your top 3 steels?

Kitchen - any japanese carbon. It's just better than anything else I've used

Folder - s35vn, hold a great edge and is tough for my use

Fixed - infi, so far it's very tough.
 
3V is a blast to use outdoors, beating on it and it still keeps going with only a few edge touchups necessary
ZDP-189/M390, because when you have an edge, it stays for a long time.
154CM would have to be #3, for simple stainless steels it's a breeze to maintain and dishes it out like all the others.
 
S90V : holds such a nasty edge for forever.
S30V : tried and true and has always proved to be an excellent performer. I compare all other blade steels to S30V.
D2 : I've always liked D2. One of the first "tough" steels I tried years ago and I'm still a fan.

I still have yet to try M390 in regular use.
 
A-2
VG-10
1095

ZDP-189 gets honorable mention.
And still getting experience with CTS-BD1, but so far so good...
 
This one's easy!

3V by yards @ #1

CPM154 @ #2

Might as well give 3rd to 3V too until I have had time to try some other steel's....

Honourable mentions to:

M4 and 52100.
 
1. Fehrman's 3v (proprietary ht).
2. Winkler's 80crv2 (ht done by Daniel).
3. Medford's D2 (in house ht).

All hold an edge for a very long time, tough as nails and easy to sharpen and maintain.
 
I like all around good steels, and I suck at sharpening so:

CTS-XHP

Elmax

Infi
 
Z-wear/PD1/CPM Cru-Wear or equivalent for anything in a dry environment.

K294 for cutting abrasive materials or extended time away from a stone.

Stainless steel ? I can't decide as there are to many variables and trade offs. I like CPM 154
 
I don't have much experience with steels, particularly the high end stainless steels, but these are my three in no particular order:

1. 1095 and 1095CV, they sharpen up to a very fine edge with very little effort and hold it long enough for me to not constantly (something like AUS8, maybe) be sharpening it and I really like a good patina

2. Sandvik 14C28N, it has better edge retention than 1095(CV) (at the hardnesses generally encountered in production knives, anyway, I've never used 1095 at 63HRC or anything), it still sharpens up to a nice, keen edge better than the stainless steels I've tried with similar edge retention (I find it a bit better than AUS8/440C), and it's stainless.

3. VG10, it has edge retention in the upper tier of the stainless steels I've used (CPM154/154CM, ATS-34, that kind of thing) but has a nice fine grain structure that I find sharpens up really well with a bit less effort than similar steels.
 
I don't pay too much attention to the steel, as long as it isn't too soft. And the knives I have the most experience using tend to be affordable, so not much experience with super-steels. Furthermore my knife preferences are generally based on factors other than the blade steel. That said...

1095
D2
ATS-34

Honorable mention: 440C
 
I like choppers and I like 5160 or A2 for carbon steel and CPM154 or D2. Folders S30V or 154CM.
 
VG-10, CPM-M4, Case Tru-sharp stainless (S35VN and S30V are also in the rotation).

Not really a steel freak here. Had to check the content in my most carried knives to be sure.
 
1) cts xhp it took one of the sharpest edges I have been able to produce and held it for a very very long time ( spyderco domino
2) vg10 took the sharpest edge I have been able to produce held a decent working edge for a decent amount of time. Very easy to sharpen and maintain. Al mar sere 2000
3) tie for 1095 and d2
1095, very easy to sharpen, takes a great edge, takes a huge beating and asks for more, and is cheap. Esee izula, laser strike, and junglas
D2 took a pretty sharp edge but held a working edge for seemed like eternity. Full disclosure this knife is not used as hard as my others but still cut it's fair share if boxes, rope ect. Harder to sharpen. William Henry folder
 
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