Best Steel for a Chopper?

T

Teesac81

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Jul 5, 2023
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I’d like to hear opinions on the best steel for a chopper/kukri anywhere from 7-12” long and 3/16-1/4” thick. It will backpack and camp with me, and I will put it to hard use. It needs to not snap when batoning #1, but it still should hold an edge particularly nicely and not roll or chip if possible. It will be used primarily for chopping/splitting wood and clearing brush. Please answer assuming heat treat is correct with given steels.
 
3V by a long shot. It’s a phenomenal steel for your intended use.
 
3V is the best overall. AEBL is the best option thats cost effective. You get the same level of toughness as 3V, more corrosion resistance, and about half the wear resistance BUT the steel costs about 1/3rd the price and is easier to finish and machine meaning lower cost overall.

I wish I'd known earlier in my knife-making career just how capable AEBL was in big choppers. I would have saved alot of time that I spent refinishing 52100 blades that succumbed to surface rust in the shop overnight. :poop::confused: Seriously, I wont even consider using a plain carbon steel for anything ever again. Corrosion is real and drastically affects cutting performance and does so RAPIDLY. Putting a carbon steel knife back in its sheath with some moisture can ruin a keen edge and the finish on your blade in a matter of hours.

Personally in a very large blade I think the cost savings and corrosion resistance give AEBL the edge over 3V. Wear resistance is not as much of a factor with chopping, but price always matters.

When I make knives again, 3V and AEBL will be the only steels I will use for large blades, period. Nothing else comes close and I used to be a 52100 fanatic.
 
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I have a Nepal kukri that was probably forged from a leaf spring (I understand that Mercedes springs are preferred), so the steel is likely something close to 5160. Bought it 25 or 30 years ago for around $50 if I recall. Takes an excellent edge, no rolling or chipping noted. The spine is around 1/4"" thick.
 
I've been running my 5160 at 57 Rockwell with good results for big chopping blades.
Did get a ding when a friend chopped through a nail that was in a piece of wood, but nothing major. Sharpened out nicely.

Best steel though?
If price is no consideration?

Interested to know that answer myself. 🤔
 
Where does price fit into your want list?
 
Teesac81 said:
If I were to take corrosion resistance into consideration (but not make it the most important factor), would steels like 5160 and 3V still be good options?
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3V would be a good option because it's not bad at corrosion resistance. Nearly semi-stainless.
But I would not use 5160 if corrosion resistance is important for you. It rust easily.

As explained above by Huntsman Knife Co. LLC. Huntsman Knife Co. LLC. you should consider AEB-L.
 
Teesac81 said:
I’m not sure yet. I like nice things and am steering toward a 3V kukri. I’ve not seen one that I know of. I like the sound of it.
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Here you go. Don’t be scared off by the list price, they can be found for $400 new if you shop around

www.coldsteel.com

GURKHA KUKRI PLUS (CPM 3V)

Swords, Axes, Machetes and The Coolest Knives For Sale From The Leader in Tactical Weapons and Gear
www.coldsteel.com www.coldsteel.com


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The answer partially depends on the geometry you want. Do you mainly want it to chop and split, or do you want it equally to perform traditional knife tasks like slicing up meat and vegetables for your dinner?

If it's mainly for chopping and splitting, the obtuse edge geometry you can get away with will let you use less tough steels than those mentioned above, but which will have either better edge holding or better stain resistance (or both). For example, MagnaCut.

If stainlessness isn't a big deal, there is also M4, 4V and the like (i.e. steels favoured for competition choppers).

For pure damage resistance during abusive chopping you couldn't do better than a Busse Combat in INFI or a Carothers Perfomance Knives in 3V.
 
Teesac81 said:
If I were to take corrosion resistance into consideration (but not make it the most important factor), would steels like 5160 and 3V still be good options?
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5160 is used primarily for vehicle suspensions. It can discolor but will resist heavy corrosion very well. Also, consider how many cycles a leaf spring has to survive without weakening. When was the last time you changed the springs on your car/truck?

n2s
 
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I can't say what's the definite best. I can only say what I'd choose.

Top choice would be CPM-3V.
Second choice would be 80CrV2.
Third choice would be 5160.

I personally wouldn't use stainless steel for that, but if I would - then it'd be AEB-L and nothing else.

Only other powder steels except CPM-3V that I would consider are:
CPM-4V
CPM-CruWear
 
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