What's your steel ?

[technician1]

Ok this is a wilderness thread on a blade site... I would like to see everybodys thoughts... What is your most wanted steel. Yea I know the heat treat means alot. but I bet lots of us have our fav. camp/survival blade. but if you could have in ______ or would like to see it in ______ steel.

Or maybe you have your fav. blade steel but would like to see it in ____ blade.


So whats your FAV. steel ? And what makes it your FAV ?

 

[SirJames]

O1 and 1095 carbon steels for fixed blades, commercial or custom and as flat a grind as possable with the exception of the Mora. Stainless for multi-tools and pocket knives, I don't have steel here per say but I am a Victorinox and Leatherman fan.

 

[fujita yuji]

M2 or O1 for medium to small sized blade.
M2 keeps its edge excellently, at the same time relatively easy to sharpen compared to stainless steels.
O2 takes serious edge with ease and keeps it well.

For larger sized blade 5160 or 1045 as they allow differential hardening.

 

[Big Mike]

What steel?



Well, I always preach that HT and Edge Geo. are as important as steel.


With that in mind give me BRK&T A2 (58Rc and Full Convex).

A very tough steel with excellent edge retention that's fairly easy to sharpen.





Big Mike

 

[BushcraftBrainTrust]

I like S7. It is super tough but very easy to sharpen.

 

[Ken C.]

Favorite steel? Not a W&S skill. Moved to General Discussion.

 

[EricV]

Good ol' 1095. Preferably done my Rowen, but others do pretty well too.

Would love to get it on a frame lock folder though, I only know of one company that makes them and they aren't cheap.

 

[Ankerson]

INFI or SR-101 out in the field.

 

[SilverFoxKnows]

From Boker slip joints to Camllus fixed blades.

Frank

 

[Rupestris]

I'm going to agree with Big Mike - A2.

Now I just need to find a full size Sodbuster with an full flat or convex A2 blade .

 

[mnyshrpknvs]

1095 and 3V. I own several of each and love using them all. Someday a chopper in S7 will find its way into my collection as well.

 

[RetiredGuns]

Good 'ol 1095 for me as well although the CPMD2 on my Para is no slouch!

 

[Nebulae]

Cpm M4

 

[thejamppa]

1095 or similar carbon steel for fixed blades... Once I get my hands on BRKT Kephart made from A2... who knows. Till then: 1095 has not failed me!

 

[Shanester66]

Larged fixed blades....A2, 1095

Folders....CPM S30V, D2

 

[NothingCoherent]

Right now I'm really digging the A2 from Bark River. Crazy stuff!

 

[penganon]

1095 & D2

From a casual user perspective, I can't really tell the difference in stainless steels, though S30V & VG10 seem to stay sharp longer out of box, AUS8 easily sharpened.

Would be interesting to do a blind test - same knives, different steels unmarked, weeklong use - and see if my preferences are still the same.

 

[Volk]

INFI is my pick.

 

[puyallupn8ive]

My pick would be VG-10 for stainless, and 1095 for Carbon.