On Cold Steel's web-site, Lynn Thompson states that Carbon V was dropped due to the single manufacturer in the United States ceasing to manufacture it. That's a far different story, from the man who bought most of it, that some tale about Chinese Cutlery. FYI, Thompson has long had knives for Cold Steel made in Taiwan. So does SOG, and even Al-Mar.
An EDC knife requires exotic steels ONLY if the owner wants the satisfaction of saying the "my blade is made of". The older, high-carbon steels serve quite well, as do the various stainless steels. D2, and O1 are machine tool steels, and are expensive to purchase, work, and heat treat. For what? To cut paper and cardboard, and plastic tape?
MY EDC is Fire/EMS is and was a Spyderco Standard Model, with the Spyder edge. It has done everything asked of it, from cutting wiring bundles on cars, to seat-belts, and being used to break glass. It has also cut busted hose on a fireground (dirty and full of sand), cut the metal safety wire on meters, and cut limbs and brush. It's not anything exotic in the blade, just a solid performer.