Stainless Steel vs Carbon

[Lodian]

Hi there

A friend and i are away to buy a knife each from this site, but were wondering which is better to go for the stainless steel one or the carbon one. If you could post what you prefer and why it woul be helpfu we are buying them this wednesday.
Thanks Ryan

 

[Bushcraft4life]

Dunno why i just prefer carbon steel blades. Hold a better edge and are a lot tougher than stainless steel (i think). Just dont get them wet

 

[michiel]

I like the carbon, but the stainless is good as wel. Mora's are very good in general and you won't be disapointed with either one.

Keep your carbon blades clean and oiled and you'll be fine.

Michiel

 

[Lodian]

What sort of oil do you need something like wd-40?

 

[Dougster]

Any any any old oil................ oh dear.

I've just got my first Stainless clipper and I'm really impressed with the edge retention. I wouldn't recommend the carbon over it. Although I believe carbon is easier to sharpen... I could be wrong.

The problem with the stainless is it won't work with the firesteel or so I'm told. - Just checked, rubbish.

 

[michiel]

file the back of the knife perhaps? Might work.

 

[Goose]

A carbon blade is generally easier to sharpen, a Stainless blade will need less maintenance. If the knife is going to spend most of its time packed away and just come out for the odd use I would go with stainless, from what you posted before you are on the coast, if you are around water,especially salt, go for Stainless.
I have no problems getting a firesteel to work with a stainless blade, it may just need the back squaring off.

 

[Hoodoo]

What sort of oil do you need something like wd-40?

Defnintely not WD-40. If you want to use your knife for food prep, mineral oil works well. If not, teflon-based oils are great but any regular type oil, even motor oil, works well. I would avoid WD-40. This is one of the worst oils to use for rust prevention. WD-40 has a solvent in it that allows it to penetrate. That's what makes it a great penetrationg oil, but it also thins the oil and when the solvent evaporates, only a very fine coat of oil is left and it's not very tenacious. If you use WD-40 you need to apply it often. Not recommended for long term storage. I have seen it dry, harden, and flake off.

 

[Glen]

What sort of oil do you need something like wd-40?

So long as your not going to use it for food prepereation it'd probably be OK. I use vegestable cooking oil which seems to work well enough.

 

[rapidboy]

I carry a stainless clipper with me every day at work but a lot of what i use it for is prying and the stainless knives are less resistant to chipping and breaking, although i still manage to destroy them now and again

I use a carbon Mora for bushy stuff more often than stainless.

I have quite a choice of knives but the Mora is as capable as any of them and there is a certain satisfaction in using a simple tool.

Just took these pic's last night to demonstrate how i carry it sometimes, very discrete under a jacket.

Carbon takes a better edge and to be honest i look after my kit and i have never had a rusty Mora but they do take on a nice patina with a bit of use.

I might carry a stainless version if im camping on the shore or in a boat but as i said i look after my kit so the rust isn't an issue..

I carry a stainless version in my fishing box but i'd really like a part serrated version for that, can't find one at the moment but i think you can get them.

If i had to choose one i would take the carbon but they are cheap enough to buy one of each.

I make a leather sheath which will hold either and i just take which ever knife is most suitable.

 

[Tengu]

near salt water, -stainless.

otherwise its your choice, both have advantages and disadvantages

 

[British Red]

By gum you look better these days Lawrence!

 

[rapidboy]

Aye, the diet is going well mate im down to a size 10 now

 

[Tony]

Different environments tend to get me using different blades, they're both good though.

 

[Lodian]

Thanks some really great advice there due to the high salt air im probably gonna with stainless steel one due to the high salt air. Though i must get hold of a decent sharpening stone at the moment ive been useing a crappy small one that came with an auto matic tin opener.

 

[Simca]

Mora's stainless is 12c27, a very, very fine steel, they can take an edge as sharp (if not sharper) as their carbon blades. You don't lose anything if you choose the stainless over the carbon.

 

[John Fenna]

Get both - they are cheap enough - and see which you end up using most.
I mostly use one of the carbon ones but the ss one comes too as it lives in my stove bag.
I prefer the carbon blades feel when sharpening it and the patination you can get. The ss you can use and abuse near salt water without worrying too much about rust....
Love em both!

 

[Silverback]

I have a carbon for bushcraft work like whittling, shelter building, batoning etc. a stainless for food prep and both the stainless game prep knives (blue handles) which are excellent. The greatest thing about all the Frosts is that you are not going to cry yourself to sleep at night if you should lose or break it unless of course you happen to be stranded on a desert island but then you probably won't be reading this

 

[Shinken]

.Firstly,

I am going to clear up some myths in the great carbon vs stainless debate.

hardened stainless blades will make sparks on a rerro rod. They wont work well with flint to crate sparks either
Carbon steel knives are very nearlly always tougher than stainless knives.

Carbon steel is usually easier to sharpen than stainless.

Carbon blades dont necessarily hold an edge better. They may chip less due to the increased toughness. But the chromium in stainless often increses the wear resistance in stainless blades..

Personally i prefere carbon steels.

(As a side note)
Ive heard 01 being called a simple carbon steel, but it actually containes quite a few alloying elements.

 

[-Switch-]

They are so cheap that maybe getting one of each would be a good idea? You could take the SS when you're expecting alot of rain or if you'll be going to the coast and the carbon for other times. You'll naturally develop a fondness for one or the other .

And this thing about 'only carbon steel creates sparks from a fire-stick (ferro rod)' is untrue. Anything hard and sharp will get a spark. I experimented a little with this at the weekend and got sparks from the back of a carbon blade, back of a stainless blade, edge of a carbon blade (not recommended ), the back of a Laplander saw, the rim of a billy can and also from a bit of flint.