"I am completely ignorant of steel and hope to learn. I am on a Mora kick right now and they seem to take a much better edge than many of my Gerbers or other knives for that matter. I don't own any expensive knives like Randalls or anything like that.
I have the big LMF and a number of Gerber items...my pervious "brand" kick. I assume that the Chinese Gerbers are those that do not say Portland OR on them? Or is there another way to tell? "
Many years ago, I was on the custom knife kick. I was a knife snob. I had two Randallls, a model 14, and a model 15. They were two of the most over rated knives I ever had. When I finally got over the knife thing and sold off the high end stuff, I took to using a number 1 laminated Mora. Best darn sheath knife I ever had. I sold off my Randalls, Hedrickson's, Ralph Bone's, Ruanna's, Fowler's, Bagwell's, and all the rest of the high end customs. For 20 years now I've used a Frost's Mora number 1 and a 12 inch Ontario machete as my heavy duty outdoor knives, and they have done everything my edc pocket knife wasn't up to. I know the Ontario is simple 1095 carbon steel. The Mora is soft carbon steel sandwiching a harder tempered carbon steel. I've used the living heck out of it, and it's great.
I used a Gerber LST for close to 20 years in a machine shop as my edc at work. I finally wore it out. Some months ago I bought another one, and it's still marked Portland Or. on the tang. So far it's proven to be just as tough and reliable as my original LST. The Gator series is still marked Portland Or. from what I can see in stores. I have a Gator clip point, and it's a good knife. I just don't carry it a lot because of the size. But it does go fishing, and camping, and used for camp chores and cleaning fish and small game. It holds a very nice edge for a good reasonable amount of time. Most of all, it sharpens up fairly easy with the cut down Eze-lap model L I keep in my wallet. It's easily as good a blade that was on my Randall that I used for much the same work. Did I mention I really love my LST? I use the LST and the Gator as my dirty deeds knife. Something I'm not afraid to get grungy and clean it by swishing it around in the creek. Or lake, or ocean. Since I live in Chesapeake bay country, and do spend time on the water in a variety of boats, I do like a stainless steel in my edc pocket knife.
I think people make too much noise over steel. I've used knives costing hundreds of dollars, (1970's and 80's dollars) and knives costing 10 dollars like Mora's and Victorinox bantam model SAKs. To be honest, I like the lower end knives better. Sooner or later your going to have to sharpen that knife. Think about it. I know I'd rather have a knife that when I finish field dressing that buck I have to take a few minutes, and touch up my knife on the little diamond hone in my wallet vs a knife that will do 5 deer, but is a b---h to sharpen. I like that in just a few minutes, I can have my pocket knife razor sharp again. I had a D2 Queen sodbuster, and it was a bear to sharpen when it did finally go dull. I gave it away. Just got tired of messing with it. I have done an entire deer with my LST, and it was still pretty good at the end. It touched right up in a couple of minutes when I was done.
The obsessive knife nut is too far out there. Just remember one thing; once upon a time, mountain men blazed a trail through the howling wilderness with Russell's Green river knives that were basically a large carbon steel kitchen butcher knife. I doubt they were as good as what is being produced today in large factories with computer controlled tempering ovens and other high tech manufacturing that was not available back then. Not to mention that even the common steels like 440B and AUS8, are probably better than many people had in the 1800's, when a knife really was used for keeping you alive.
Knife nuts don't really NEED the highest end super steel. Most of the time they are opening mail at the office, slicing open a plastic blister pack that defies tooth and nail, or maybe slicing an apple. Few people are skinning a buffalo, fighting hostile 'injuns, engaging in clandestine Jack Bauer operations. They just want the super steels. Like an automobile enthusiast really does not NEED that Porsche for commuting to the office. He has the Porsche because he likes and wants the Porsche. In the real light of day, a Toyota Corolla would get him to the office just as good, if not maybe even better in the long run. It just would not have the prestige and where-with-all.
Heck, man got by very well for a very long time with flaked obsidian and later, bronze. Steel, even middle of the road stuff, is gravy on the potatoes.
