Favorite Steel for a Knife and Why?

[alsask]

My favourite steel for hunting/utility knife follows in order...

1. A2 holds an edge rather well yet is still easy to sharpen.

2. 1095 very tough and easy to sharpen.

3. SK 5 seems almost the same as 1095, perhaps even softer.

4. Buck's regular stainless...420 HC if I am not mistaken

5. AUS-8 takes a good edge and hold it fairly well.

6. S30V. Rather disappointed. I bought a Buck folding Alpha Hunter, regular stainless and really liked it. Bought the same knife in S30V and found that, although it does hold an edge much longer, it is time consuming to re-sharpen.

 

[bikerdoc]

The knives I have made were in 1095 and 440C. I got some N690 I will try soon.
Production steel favorites are S30V, Aus8, and 8CR13MOV, depending on the use of the knife.

 

[Sam Cade]

I'm not much of a steel snob since so much depends on heat treat.
So long as the heat treat is good and the material is appropriate for the task I'm happy.
That isn't to say I don't have some preferences, but the difference between ATS-34 and 154CM doesn't keep me up at night.
Much.

SK 5 seems almost the same as 1095, perhaps even softer.

C is between .8-.9% according to this, so it is broadly similar to 1080 depending on trace elements.
http://www.steel-grades.com/Steel-grades/Tool-steel-Hard-alloy/sk5.html

 

[Vonderek]

Disclaimer: I am an amateur compared to the others here and fairly steel-illiterate. That being said, I prefer old carbon steel knives for the kitchen. For folders, I like 154CM, AUS8, and 440C because I can freehand sharpen them well and they take a good edge for what I will use them for. I've wanted to like S30V but can't seem to sharpen it well.

 

[Blade First]

"I've wanted to like S30V but can't seem to sharpen it well."

Takes quite a bit more effort even with aggressive tools...all the more reason to pay strict attention to angles and touch-ups before edges get too dull.

I like it but also like 8CR13MoV for more inexpensive knives. I've carried a Kershaw folder for more than a year and will admit to hard use with it. It holds a nice edge and touches up really well without a great deal of effort...diamond rod and whetting on the back of a legal pad. Good to go!

 

[Zeke/PA]

Because of my workplace expirence I am a firm advocate of the WWI era die steel known as D-2. The steel manifests itself especially in the slitting/punching of paper. a highly abrasive material because of the glass content therein. Other steels of course fit other toolroom applications better.
D-2 is harder to sharpen and in it's heat treated state, percision grinding operations differ. D-2 has a high abrasion resistance and maintains an edge and because of it's high Chromium content approaches Stainless in rust resistance. In the past 20 years or so, advanced heat treating methods have made great steels even better.

 

[ahtoxa]

My main camp knife uses 1095 steel. I've used it an abused it for years. I like it a lot. 420HC is fine for lighter duty. Easy to sharpen, takes a great edge, but easier to dull quickly. I carry this one daily.

 

[Sam Cade]

D-2 has a high abrasion resistance.

Translated: Bring your diamond hone.

 

[Valkman]

My favorite to make knives out of was O1 because I could get it sharper than anything else. D2 was another favorite.

 

[Ron James]

I really like ATS-34

 

[highorder]

Another fan of O1 here.

It's easy to work and can be scary sharp with good technique.

 

[harvjr]

I have to agree with Zeke. I have been using D2 for almost 20 years . It performs well in the field. I LIKE IT, and my customers like it!!
What more could you want?

 

[lobo9er]

INFI, 1095, 420hc, A2. Lots of good stuff. And this is a good place to learn. Few years ago I didn't know one from the other. Learned ALOT here and few other places on the net.

 

[JShirley]

Good 5160 I like.

BD-1 is good.

 

[Sam Cade]

BD-1 is good.

Manix?

 

[Zeke/PA]

I really like ATS-34

I did some work awhile back with a local cutlery firm trying to find a "good" knife steel.
The testing process proved my favotite D-2 to be comparable to ATS-34 (153-CM) but the firm chose the latter, mainly because of better rust resistance/ stainless characteristics.

 

[TimboKhan]

I have tried really hard to learn about steel, and I have answered this question before. In the interests of being truthful, what I have figured out is that I really have no idea what my favorite is. I know I like D2 in my hunting knife and since Harvey King made my knife, I have proven his statement, lol!

Past that, I just haven't been able to really discern a preference to the point where I can say I have a true favorite. I said I have answered this question before, and when I did I specified some steels, but as time has passed I realize that I just don't know.

What I realized I do know is that I agree with Sam. Heat treat makes the biggest difference.

 

[JShirley]

Sorry, neglected the "why".

5160= tough big knife steel with good edge retention and surprising rust resistance for its low chrome content.

BD-1= very rust resistant, good edge retention, takes a toothy edge in 10 seconds.

On the LWM 2, Sam.

John

 

[Bopleo]

ceramic. Why=because its not steel.

 

[olderguns]

I like D2
Aus8 , 1095, 1065,
Right now one of my favourites is VG10
And the H1 they use in spyderco salts.

 

[lobo9er]

BD-1 learn sumtin new everyday... never even heard of it. quick search - comparable to aus 8, which is like 440c? right?

 

[Cycletroll]

CTS-XHP

It's stainless, it's super hard, it's super tough, and it sharpens pretty easily.
Only downside is it is not really common and is quite expensive.

 

[Mp7]

Krupp 4116.

Pocket bushman.


Believe me, u do need one.
One of the best value knives.

 

[ArfinGreebly]

Sandvik


I have a soft spot for Sandvik steels.

I like their 12c27, 13c26 and 14c28.

Buck Knives, Kershaw, and others do some of their pieces in those steels.

I will remark that the Bos heat treated blades in those steels outperforms others in those same steels.

I don't have a lot of exotic steels. Have a 154CM, an S30V, and another one that escapes me at the moment. Most of my Bucks are 420HC, which performs quite well.

I would like to pick up something in H-1. Yeah, I know, it's not really a steel per se, but it's close enough.

 

[ugaarguy]

Arfin, H1 is very much a steel. It's an iron alloy that just happens to have very little carbon, a very high amount of nitrogen for hardness, and a huge amount of chromium that stays free in the solution making it essentially corrosion proof.