Which steel for kitchen knives

[J. Hoffman]

I was hoping to use vg10 but it appears that it is not available in the US. What would you folks recommend? I'm thinking CPM 154 or S35vn. I would like something I could get from Aldo.

Edit to add: I'm hoping to use a stainless to keep patina down/more user friendly, but I guess if no one could recommend a good stainless, I would use a carbon steel. Also would you recommend different steels for different kitchen knives (ie. CPM s3v for cleaver and something else for boning)

 

[james terrio]

CPM-154 or Carpenter's CTS-XHP would be my choices for stainless. Both are corrosion-resistant, take a very fine edge and hold it a very long time, and can be polished as highly as you want. I've had both steels HT'ed to 60Rc and neither one is "chippy" or brittle. I haven't worked with S35VN but I'm told it doesn't polish up as well. By accounts it's a great, tough steel though.

Not sure you need 3V for a cleaver, but it would certainly be tough enough. It's not very corrosion-resistant though. The main difference between a cleaver and a boning knife is geometry; I'd be confident that any steel that suits your purposes in a thin keen boning knife would also work just fine in a heavier cleaver with a thicker edge.

 

[mete]

You couldn't do better than CPM154 !!

"Cleaver " should be defined . An Oriental type with broad thin blade ? Or a western cleaver ment to smash through heavy bone like beef.

 

[OTK]

I agree with James. XHP is my top pick with CPM154 just behind. I always see microchipping in the s35 blades I use in the kitchen. It probably has a good 15-20% in edge holding advantage over 154 but the hard v carbides and chipping could be a problem for a customer to sharpen. I find it much harder to hand finish too.

 

[watercrawl]

You couldn't do better than CPM154 !!

"Cleaver " should be defined . An Oriental type with broad thin blade ? Or a western cleaver ment to smash through heavy bone like beef.

If you're sticking with what Aldo has, I agree with the CPM154 with the caveat I've not tried S25VN yet. However, I don't agree that you couldn't do better. But, opinions are like assholes....everyone has one.

And I agree....some cleavers are thinner than a chef's knife. It depends on it's application. Chinese and Japanese make super thin to thick cleavers meant for everything from super thin slicing to busting bones. Most western cleavers are designed on the heavy side.

 

[J. Hoffman]

I was thinking of the American style cleaver, meant for busting bones. The envy of every slasher film producer! I'm looking to kind of blend American with Japanese chef's knives.