Your Favorite Steel?

I go along with the "it depends" approach. If I had to choose one I'd probably pick S30V. It really is a great steel. CPM-3V is a bit better IMHO, but it does rust and some people and purposes can't handle that. 154CM is more than sufficient for most folks, and it is a lot easier to work to a higher level finish than the others. It's the only one of the three to take a mirror finish.

Others are good too.
 
52100, definitely. My three Marbles in this steel hold superb edges, easy to sharpen, very tough. Second would be K-100, a.k.a. D-3, as my Standard Tanto by Ivan Campos.
 
I'd have to go with CPM-3V at this point although I haven't tried S30V yet. For the most part, corrosion on 3V hasn't really been a problem for me.

Cecil
 
#1 52100, why, because it's the steel that's used by my favorite knife maker on my favorite knife and he knows a lot more about it than I do.

#2 Stellite 6K, now I don't think it's as tough as 52100, but on the cutting tests I've done it really performs very well. I've just received a couple of knives in Talonite and I assume it will perform pretty close to the 6K.
 
3V 3V 3V 3V 3V 3V 3V 3VVVVVVVV!!!!!!

This stuff rocks for EDC in a thin flat ground blade. The rust issue is way overblown by some folks but the edge it takes (and Keeps) is very very nice. 52100 is fine, but you won't get the maximum out of it in a 3" blade you carry every day. (For most of us)

-Sam
 
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