Blade Steels - Have We Been Fleeced By Marketing?

[Cosmodragoon]

To some degree IMO it is an American phenomenon... Maybe it's because the big US-Forums were always more collector and less user focused?

Over the time I have bought more and more PM steel blades but I still buy knives I like even when they "only" have a N690/D2/VG10 blade.

I doubt that things neatly divide into users versus collectors. I have ten or twelve pocket knives and at least four of them are in my EDC rotation. Most were at one point or another. When they stay out long enough, they get sold or traded unless I have a sentimental attachment.

I think the idea is that when a "superior" material is out there, we should have it. Even if we are only comparing the idea of that material, older and more commonplace materials can become relatively boring or "old". Being on a limited budget might have helped me a bit with this but I still really like 14C28N and VG-10. In fact, I prefer either to the D2 that's becoming standard among otherwise nicer budget knives from China.

 

[Black Oak Bladeworks]

I don't disagree. The only thing I would add is intended use. Are you planning to do food prep, cut hard plastic, or baton logs all day? You'll get different recommendations based on what you plan to do with it.

There's also preference. We may cut similar stuff with our EDC blades and still have different preferences. I prefer a thinner, harder EDC blade. Some want a softer steel that gets back to sharpness faster. Neither is wrong.

I agree. Very well said.