Obviously we have a lot of options these days as to which material we would like our blades cut out of. There are many pros and cons to them all. Some take a great edge, but don't last as long as others and some take a while to get sharp, but last quite a while. Just wondering, for a "self defense carry" knife, what kind of metal are yo looking for? Also, what about a survival knife?
What metal do you like?
- Thread starter blackops
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"self defense" knives don't have to maintain an edge like a woodcraft or work knife so edge retention isn't as big an issue.
Since SD isn't called for on a daily basis you're far less likely to put the knife to use to notice that it needs maintenance.
Since SD isn't called for on a daily basis you're far less likely to put the knife to use to notice that it needs maintenance.
md7
Member
I don't have any "self defense" knives per se, but I do carry pocket knives and use them daily for a variety of tasks. I could use them for SD in a pinch I guess.
Anyway, to your question. I categorize my knives by stainless and carbon steel. For an EDC knife I really like VG 10 steel. It gets plenty sharp, keeps a good working edge through moderate use, and is easy to touch up and keep sharp. I have this steel in three Spydercos, to include the Endura that I carry and use every day. It is my favorite by far.
My second favorite EDC knife steel is Buck's 420 HC. It's not a super steel by any stretch, but I am able to sharpen it easy enough, and have found that it is pretty good about keeping an edge.
For a "survival/woods/hunting" knife, I like carbon. Either 1095 or something like Case's CV steel. I have cleaned a lot of game, prepped a lot of food, and been on plenty of camping trips using a Case Trapper with CV blades. But that ain't "survival" in the sense of the word that I think you may be alluding to.
Bushcraft, or survival (I tend to think of them in similar terms) knives should ideally be fixed blade. I prefer 1095 because it comes in a lot of knives that I like, and it's really easy to sharpen. A good thing in a survival knife. Something along the lines of a Becker Necker, Becker Campanion, BK 7, ESEE 3,5, Izula, etc. Several semi custom knife makers also make knives along similar lines that would serve well as a survival knife.
Anyway, to your question. I categorize my knives by stainless and carbon steel. For an EDC knife I really like VG 10 steel. It gets plenty sharp, keeps a good working edge through moderate use, and is easy to touch up and keep sharp. I have this steel in three Spydercos, to include the Endura that I carry and use every day. It is my favorite by far.
My second favorite EDC knife steel is Buck's 420 HC. It's not a super steel by any stretch, but I am able to sharpen it easy enough, and have found that it is pretty good about keeping an edge.
For a "survival/woods/hunting" knife, I like carbon. Either 1095 or something like Case's CV steel. I have cleaned a lot of game, prepped a lot of food, and been on plenty of camping trips using a Case Trapper with CV blades. But that ain't "survival" in the sense of the word that I think you may be alluding to.
Bushcraft, or survival (I tend to think of them in similar terms) knives should ideally be fixed blade. I prefer 1095 because it comes in a lot of knives that I like, and it's really easy to sharpen. A good thing in a survival knife. Something along the lines of a Becker Necker, Becker Campanion, BK 7, ESEE 3,5, Izula, etc. Several semi custom knife makers also make knives along similar lines that would serve well as a survival knife.
md7
Member
blackops,
Don't take what I said as gospel truth. I have only gotten into knives and different kinds of steel within the last few years. I'm just telling you what I have, and what has worked out for me.
have a good one.
Don't take what I said as gospel truth. I have only gotten into knives and different kinds of steel within the last few years. I'm just telling you what I have, and what has worked out for me.
have a good one.
Carl Levitian
member
Pretty much all my knives these days are some form of simple carbon steel. I love 1095. I gained a lot of resect for that stuff when Schrades Old Timer line was THE popular pocket knife of working men back in the 70's and 80's. But I don't have any dedicated self defense knives, but plan on just pressing into service whatever knife I may have on me. My Opinel, F. Herder locking sodbuster made in Germany, Henkels lockblade sodbuster, also German, or even my Case sodbuster. All have thin carbon blades that take and keep a fine sharp edge. All are normal appearing knives that don't have a mall ninja look to them. My sheath knife is an old Swedish mora number 1 with a laminated blade, that should do well if push came to shove in a bad way. Darn thing cuts like a laser.
I do still have my old Camillus MK2 that the army gave me back in 1967. It's stood up to a lot of heavy use on camping trips, and is still good to go. I think Camillus used 1095 on that contract. About 10 years ago I bought a 12 inch Ontario machete that's 1095, and it's been beat to heck, still good to go, and very easy to keep sharp. I guess it could wreck some mayhem if I was in a corner. It phased out the Camillus MK2 for a camping trip knife.
I just like the old simple carbon steels these days.
Carl.
I do still have my old Camillus MK2 that the army gave me back in 1967. It's stood up to a lot of heavy use on camping trips, and is still good to go. I think Camillus used 1095 on that contract. About 10 years ago I bought a 12 inch Ontario machete that's 1095, and it's been beat to heck, still good to go, and very easy to keep sharp. I guess it could wreck some mayhem if I was in a corner. It phased out the Camillus MK2 for a camping trip knife.
I just like the old simple carbon steels these days.
Carl.
Spec ops Grunt
Member
I think I like Carbon. Some stainless is fine, but generally, I like Carbon.
Zeke/PA
Member
D-2 !!!!
jhb
Member
talking more affordable knives and what steels i like best....
i only carry a knife daily more as a standard cutting tool, than a self defense weapon. in that regard h1 steel is my favorite. doesn't rust at all, ever. which is a huge plus in florida summers and holds a pretty good edge. no not the best edge holding ever, but good enough for my uses. also easy to keep sharp.
vg-10 is my next favorite stainless, although i've had good luck with most stainless except when bead blast finished and the 13v26 and 12c27 sandvik steels. which hold a good edge, but rust extreme, at least for me.
for bushcraft/survival i really like carbon steels, 1095, 1075. easy to keep very sharp and while they rust easily, they can take a supreme beating and keep going.
in the end though i own knives in d2, a2, various carbons, 440a, 440b, 440c, the various chinese steels like 8cr13mov, 420hc, aus8, s90v, s60v, s30v, 154cm, sandvik steels, h1, vg-10, and various others...and i find they all work pretty well, for most tasks. i like the various steels and slightly different advantages and disadvantages they bring, but i'll be the first to admit....it's easy to overthink the steel. depending on the task they all work if done right and properly made and maintained.
i only carry a knife daily more as a standard cutting tool, than a self defense weapon. in that regard h1 steel is my favorite. doesn't rust at all, ever. which is a huge plus in florida summers and holds a pretty good edge. no not the best edge holding ever, but good enough for my uses. also easy to keep sharp.
vg-10 is my next favorite stainless, although i've had good luck with most stainless except when bead blast finished and the 13v26 and 12c27 sandvik steels. which hold a good edge, but rust extreme, at least for me.
for bushcraft/survival i really like carbon steels, 1095, 1075. easy to keep very sharp and while they rust easily, they can take a supreme beating and keep going.
in the end though i own knives in d2, a2, various carbons, 440a, 440b, 440c, the various chinese steels like 8cr13mov, 420hc, aus8, s90v, s60v, s30v, 154cm, sandvik steels, h1, vg-10, and various others...and i find they all work pretty well, for most tasks. i like the various steels and slightly different advantages and disadvantages they bring, but i'll be the first to admit....it's easy to overthink the steel. depending on the task they all work if done right and properly made and maintained.
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md7
Member
jhb,
I have been thinking of picking up a Spyderco Salt in H1 just to try that steel. Is it as easy to sharpen as VG 10. I would think with it being rust proof it might be fairly tough to sharpen.
Also, what knife do you own in H1?
Sorry for the thread hi jack, please continue.
I have been thinking of picking up a Spyderco Salt in H1 just to try that steel. Is it as easy to sharpen as VG 10. I would think with it being rust proof it might be fairly tough to sharpen.
Also, what knife do you own in H1?
Sorry for the thread hi jack, please continue.
jhb
Member
just my opinion md7, but yes much easier to sharpen then vg-10. it's actually kind of a weird metal in some regards. for example.....finish scratches easily, but holds a decent edge, slightly better than buck's 420hc, imho.
h1, to me, is easy to sharpen like 420hc. whereas i find vg-10 quite a bit tougher/more time consuming/more effort.
although some knives i keep sharp all the time and touch up the edge constantly, and other's i let get dull a bit before sharpening, so my perspective could be warped a bit in that regard. although i don't think i oversteped the bounds of reality. h1 is very easy to keep sharp.
i own 4 knives in h1 total.....two spyderco pacific salts. one the yellow frn scaled pe model with pin pivot, and the other one a black coated pe version with black frn scales and screwed pivot. i also own two of the spyderco aqua salt fixed blades. one pe, the other spyderedge. i use all those knives often, mainly because of no rust issues in the swamps, humidity, etc down here.
h1, to me, is easy to sharpen like 420hc. whereas i find vg-10 quite a bit tougher/more time consuming/more effort.
although some knives i keep sharp all the time and touch up the edge constantly, and other's i let get dull a bit before sharpening, so my perspective could be warped a bit in that regard. although i don't think i oversteped the bounds of reality. h1 is very easy to keep sharp.
i own 4 knives in h1 total.....two spyderco pacific salts. one the yellow frn scaled pe model with pin pivot, and the other one a black coated pe version with black frn scales and screwed pivot. i also own two of the spyderco aqua salt fixed blades. one pe, the other spyderedge. i use all those knives often, mainly because of no rust issues in the swamps, humidity, etc down here.
md7
Member
jhb,
Thanks for the info!
Thanks for the info!
Deltaboy1984
Member
1095 Carbon Steel like all my Old Timers have. I can take any pre 1990 OT8 and sharpen it up so you can shave with it.
Walking Dead
Member
I lean toward Benchmade especially for a defensive knife so I end up with 154cm and it seems to work pretty well for a good work knife too. It keeps a sharp edge and is tough as nails.
hawkeye10
Member
Any fighting knife I might have I hope the knife blade would be made of chocolate as I might have to eat it. 
I am just to old to knife fight. I do like a good carbon steel like 1095 as they are easy to sharpen and hold the edge good. Don
I am just to old to knife fight. I do like a good carbon steel like 1095 as they are easy to sharpen and hold the edge good. Don
Erik M
Member
I have an Ontario Shiv in 1095, seems like its built to last forever. Ive got a swiss army knife that I was awarded in the Scout's back in the 80's that's made of surgical stainless which I assume is high carbon, it is sharp as a scalpel to this day.
"Survival knives", to me, are large knives capable of doing good work outside. These same knives are my "self-defense knives", since they may be a secondary weapon while in the woods, or pressed into service as an expedient weapon. For these large knives, I favor 5160. It's inexpensive (when I bought some recently, it was less expensive even than 1095!), tough, takes a decent edge, resharpens easily, and doesn't rust as much as some other steels.
In my conception, daily carry knives are tools, not primarily self-defense items. I like VG-10 and S30v in my folders, thought I've also been satisfied with the 154CM in my Manix 2.
In my conception, daily carry knives are tools, not primarily self-defense items. I like VG-10 and S30v in my folders, thought I've also been satisfied with the 154CM in my Manix 2.
jahwarrior
Member
Talonite.
Generaly speaking I like carbon steel blades better than any of the stainless alloys.
The best knife I ever owned was a knife my dad made me out of planer blade, the planer blades used in lumber mills. Incredibly hard and tough steel and almost rust proof but very labor intensive to work with.
I bought a Muela [Spanish] belt knife for hunting about 3 years ago. I believe it is chrome vanadium. The Muela is the first "stainless" commercial blade I have really liked. I liked them so much I bought 2 for my sons and another for one of my grand sons.
I think most of the problems with Chinese and even some American knives is that although they may use decent steel the heat treating is not allways consistant.
The best knife I ever owned was a knife my dad made me out of planer blade, the planer blades used in lumber mills. Incredibly hard and tough steel and almost rust proof but very labor intensive to work with.
I bought a Muela [Spanish] belt knife for hunting about 3 years ago. I believe it is chrome vanadium. The Muela is the first "stainless" commercial blade I have really liked. I liked them so much I bought 2 for my sons and another for one of my grand sons.
I think most of the problems with Chinese and even some American knives is that although they may use decent steel the heat treating is not allways consistant.
The best knife I own has a blade of a material called Stellite K6. It's a material used for cutting tools to work steel. It's the only one the guy ever made of that material, he said it's just too hard to work with. It is hell to sharpen, too, but you don't have to do so often.
John
John
22-rimfire
Member
I carry a SAK, so I guess I'm not that focused blade steel. But I do like D2, VG-10, S30V, 154CM, HC420 as well. If a pocket knife is offered in D2, I will almost always choose this steel over most others.
With the advent of the diamond empregnated bench stones, sharpening these harder steels is not so difficult any more. I always shyed away from Buck knifes in general due to the sharpening difficulty. I bought my very first Buck 110 (almost a national standard) in the last year or two and it was in fact my first Buck knife. The old Schrades were always my choice with this kind of knife.
Of late, I have been buying and using some of the 10_ _ steels and have been favorably impressed. These steels are tough and fairly easily sharpened. In the past, I viewed these as steels used in cheap knives and machetes. My opinion is changing. The one thing I dislike are painted blades (such as you find on RATs and ESEE knives) except on machetes. The paint seems to be a marketing kind of thing and gets messy once you start using these knives. So, I would prefer they just keep the blades powder coated or plain.
With the advent of the diamond empregnated bench stones, sharpening these harder steels is not so difficult any more. I always shyed away from Buck knifes in general due to the sharpening difficulty. I bought my very first Buck 110 (almost a national standard) in the last year or two and it was in fact my first Buck knife. The old Schrades were always my choice with this kind of knife.
Of late, I have been buying and using some of the 10_ _ steels and have been favorably impressed. These steels are tough and fairly easily sharpened. In the past, I viewed these as steels used in cheap knives and machetes. My opinion is changing. The one thing I dislike are painted blades (such as you find on RATs and ESEE knives) except on machetes. The paint seems to be a marketing kind of thing and gets messy once you start using these knives. So, I would prefer they just keep the blades powder coated or plain.
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