Which Blade?

C

ChrisAHF

Joined
Nov 11, 2007
Messages
29
Which do you preffer, AUS-8A or 440A and why? Im trying to make a decision between 2 knives and dont know a whole lot about the benefits/cons of different steels.Thanks.
 
I would prefer AUS-8 compared to 440a. I have had good luck with both steels, but I can get AUS-8 sharper and it seems to hold an edge a little longer. The difference is minimal IMO. I would opt for the design I like best and wouldn't worry too much about steels that close to each other. Either one will likely do what you want it to, they will just require more frequent sharpening.
 
440A is comparable to AUS-6. AUS-8 is a step up.

Not a bad using steel, particularly on kitchen knives and the like.
 
all else equal...AUS-8A hands down (edit: oh unless corrosion resistance is really important, then 440A I think has a slight advantage)
 
Part of the answer is going to depend on the heat treat given the blade. Seems to be awful hard to find well done 440A these days. To get good 440A the heat treat has to take it out to the limit of its hardness, which is Rockwell C 56-57. When 440A is taken to its max hardness it performs well. But it's easy to find 440A blades only done at 53-55, which is not good. On the other hand, a lot of folks do AUS8 well. Since it can be hardened to ~59 or so, a sub-optimal heat treat will still give you a 56-57 and you're still good to go.

Kershaw does 440A well. No others spring immediately to mind. If you were looking at a Kershaw 440A blade and comparing it to an AUS 8 blade, I would call it a non-issue. Same for some of the Chinese Buck knives. I have one that is at 58 (which actually makes me question the alloy). It holds an edge quite nicely.

If you were looking at a non-Kershaw, I would probably look at the AUS 8 as being superior.
 
AUS-8 is better than 440A, all other things being equal. I usually won't buy less than 440C.
 
If choosing between those two, I'd buy based on the knife design/aesthetics rather than the steel used.

My EDC is AUS-8. It holds an edge OK and is easy to sharpen. But I purchased based on design and usefulness, not because it was AUS-8.
 
AUS-8 has a small amount of vanadium.
440A does not.
All else being equal, anything with some vanadium wins hands down over anything without.
Vanadium increases abrasion resistance. Abrasion occurs when you cut anything, so the vanadium will help keep the edge sharp longer.
 
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