AUS8A Steel

NGK-Webmaster

NGK-Webmaster

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Jun 21, 2002
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I want some feedback on this steel, I just bought my 1st knife with an AUS8A blade, it came with a super sharp edge and seems to hold it well but I have only used it a few times, so just wondering what people have experienced with it? Does it hold its edge well? Is it hard to sharpen? Stain easy? Etc. any input is appreciated.
 
I think its great steel but it depends what your cutting... somethings just dull aus8 quickly
 
I have a AUS8A knife. It is a good stainless steel. Gets nice and sharp. Dulls faster than S30V, but I think it holds an edge better than 440C.

Not that easy to sharpen.
 
AUS8 is pretty good stuff, it doesn't hold an edge forever, but it does pretty well in terms of hanging on, it is tough, relatively corrosion resistant, pretty easy to resaharpen, and best of all, AUS8 seems to have a habit of taking a great edge (at least from my 204 Sharpmaker).
 
Hi!

AUS8 is a very good steel. It is not a high end steel like VG-10 or 154CPM,but not far from. It is in the same class as 440C and the other "standard" steels.It is usually found in the 57-58 Rockwell hardness. It is a stainless steel that is easy to reharpen and it takes a razor edge. It has also good resistance against rust.

It´s also an affordable steel that does not cost as mouch as the super steels like VG-10 and so on. I have a Cold Steel Voyager as an EDC knife,and one Cold Steel Tuff-lite,both made of Aus8 steel. I am very pleased with both of them. The realy disadvantage with Aus8 steel,is that it does not hold the edge just as long as more expencive steel. Other wise,i have only good things to say about Aus8.May i ask what knife did you buy?

Manowar
 
Manowar
Picked up one of the new kersaw Steven Segal knives, Just couldnt resist once I picked one up they feel great in the hand in a forward or backhand grip, nice blade too. Thanks for info.
 
Darned good steel. It has some vanadium which probably accounts for its edge holding qualities. Quite easy to sharpen. My two Voyagers are among my sharpest knives, probably due to a combination of the high thin grind and the AUS8. Very corrosion resistant. One account of a CS Master Hunter in AUS8 related that the owner and his brother had used it for field dressing several large game animals with only minor touch-ups. Not quite as good as VG-10 when it comes to edge holding, but a few swipes on a diamond hone will bring it back quickly.
 
Having many knives in different steels over the years including all the latest and greatest is great.

There was a time I wouldn't carry anything but ats-34 or 154cm. This year I decided to put all the high end folders away and am now carrying an Endura [ the old model with plastic clip ] as the EDC for defensive purposes which is aus-8.

The steel takes a very sharp edge, will last long enough for my purposes if I ever have to use it defensively and doesn't seem very inclined to rust quickly sitting on the pocket from persperation.

It is capable of giving me back a "scary sharp" edge quickly when dulled some. I like the steel and am not fussy about having to use it for chores as it can be replaced quickly for short money.

Brownie
 
Hi NGK, Some thoughts to share.

AUS-8 (sometimes called 8A for short) made by Aichi Steel is a very homogenous ingot stainless steel with a very uniform grain structure, especially for a stainless steel. It seems to have the "right" amount of everything for good balance.

It is not the best edge holder when compared to "exotics" like powdered metals (CPM-S30V), but its edge holding is quite acceptable. It is not the best in corrossion resistance when compared to 440C, but again corrosion resistance is very good.

Because of the very uniform grain structure, it will get very sharp.

All in all, if you wanted to make a very good knife, and you wanted a "good" stainless steel without going exotic (read: "more expensive"), AUS-8 would, IMO, be an excellent choice.

sal
 
AUS8A is closest to 440B -

The BladeForums Steel FAQ
http://www.bladeforums.com/features/faqsteel.shtml
says this:

QUOTE:
AUS-6 - AUS-8 - AUS-10 (aka 6A 8A 10A)
Japanese stainless steels, roughly comparable to 440A (AUS-6, .65% carbon) and 440B (AUS-8, .75% carbon) and 440C (AUS-10, 1.1% carbon). AUS-6 is used by Al Mar. Cold Steel's use of AUS-8 has made it pretty popular, as heat treated by CS it won't hold an edge like ATS-34, but is a bit softer and may be a bit tougher. AUS-10 has roughly the same carbon content as 440C but with slightly less chromium, so it should be a bit less rust resistant but perhaps a bit tougher than 440C. All 3 steels have some vanadium added (which the 440 series lacks), which will improve wear resistance.
UNQUOTE
 
It's great on pocket knives. I have seen huge bowies and camp knives using it and I would think for really rough chores it would chip easily.
Bob
 
I have a few Cold Steel knives made out of AUS-8(A), and I just can't seem to get any of 'em to rust!...And they are all sharp as a razor, and very easy to keep that sharp.

Anyone who bad-mouths AUS-8(A) is an idiot.:).
 
AUS8A is an underrated steel, in my opinion. I have owned a few knives that used this steel and I liked them all. I never found this steel to dull unduly on any material that I cut. An excellrnt value in knife steel.
 
I make use of the fine grain structure from 8A, and strop it. I carry a fully serrated, a combo, and a 1200(sandpaper) grit PE... FB03 and CS Ti-Lite both have polished 8A. I used the Meerkat with only a polished edge, from december till I traded it a couple months ago. Even if it seemed a bit dull to the touch, it sliced like nothing b/c of NO wire at all.
 
I also have a large collection of knives, with various steels. I really do like AUS8A.

Nowadays, I generally refuse to buy any 400 series steels- they just don't work for me. 8A is my "minimum" quality steel for a good knife.

It can take an excellent edge, hold it for a long time, depending on use (I mainly open boxes, cut paper, occasionally wood) and resharpens without too much effort.

I have found 8A sin't as corrosion resistant as I'd like, but I've found its not too hard if I pay attention to the blades. Its not a daily/weekly thing, but I do look them over and oil them when I put them away.

I recommend trying several steels, as your budget allows, to see what they all have to offer.

Good luck!
 
Originally posted by NGK-Webmaster
I just bought my 1st knife with an AUS8A blade, it came with a super sharp edge and seems to hold it well but I have only used it a few times, so just wondering what people have experienced with it?
Click to expand...

One of my favorite knives is AUS8A; an A.G. Russell Bird and Trout. It has filleted the breasts off a LOT of ducks over the past few years and shows no stains or other evidence of use. (But it usually gets cleaned immediately after use.) It sharpens easily to a very sharp edge and holds the edge well.

I have no complaints with AUS8A...

Take it easy,
Bob
 
Hi there knife fellows!

It seems now and always when talking about AUS-8A,(that is the full corect term,but one tends to short it out to jus AUS8,the metallurgistic term would be "AUSTENITIC 8-A).

It is used in for example all Coold Steel high quality products like there entirely Tanto series,where it sometimes also are backed up with laminated 420J2 steel as laminated scales,and that is what it´s called "San Mai3" by Cold Steel. Also the Tai Pan dagger,the complet line of Cold Steel Voyagers are also made in AUS8.

I have my own private stainless steel-bin,where i place the steels as follow:

1.Poor and cheap knives which are often made in Pakistan and so on.
Usually they are made of: 420J2(which is just a pure laminaton steel),all strange kind of stainless steel alloys which also often are made in Pakistan,Taiwan and they just simply does not have any name printed on the knives,just the word "stainless". These kind of steel are often found on knock off knives.

2.Standard steels. I call all 440A,440B,440c,Sandvik12c27,420HC and AUS8 and AUS6 as "standard steels." They are all tried and proven since the at least 1960´s,and are very common on production knives.They are all found often in the 57-59 Rockwell hardness,where they are best.I have found that AUS8 are my favourite amongs them.

3.Special steels. Like different powder steels like 154cpm among many others,VG-10 and 440V.These are often found in the 59-61 at the Rockwell scale. They cost more,holds their edge longer are stronger and are more resistant to rust. The drawback is their higher prices and that the fact that they are harder to resharpen.

Well that´s my personal "steel-bin". I know that some people will just as always dissagré with me on it, but it is just like i said, my personal thoughts of steels. Just in short,for me steels is either crap-steels,standard steels(good steels) or special steels(the best).

Manowar:) :):)
 
Despite the visible wear on my AUS 8 Salsa, it still shaves arm hair very very easily.
It holds one of the sharpest edges that I've known.
 
I've never had any problems with my Aus8 knives. They've always seemed to hold up just fine with normal everyday use.

On a side note, I just got to handle that Seagal knife yesterday and it's a pretty hefty/solid knife (didn't even notice the steel type, though). I like the ray inserts, but I think the flipper needs to be a little better.
 
For the most part, I tend to be a steel snob, but I do like 8A. The knives I have in 8A (all Spyderco) sharpen easily and you can put a shaving edge on them with just a medium ceramic. Or, a seriously scary edge by using fine/ultrafine ceramic -- in fact, one of the "downsides" of 8A is the fact that you can put such a polished edge on your knife that it won't slice at all, just push cut. :o
 
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