Worst 3 Steels - Never Buy!

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Quiet said:
Also, for the record, I'm still awaiting someone, ANYone to tell me about their experience with a "cast iron" knife.

"There I was, skinning this Saber Toothed Tiger my village and I had successfully hunted down..."
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Ill take cast iron over Unknown blade steels. lol
 
This is confusing because the thread title is worst three but the the list has seventeen items.

Is it that out of list there are three ones worst for knives? Cast iron is one for sure. What are the other two?
 
Looks like the testing was designed to rate steels for high end folders. Maybe they should have made it more realistic and rated it on how many pouches of environmentally-friendly tuna could be cut open in a 30 minute lunch break.
 
Danke42 said:
This is confusing because the thread title is worst three but the the list has seventeen items.

Is it that out of list there are three ones worst for knives? Cast iron is one for sure. What are the other two?
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Even then, I do not believe "cast iron" is actually a steel.
 
Of the steels you listed, I would still feel comfortable buying the following:
AUS8
5160
440c
420HC
8cr13mov

That said, it would have to be a pretty compelling design or be a knife for a fairly specific purpose/niche for me to consider it. Of these I would be most likely to buy 5160, 440c, and 420HC (if it's Bos heat treated).
 
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This is pretty silly but I'm bored so... I would buy many more "cheap" Kershaw's if they used 440c I have never had a problem with that steel for EDC. I use my knives every day in a construction setting and I do not like super steels for this application. I often blunt an edge unintentionally on a overly hard or uncuttable unseen substance and don't like spending an hour fixing an edge. Also edge holding is only a small part of choosing a knife ,if said knife is ugly(subjective) or uncomfortable (can be universal;say if handle has sharp corners) many other factors come in to play . Might you lose or possibly be forced to destroy your knife then cheap crappy steel is best. Super steel can be fun but to decide to "never buy" to me says you don't use your knives like some of us do out of choice or necessity.
 
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Tommy-Chi said:
Standard worksharp edge test (20 degrees micro convex for most tests. 17 degree edges is typical for UNLEASHED tests) unless otherwise noted. The test counts the number of cuts to very abrasive 1 inch thick sisal rope. UNLEASHED TO THE MAXX, Tormek 12 degree edge is not for everyone. The steel edge will roll.
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Like I said. Pretty technical.
 
Heat treat is paramount really, condors 1075 is damn impressive and IMO better than pretty much anything ive tried for chopping.

440c was a super steel years ago. Ive used it to great effect, not as good at chopping but it holds a decent edge. I have a machete made from 420 hc that seems fine too. 5160 is pretty much the standard for choppers too.

I dont like 3cr whatever that kershaw uses in its lowend stuff, its pretty soft.

I t comes down to useage, i watched a youtube vid about a guy bagging on a Higonokami because the edge rolled while batoning. Its basically a straight razor, why would you baton with it?
 
theAntihero said:
Heat treat is paramount really, condors 1075 is damn impressive and IMO better than pretty much anything ive tried for chopping.

440c was a super steel years ago. Ive used it to great effect, not as good at chopping but it holds a decent edge. I have a machete made from 420 hc that seems fine too. 5160 is pretty much the standard for choppers too.

I dont like 3cr whatever that kershaw uses in its lowend stuff, its pretty soft.

I t comes down to useage, i watched a youtube vid about a guy bagging on a Higonokami because the edge rolled while batoning. Its basically a straight razor, why would you baton with it?
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People do stuff like that for YouTube likes. Abusing a tool in using it for something it wasn't designed for is usually a sign that you're to leave logic and common sense at the door. "But, but, muh zombie apocalypse where I'd need to baton through cinder blocks!!!"
 
To say that a certain steel is no good for an EDC knife is to assume that everyone (based on this testing) uses their knife to cut sisal rope on a daily basis. Someone who has to break down cardboard boxes routinely will have different preferences and requirements than someone who uses a knife sporadically from day to day on a variety of materials.
 
Quiet said:
Tommy, without going to Google up someone else's answer to regurgitate as your own, can you tell me which of the following two are better:

- A beautiful S110V Spyderco PM 2
- A beautiful Buck 110 in 420HC, and an inexpensive ceramic rod to keep it sharp

Both of these will cut just fine for someone who needs a knife for knifely things (like cutting stuff). Soooooo........? How can you claim one is better than the other, to someone who just needs a knife to cut?

I think you know the answer.
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I use all of my knives for self defense, so I'd take the S110V.
 
marcinek said:
Did he say Never Buy! and make this claim about them?
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NO. I ASKED what steel would you never buy and then offered up the ones that I would not buy. It's pretty simple actually.

And from your comments, it looks like you would buy anything, and that is fine by me. That should really have been included with your first and only post.
 
Tommy-Chi said:
I use all of my knives for self defense, so I'd take the S110V.
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Oh? So, you don't think a Buck 110 would be able to do as well in your fantasy self defense scenario as a say, a Spyderco S110V Military (to keep blade lengths equalish). Really? So, if you had the Military, you could just chop the guy in half, but with the pedestrian Buck 110 in pedestrian 420HC, you wouldn't even be able to slice the other guy's shirt open?

LOL I'm sorry, but your response is hilarious. People get killed with cheap steel kitchen knives every day on this planet, and you're saying you somehow need S110v for self defense?

Ultimately, the most amusing thing for me is that if I had to choose between the two knives above, I'd DEFINITELY take the Buck 110 as a better self-defense option. Getting punched in the face with a fistful of like, seven lbs of Buck brass and steel would probably deter most attackers immediately.
 
Tommy-Chi said:
NO. I ASKED what steel would you never buy and then offered up the ones that I would not buy. It's pretty simple actually.

And from your comments, it looks like you would buy anything, and that is fine by me. That should really have been included with your first and only post.
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I went and looked at Ankerson's list and he DID NOT call those steel "low-end". You did. He ranked them by caregory in terms of edge holding. You are putting words in his mouth.

And I only would have made one post if you had only made one post I found going against logic.
 
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