weather.

 

[NWFRS]

I think it depends on the knives we like best. I could justify literally anything to myself if I liked it well enough. The knives I like most at this moment happen to come with M390 blade steel.

 

[ScarFoot]

Whatever Spyderco did to the Cruwear on their PM2s has been my favorite since the day I got it.

 

[DMG]

3V, M4, Magnacut at the moment.

 

[pholder]

Cruwear, M4, RWL34 are my favorites

 

[jackknife]

I'd have to say my old Ginsu that I bought off a late night TV ad. Made of exclusive surgical stainless steel, it slices, it dices, it cuts through a nail then slices a tomato.

Second to that would be my Rosa-free blade, made in Jamaica by monks in the mountains using a secret herb process. Got go rostafree, mon!

 

[Dr Rez]

Nearly anything works provided its heat treated well and an appropriate hardness.

Been a big fan of Teravas differentially heat treated 80crv2 though.

 

[Skar]

Zdp-189, hap 40, m4… I like others too, yet these 3 have held up really well and stand out.

 

[Lawilli2]

Cruwear, s35vn, and 14c28n for budget blades

 

[Alberta Ed]

420HC1070108010955210050110BD212C27S30Vs35VnS110VnMagnacut.

 

[luethge]

I like steel that chips less and keeps a nice toothy edge - 3V has been very well rounded in my experience.

I love good old Carbon steels though / 5160, 1095, A2, 8670, 80crv2, 01 all great with good heat treatment.

 

[000Robert]

My favorite steel right now is D3V. After I get an AR10 I'll start checking out knives in other steels. No.1 will be a blade in MagnaCut.

 

[Sagandavis]

Cruwear
D3V
Magnacut
M390

Also won’t kick AEBL, Elmax, s30v, s35vn or S45vn out of bed. Heat treat is a big factor for anything

 

[Alone]

I can't pick between these two...


1095 & 3V

 

[Infi-del]

3V all day every day.