Your 3 favorite steels in Stainless and "Non Stainless"

D

David Metzger

Joined
Oct 8, 2010
Messages
109
Just wondering what your 3 favorite steels are in each main category for an outdoor general use fixed blade knife that would be .125 to .156 inch thick, 4 inch blade? More of a wish list for a steel type - you don't have to have used it. (Results should be which steels are getting a good reputation?)

I'll start out but reserve to change my mind.

Carbon

M4
CPM 3V
A2

Stainless

Elmax
CPM 154
13c26
 
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stainless:
cpm-s30v
14c28n
cpm-154


carbon:
1095
d2 (never used it but i want to)
zdp-189 (never used it but i want to)
 
seelow123 said:
stainless:
cpm-s30v
14c28n
cpm-154


carbon:
1095
d2 (never used it but i want to)
zdp-189 (never used it but i want to)
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zdp189 has about double the amount of chromium needed to be classified as stainless ;)
 
I like the simple ones
1095/5160/A2

154cm-Ats34/Aus8/and esp.440C
I have blades in ea. of these steels and overall I find I enjoy my stainless steels the best. 440C is my overall favorite,easy care,easy sharpen.
Is there any customs that use Aus8?
 
Listed in order of preference.

Carbon:
1) CPM-M4
2) Dozier HT D2
3) 1095

Stainless:
1) M390
2) S110V
3) CTS-20CP


Since we're talking about general outdoor use, I will not consider batoning to be part of the knife's expected duties, making toughness irrelevant to my considerations. Though I'm limiting my choices to steels I've used personally(thus why 1095 is listed instead of say, CPM Rex 121). I rank CPM-M4 and M390 as #1 for each respective category because of their ability to take and retain a razor edge, as I'm partial to push cutting. The added wear resistance of S110V and CTS-20CP probably won't show up with regular use unless you skin a few deer, and it would take considerable use before that edge retention becomes apparent over M390. As well, M390 is rarely found at a hardness that would show its true potential(typically Rc 60 in production knives), so while it performs like stainless CPM-M4 at Rc60, it could perform even better with a custom heat treat to Rc 62-63.

I have very little difficulty sharpening S110V, so I'm not shy of high vanadium steels. I'm expecting to add Vanax 75 and S125V to my collection in the future.
 
I haven't used any of the newer stainless steels, as I'm a carbon steel fan. But here's my choices anyway.

Stainless:

440C
12c27/13c26
ATS-34

Carbon:

1095/1095CV
1085
D2
 
hstdist said:
I like the simple ones
Click to expand...

Amen, brother! :D:thumbup:

Is there any customs that use Aus8?
Click to expand...

I don't know, but they should! It's a much better steel than folks tend to give it credit for. When given a good heat treatment it's very tough for a stainless while still giving good edge retention/corrosion resistance.
 
I had to look up k294 Ankerson. I have enjoyed your steel research you have shared with everyone here.
David
 
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FortyTwoBlades said:
Is there any customs that use Aus8?

I don't know, but they should! It's a much better steel than folks tend to give it credit for. When given a good heat treatment it's very tough for a stainless while still giving good edge retention/corrosion resistance.
Click to expand...

We were just discussing Hattori in a different topic, and they some of their knives are made with Aus-8.
http://www.japaneseknifedirect.com/Hattori.html
 
Stainless:
Helle laminated stainless
Brusletto Sandvik 12C27

Carbon:
Lauri Progression tempered
Roselli UHC
Old Mora laminated carbon

Rich S
 
If you like Bohler K294 (AISI A11) look up and try Bohler K390, about the same edge retention,but much tougher. Both are tool steels, not stainless.
 
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