There's no one perfect knife steel for every person and circumstance, just like there's not one knife in the kitchen that does every job the best. If you're going to be laying down money for a quality knife you want every aspect to be ideal. This guide on how to choose the perfect knife steel is one in an up and coming series, each focusing on a specific facet of a knife. I’ll be updating this guide regularly as I gather more information. Feel free to bookmark it for future reference and don't forget to vote if you thought it was helpful.
The first thing you may want to ask yourself is, "Self, what the heck does 1stopsurplus.web know about knives, besides the fact that they’ve got a lot for sale?" Well, I worked in a sporting goods store for quite some time and after a couple years of studying manufacturer’s specs, researching online, talking with customers and playing with every knife in the case I became affectionately known in the department as, "The Knife Guru". If anyone had a question about a knife they couldn’t answer, they came to me. Now that I’ve got the horn tooting done let’s get on with the guide.
It’s important to have somewhat of an understanding of the main components of knife steel. Stainless steel contains at least 12% chromium (Cr) to prevent against corrosion. Carbon (C) is added to make the blade easier to sharpen and hold an edge longer, but the trade off is less stain resistance. Adding vanadium (V) or molybdenum (Mo) not only increases corrosion resistance, but also adds hardness and strength. Also, if you don’t know about the Rockwell hardness scale, the jist of it is that it’s a rating of hardness of 1-100 with diamond being the highest and talc being the lowest. Search for a blade with an Rc. rating of about 58-62.
Below is a summary of some common knife steels used today. Please keep in mind that differences in the way the manufacturer tempers the blade or grinds the edge can have an impact on how sharp a knife feels for how long. Have a question? Ask The Knife Guru by sending me a message through eBay.
154CM – A hard steel found in some knives designed for tactical use. Unfortunately, the standards once held for this steel are not always firmly adhered to any longer. A definite option for a self defense knife that you won’t be using much and therefore won’t be sharpening much. (Rc: 58-62, C: 1.05, Cr: 14, Mo: 4)
420 – The benchmark for knife makers. Used in everything from many low and mid-priced name brand knives to collector’s knives not meant for use to the cheap $5 knives made in Pakistan that are so plentiful on eBay. If the blade doesn’t say what type of steel it is, it’s probably 420. Depending on the brand, oftentimes impossible to sharpen to an adequate edge and has a very low Rockwell hardness rating. If you just want a cheap knife for occasional tasks then you could get away with this steel.
420HC – An increase in quality over standard 420 steel, but would you rather race with a tuner car suped up by some guy in his buddy’s garage or Dodge Viper? Start with high quality steel. (Rc: 49-53, C: 0.40-0.50, Cr: 12-14, V: 0.18, Mo: 0.60)
440C – Handles corrosion resistance well. Be wary of blades stamped 440 steel. These may be inferior 440A or 440B steels. My favorite folder uses 440C and I’ve beat the heck out of it for years with no problems. (Rc: 56-61, C: 0.95-1.20, Cr: 16-18, Mo: 0.75)
1050-1095 – Often used for cutlery, with 1095 being the most popular. The higher the number the more carbon content, the lower the number the better the corrosion resistance. Rc. 56-58.
ATS-34 – The Japanese steel very similar to 154CM. Excellent edge holding and toughness. Buck Knives offers this steel in many of their higher end knives. The tempering is overseen by "world renowned heat expert" Paul Bos. (Rc: 59-63, C: 1.05, Cr: 14, Mo: 4)
AUS-8A – Made popular Cold Steel knives. As heat treated by CS it won't hold an edge like ATS-34, but is a bit softer. With the AUS series, the higher the number the more carbon content. (Rc: 57-58, C: 0.70-0.75, Cr: 13-14.5, V: 0.1-0.26, Mo: 0.1-0.3)
BG-42 – This steel has a very high carbon and vanadium content making it easy to sharpen and very rust resistant. Knives with this steel aren’t as common as the one’s above and they will most likely cost more. (Rc: 61-63, C: 1.15, Cr: 14.50, V: 1.20, Mo: 4)
Carbon V – A very high carbon, low alloy steel used in some Cold Steel knives. Due to the high carbon content, it can corrode easily. When I worked in a sporting goods store, knives with this steel would arrive coated in grease to prevent rust. Occasionally we’d get one from the factory rusted new in the box. They came with an ultra sharp edge, though. With proper care it can be an excellent choice for a game knife or an everyday pocket knife.
Ceramic – Although it’s not a steel, I still think it belongs on this list. Ceramic blades are harder and stay sharp longer, but because of their brittleness, chip and break more readily. Not a good choice for a knife used in a survival situation where banging and prying may be required. You might be making a flint blade out of it before too long.
JT 420 -- Used in current Silver Stag swords and older production knives. I've rarely seen one sharp from the factory and I've never been able to get a halfway decent edge on the one I own, which I bought primarily for looks. (Rc: 52)
D-2 – An ultra hard tool steel. When a good edge is attained it can hold for a long time. This tough stuff does well for serrated blades. It's not considered a stainless steel. (C: 1.40-1.60, Cr: 11-13, V: 1.1, Mo: 0.70-1.20)
S30V & S60V – Another top shelf series of steels with a high carbon and vanadium content. (Rc: 58-60, C: 2.15-2.30, Cr: 14-17, V: 4-5.50, Mo: 0.40-2)
San Mai III – Means "three layers." In the center is a hard, high carbon steel with the sides being lower carbon tough steel.
Titanium – Found in many dive knives. Unlike the "stainless" steels mentioned, which can rust if introduced to extreme elements, titanium is truly stainless by the definition of the word. It will not rust, but it can corrode if contacted with strong industrial acid. But how often do you go diving in that? Sharpening is a difficult task. You might want to consider a dive knife with a more traditional steel that has a removable handle making cleaning easy.
VG-1 -- One of the hard materials that could be used in the center of a San Mai III blade. Not quite as good as VG-1 but still hight quality. (C: 0.95-1%, Cr: 13-15%, Mo: 0.2-0.4%)
VG-10 – Similar to 154CM and ATS-34, but slightly higher quality. It's a little more stain resistant, tougher, holds an edge a little better. (C: 0.95-1.05, Cr: 14.50-15.50, V: 0.10-0.30, Mo: 0.90-1.20)
![hasegawa-trytool-tt-18-carving-knife-[v]](http://thumbs.ebaystatic.com/pict/370527163833_0.jpg)
