Carbon steel vs Stainless steel

Carbon steel vs Stainless steel?

  • Carbon steel

    Votes: 41 52.6%

  • Stainless steel

    Votes: 37 47.4%
  • Total voters
    78
S

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Nov 21, 2019
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As simple as it is, given option of these two, which one do you prefer, and why?

I know that there are steels in between, like D2 for example, but they aren't fully stainless, therefore these 2 options.
 
stainless! stainless! stainless!


Need more fixed blade stainless options, look at how it is now, top one steel option on fixed blades is a century old carbon steel...
 
Each of them has its merits and uses. Just hang around here and you will end up owning both (so it does not really matter which one you will get first)
 
I usually prefer stainless steels
But I enjoy carbon on some blades, at the end it depends on the design and on the intended use
 
Stainless, but mainly because I'm lazy when it comes to maintenance and care.
No matter where I am there's ocean air, so it helps. At least I tell my self that.
 
I’ve had to many incidents with rust and corrosion do to my work environment. And my family is so used to stainless they forget to care for the carbon steel. One camping trip ruined two knives because they weren’t cleaned, dried and oiled or stored in a dry container. The stainless blades I have are excellent. 420hc, VG 10, cpm 154, s30v, 20cv. I don’t know what advantage a carbon steel would give me for my usage.
 
Carbon for knives I use frequently. Stainless for backup knives or 'just in case' blades that are sitting in cars, garden shed and the like for occasional use. But there are exceptions...
 
I forgot to mention I have a GEC 29 stockyard whittler and a couple other non stainless knives but I watch them like a hawk and don’t let anyone use them out of my sight. That’s going to be my limit on carbon steel knives.
 
I prefer stainless steels for my pocket knives and carbon for my fixed blade.
I frequently use my folders to cut my food and stainless steels won’t patina as easily when used for this purpose.
 
Here is my simplified answer

Folders: stainless
Small fixed: stainless
Medium fixed: either
Chopper: carbon

of course there are exceptions, and in the end you get to choose what you want !
 
This poll needs a third option...

c. Both are good at different times.


I have seen so many incorrect statements about carbon vs stainless online to count.
 
I normally look for stainless in folders and carbon in the fixed blades. If you made me choose one, it’s carbon.
Stainless can get a little chippy sometimes and it’s generally harder to sharpen in the field. Don’t need that on my fixed blades.
 
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