Your top 3 steels and why?

[C_Claycomb]

Toddy had a laminated blade that delaminated, although I am not sure that they were different types of steel. On the other hand, there are tens of thousands of Japanese kitchen knives out there with Blue steel cores and stainless cladding that never have any problems at all.

 

[Tiley]

Although I started down the 01 route, I would imagine like a good many of us here, time and greater experience has altered my appreciation of steels. However, I would say that blade geometry, shape, thickness and use are greater influences than the blade material; if it is easy to sharpen and holds its edge pretty well, then I'm happy. But, in no particular order, I do like:

52100
RWL34
S30V

for various reasons. Habit also flies a flag for good old 01, if I'm allowed a fourth choice!

 

[TLM]

Too many non linear variables. Like: bending strength of a blade is to the second power of thickness, stiffness to the third. On processing tens, on final heat treatment tens.

Requirements for a good knife are a lot easier to list:
- sharp
- tends to stay sharp and not too difficult to sharpen
- strong (like high bending strength)
- tough (like high fracture toughness)
- corrosion resistance depends on use

When that list is combined with existing number of in principle suitable metal alloys the equation does not have a solution.

Yeah, I know I am a spoil sport on this one.

 

[Woodcutter2]

O1 for sure, my favourite chisels were made from it 50 ish years back and take a lovely edge to this day, I have made countless knives for my-self, my kids and clients over the years so am very happy to rely on its ease of sharpening, toughness and its fine fine edge if I have honed it through to 8000grit!
As a self confessed day tripper/over-nighter rust is never an issue for me, use it wipe it has kept knives in good nick for years, I do get the longer trips in other poor conditions can catch up though!!

Sandvik's 14c28n takes a crazy fine edge and holds it really well, hardens and tempers to a consistent 59 HRC, easy to sharpen and live with being stainless, I love this steel for its everyday usability and edge quality, I even made some new runners for my ice hockey skates with it, way better than the 12c27 that Bauer and CCM use for their runners on 650 quid skates for edge holding etc.!!!
It seems great in Skandi or flat grinds with a secondary and is not too expensive to buy, for sure Elmax or RWL34 will win hearts (with a price) but as the everyday go to steel this is up there for me.

A2 is wonderful steel to make from and use, tough, good/better corrosion resistance than O1 but less than D2 I think, a good clean edge is held for yonks, maybe not so fine as the above but it does last and last, seems hard to find in the UK though!

 

[C_Claycomb]

Woodcutter2,
Where have you bought those steels?

I have bought from the US when I have been there, and from Barmond, but selection is variable.

 

[demographic]

For me theres three standout great steels and I know I sound like a steel snob saying this but really I couldn't care less I like them based on my experience.

This is for plane blades which I use quite a lot at work.
Ive got a lot of choices of steels as I have quite a few plane blades.
PMV-11 which is a proprietary powder metal steel made by Veritas.
Whatever version of High Speed Steel that Mujingfang brazes an inch or so at the cutting end of their HSS plane blades.
Both of these steels have edge retention that none of my other plane blades can compete against and that includes the A2 steel which is no slouch on the edge retention front its self.

Ive just ordered a Mujingfang laminated HSS plane blade this week and I'll see how it comes on when it lands and I get the chance to try it out.

Honourable mention goes to my Samurai Brand laminated plane blade which holds a better edge than any blade Ive ever got standard with a Stanley or Record handplane.

Then I have a little Fallkniven U2 and that SGPS they use for the centre cutting layer of their stainless blades is excellent.

 

[Woodcutter2]

Woodcutter2,
Where have you bought those steels?

I have bought from the US when I have been there, and from Barmond, but selection is variable.

Richard at Barmonds has been the source for both plus Jantz in the USA for A2 wich was not so cost effective. A2 is trickier to get for sure, I've bought bits from the Gembloux knife show in Belgium but 14c28n is much more readily available.
If A2 was more 'available' I think I'd pretty much use it exclusively, it comes surface ground so needs minimal work unlike 14c28n that is sheer cut from a gi-normous roll so needs a bit more work under the surface grinder, plus A2 will harden with an air/ally plate quench every time to 62-63 HRC easily tempered back to the preference for the knife.

 

[thehillbillyhiker]

In light of the huge range of steels out there (thanks in a big part to spyderco), steel snobbery has hit a number of forums. But as users of tools, what are your top 3 knife steels of choice and why?

For example, for me (in no order), are the following:

VG10 - sharpens so easily, and screaming edge that just bites - examples are most spydercos and fallkniven

01 - same reason as above, sharpens very easily, and tough. So although it rusts, edge holding is low and old school steel, it still has a place - examples are woodlore, moras (i know the Steel is labelled different, but they are pretty much 01), and most custom bushcraft knives out there

S30v - this steel is a bit harder to sharpen, but really does stand out for a good reason, the perfect folder steel with great balance between needs. M390 and S90V is better, but my experience is limited with this steel. Examples are most spydercos, benchmade bushcrafter, etc

Honourable mentions (but lack of user experience, as time passes I will get to know the below better, and list will change)

M390
CPM CruWear
Elmax
3V
M2
M4
REX45
S90V
D2
52100
ZDP189

 

[thehillbillyhiker]

D2 and 1095 have great edge retention, but can be a bit difficult to sharpen in the field without dedicated tools. And while I am wild about my Becker combat bowie made with 1095 Cro-Van @ R 56-58 blades fashioned from these steels are generally too hard for me to consider them to be reliable in extreme cold weather environments. I have noticed that Americans tend to favor "tool" steels, while Europeans seem to prefer "spring" steels. But it is the treatment of the metal that is paramount. I have a vintage Gurkha Kukri made from a used Land Rover leaf spring that I will never part with.

That being said, My hands down favorite steel is that used in the Ka-Bar Kukri Machete. I believe it is SK5/1084 R 52 to 54. Not as hard as may other knives, this blade has great toughness, and is a proven cold weather performer.

 

[gra_farmer]

D2 and 1095 have great edge retention, but can be a bit difficult to sharpen in the field without dedicated tools. And while I am wild about my Becker combat bowie made with 1095 Cro-Van @ R 56-58 blades fashioned from these steels are generally too hard for me to consider them to be reliable in extreme cold weather environments. I have noticed that Americans tend to favor "tool" steels, while Europeans seem to prefer "spring" steels. But it is the treatment of the metal that is paramount. I have a vintage Gurkha Kukri made from a used Land Rover leaf spring that I will never part with.

That being said, My hands down favorite steel is that used in the Ka-Bar Kukri Machete. I believe it is SK5/1084 R 52 to 54. Not as hard as may other knives, this blade has great toughness, and is a proven cold weather performer.

I like consideration for cold weather, nice add

 

[camperman]

I like consideration for cold weather, nice add

I like RWL34. It's easy to heat treat to an acceptable hardness, and it finishes well if, like me, you attempt a mirror finish quite often.

 

[camperman]

I like RWL34. It's easy to heat treat to an acceptable hardness, and it finishes well if, like me, you attempt a mirror finish quite often.

Sorry, did not mean to reply. Just to comment in the thread.

 

[Kadushu]

Trouble is you can find the same steel behaves quite differently in different knives. In 1095 I have:

Camillus Bushcrafter. This is pretty soft. It'll loose its edge just going in and out the sheath a few times. However it's easy to sharpen and I like the ergonomics of the knife so can overlook its softness.

Esee JG5. Harder than the Camillus, this is how I'd expect 1095 to perform. It'll stay sharp long enough to do a task, then benefits from a quick strop.

Tops El Chete. This has done hours of limbing hard and softwood. It still shaves hairs off my arm. This is well beyond what I'd expect of 1095. No idea how hard it is to sharpen because I've never had to.

 

[Robson Valley]

You can pick any steel you want. If the final heat treatment isn't done right, they are soft crap. OR, they are so hard and brittle that they will chip.

I am buying the bladesmith's experience to know the difference.

I believe that all the blades I buy, crooked knives and adzes, are 1095. From a day's carving, I believe the heat treatment is satisfactory. The hardness varies far more than I imagined. Mora 171 are softer than Hall. Hall will wreck even a chainsaw file in 2 blades. The Mora are wonderful for wood carving, OK edge for 30-60 minutes. Hall last all day but to get there is a grunt.

 

[mikehill]

I think I’ve tried them all over the last 20 years and now only use M390 on a Lionsteel M4 and Jack 1. It is so good my others just sit in a drawer.

 

[fielder1963]

I tend to like steels that are tough, easy to sharpen and that don't rust if you look at them.
I've enjoyed Sandvik 14c28n. A great steel, often overlooked. (as is 12c27)
3v, deservedly popular.
I'd love to try cpm Magnacut, it sounds like a real breakthrough.

 

[gra_farmer]

Going forward, and having tried quite a number of steels, I really like the way S30v sharpens and holds an edge as I prefer a harder stainless steel as my carry, both as a folder and fixed blade.

So my top 3 steels are as follows:

S30v - as a folder and small fixed blade
CPM 3V - as a medium to large fixed blade
M2 / M3 / M4 - for edge stability. A thin ground M steel carving blade is a joy to use

Honourable mentions, and in rotation are:
VG10
M390
Niolox
O1
1075
D2
Elmax
S90V
S110V

 

[gra_farmer]

I have been on a mission to try as many steels as possible since I started this thread and have found out some interesting things. Such as spyderco VG10 heat treatment is not always consistent and leatherman pliers can expload spectacularly when used really hard....i have sent 4 leatherman tools back under warranty in the last 18 months. Currently destroying a Swisstool, and has lasted longer than a leatherman

What I am finding is that although some of us are always reaching for the newest super steel, yet we always come back to simple steel choices....so my current line up after handling over 300 knives and 43 different steels, in the last 3 years.....

Stainless: M390 has been a real user recently and the recommended stainless for availability. Although I am finding it difficult to choose between M390, Cruwear, ELMAX.

Toolsteel: Between CPM 3v and CPM M2/M4/Vanadis 23 - all hold an wicked wicked edge forever (and polish up really nice), can patina and damn it can certainly be tough. I have a Knife Research Rasul and beat the crap out of that, without any edge damage....i honestly believe it would run rings around any Carothers blade.

Carbon Steel: 01 the favourite of all, I am enjoying 1095 and 1075, but often usually run too soft for my taste. I have a surprising Condor Bushbuddy that is at 17 degrees inclusive and unbelievable edge stability....

Wildcard steel: ZDP-189 - holds an edge forever, is not stainless, but has a bluing discolouration like REX45 and HAP40. Tough as nails (used it to deburr steel-parts, which it took without any damage)

 

[Tiley]

I have to admit to being increasingly impressed by AEB-L. I've been using a knife made from it for about ten months now and think it is superb: great edge retention and pleasingly stainless. It makes it very easy to care for, which, as far as I'm concerned, is a great asset!

I will have to modify my 'top three' steels accordingly. They are now:

1. AEB-L
2. RWL 34
3. 01

I wonder what will show up next? Perhaps a stainless, self-sharpening, lightweight but phenomenally strong alloy that is inexpensive and environmentally friendly to produce...

 

[MartiniDave]

1. 40 years in engineering, about 10 of those as an instrument maker actually making things, I used a lot of 01 lathe tool bits to machine a lot of very varied materials. I still find it works well enough for carving a few bits of wood and striking a ferro rod.
2. I don't know what precise steels Helle use, but whatever it is my Eggen has superb edge retention. Pity it doesn't do the trick with the ferro rod though.
3. The laminates used in the Frost/Mora 106 and 120 I also like a lot.