Is AUS-6 really that bad?

I recently got in a shipment of Columbia River Point Guards. These knives really feel great and seem to be a good bargain. I have to ask though, just how "bad" is AUS-6? It seems as though a lot of people bad mouth it, but is it really that bad? Is it a serviceable steel?

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Dennis Bible

....Almost here, The Leading Edge....
http://www.theleadingedgeonline.com
 
I guess we're just steel snobs! I have had several aus6 knives, all CRKT, and they were all good blades. In the context of this forum we wind up comparing good steels to great steels. Aus6 steel is a very good steel and is very serviceable. To most non"knifenuts" ther is probably no noticeable difference. It just should not be compared to the qualities of steels costing twice as much. The CRKTs are great knives and probably just about all of us own several of them!
 
It is weaker and far less abrasion resistant than the high end cutlery steels. On the other hand for a stainless steel it is decently tough with a hugh ductility, it is also very corrosion resistant. A good group of abilities for a kitchen knife which is why they often use similar steels.

For a design point of view, it is cheap, easy to blank, shape and finish, which it is why the knives it is found in are so much cheaper
than similar blades in say ATS-34.

Now while you won't have great edge holding, it is not like if you cut a piece of rope it goes dull. It just won't last as long as the higher end cutlery steels in holding a crisp shaving edge and it will fall far behind in slicing ability to the high end high carbide steels.

If you have one on hand, why not just do some work with it to get an idea of its performance.

-Cliff
 
J

James Y

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I have not only CRKT knives in this steel, but some Spydercos and Kershaws. I just look at AUS-6 as another steel that is actually preferable on certain knives. It depends on what uses you use a particular knife for.

I have been pleased with the performance of my AUS-6 blades, but then I usually carry multiple blades on me. The heavier, rougher, more abrasive cutting is left to other blade designs/steels (because the blade grind/shape can also affect performance, not just the steel).

If I want to do fine to medium cutting, for one example, and not worry as much about keeping the blade clean, and I am willing/able to resharpen it a bit more often and more easily, I will use an AUS-6 or AUS-8 or similar steeled knife.
Jim
 
Obviously, you can't have it all with any given steel. AUS-6 is inexpensive and nicely rust-resistant. It's softer than lots of other steels, but that means that you can sharpen it in two minutes instead of two hours (like ATS-34).
 
I think AUS-6 steel will work fine for the average user. Here are some of my experiences and thoughts on AUS-6:

Recently, I sharpened my CRKT KISS keychain folder, plain edge, to about a 25-degree edge. This is much lower than the usual 30-degree edge, and I assume that it would dull a lot quicker because of the thin edge. I decided to test the edge holding abilities on some cardboard, but before doing it, I made sure that the knife was shaving sharp. If you pushed it against the hair of your head, hair would start falling out.

I cut down about 200 inches of corrugated cardboard (thickness of about 1/8") with this pocket knife before it stopped shaving. (Note: The edge was not dulled, but it was just not shaving. It was still sharp!) That means it can make an 80 inch cut on 1/8" thick cardboard for every inch of the blade before it loses it's shaving ability. It would probably cut even more cardboard without losing the shaving edge if I hadn't sharpened it so thin.

For the average knife user, this edge holding is fine. A couple strokes on a polishing compound loaded leather strop, and the edge will go back to almost shaving if not shaving.

I like AUS-6, because it's easy to sharpen. Generally, a steel that is hard to dull is hard to sharpen. For the average knife user with below average sharpening skills, a AUS-6 steel blade is great. You can restore the edge quickly on a simple gray sharpening stone from Sears and a leather strop. It's a lot harder for people to sharpen 154CM or other "better" steels with such simple equipment.
 
Chang is right - as a "below average" sharper - I find it a lot easier to sharpen my CRKT aus-6 then the high-end steels that require much more work and concentration to get the job done.

This steel also enables CRKT to offer the great value - and the ability to test and feel custom designs - before making the decision to go for the real thing...


 
Most of my knives are CRKTs, so guess it is helpful to be fond of AUS6. For me, it is the stainless qualities that I like best about the steel. It just seems to go on and on w/out any corrosion problems. And, it takes a good edge. Since I'm not a heavy user because of lifestyle, and because CRKT puts so much quality into other aspects of their knives, for me it is the perfect steel. Plus, I get no pleasure from sharpening knives. Knowing that most of my sharpening jobs will be easy makes me happy.

I find some humor in knowing that if one wants to buy a stainless steel Trailmaster from Cold Steel, one is forced to buy AUS6. Thus far, have never heard that knife badmouthed at all, tho of course most are talking about that unknown steel Carbon V.
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Asi es la vida

Bugs
 
Hey, it beats those 420J and other non-descript "Stainless Steels" that were the norm in mid to low end knives 10 to 15 years ago.

Entry level knives have come a long way baby, and CRKT -- along with other high profile names in cutlery -- has done wonders to put good, affordable cutlery in people's hands. For this, viva la AUS-6.

P.S. I carry the CRKT KISS in AUS 6 more often than my ATS-34 knives, or my new REKAT D-2 Sifu. The only other knife I consider carrying on EDC basis is my Spyderco Native. You see, for me, carrying comfort overrides how hard the steel is...

[This message has been edited by Full Tang Clan (edited 04-21-2001).]
 
I've found that my AUS6 knives will dull just from looking at them. I found pretty severe edge rolling in 2 CRKT's that had hardly been used at all & I rarely carry them now. That in addition to the fact that, though AUS6 is pretty corrosion resistant, CRKT's bead blast finish is extremely prone to rusting. The only quality knife I've ever had that even began to rust was a CRKT. Haven't had this problem since I started using Tuff-Cloth, but none of my other knives rusted without it. It bugs me because I really like a lot of CRKT's designs. I wish they'd come out with a higher end lineup with the same designs & better steel, maybe replace the Zytel scales w/G-10 too. AUS6 is real easy to sharpen though. I'm in the process of rebeveling my D2E Sifu and it's a bitch & a half, I've taken to using 60 grit sandpaper because my coarse stone hardly touches the stuff; never have a problem like that w/AUS6.

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Jason aka medusaoblongata
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"Is not giving a need? Is not receiving mercy?" - Thus Spoke Zarathustra
"Cutting his throat is only a momentary pleasure and is bound to get you talked about." - Lazarus Long
"Knowledge is not made for understanding; it is made for cutting." - Michel Foucault
 
If you look back a few years ago. Al Mar was using 6A on his knives that he did not use ATS-34 on. A lot of it has to do with tempering.
 
Cliff Stamp said:
If you have one on hand, why not just do some work with it to get an idea of its performance.
Click to expand...

I find myself heartily agreeing with this. 6A has the advantage of being cheap enough that you don't have to take anyone's word for it about any supposed inferiority or superiority. And if you have one on hand already, so much the better. Carry it around and use it a bit and see what you think. When you're doing with the carry-around test, why not do a couple of quick head-to-head tests with one of your other knives in other steels?

Generally speaking, the lighter your use, and the thicker you leave your edges, the less difference you'll see between 6A and the latest wonder steel. The heavier or more special purpose your use, and more finely tuned your edge, the greater difference your see between steels.
 
Not to brag, but I consider myself an above-average knife honer in terms of skill (I've been doing it for years even though I'm only 20) and I still think that AUS-6 is pretty good steel, not to mention the fact that it's easier to sharpen. If you are not using your knife to cut your way out of a burning airplane fuselage (to quote an article from Knives '97) or mistreating it in any other way (such as cutting wire or anything else harder than the steel itself), you should have no problem with your CRKT. I had a Gerber knife (don't remember what model) for two or three years and although I didn't wear it down to a sliver (the lock mechanism was eventually too worn out for my comfort), I have found that cheaper steels keep an edge nearly as well as the overpraised next step up, AUS-8. Do what Cliff Stamp said--carry your knife every day, everywhere and you'll find you'll have more opportunities to use it. Use it every time (just not on hard, abrasive materials), and I think you'll find that it works just as well for normal cutting tasks as your harder-steeled knives. Just make sure to put a sturdy-enough edge on it and it'll do fine.
PMZ
 
I once bought a CRKT Bear Claw... it got dull after very light use.

However, my Spyderco Vagabond remained sharp and held an excellent edge.
So I used it a lot more. And it still stayed sharp.
 
diamdave said:
I once bought a CRKT Bear Claw... it got dull after very light use.

However, my Spyderco Vagabond remained sharp and held an excellent edge.
So I used it a lot more. And it still stayed sharp.
Click to expand...

Perhaps the reason your Bear Claw got dull so fast was that it was hard to sharpen...edges that "belly in" tend to be almost impossible to hone without a rod sharpener. So if you were trying to sharpen it with a flat whetstone, that may have been why. Maybe it was more of a pain so you didn't want to hone it often enough. Also, I think the main reason I would not buy a knife like that is not the steel.....it is that I wouldn't want to have to buy a ceramic kit to hone it with. That would be my only knife with that kind of edge....All my knives are either drop point, clip, or tanto.

Just a thought.
PMZ
 
I really don't use this steel anymore after the frustration of trying to use knives in the workplace in this steel. One of the tasks I do on a regular basis is to slit open antistatic bags (hardrives in them etc) so as to quickly and efficiently insert a warranty sticker.

I found after each days use I had to re-sharpen the knives to bring the desired level of bite and sharpness back. Steels like VG10 and S30V would hold this edge all week and more. Not to mention with the cutting of cardboard as well.

I see AUS-6 as a poor performer for what I use a knife for. Then again, thats me.
 
The heat treatment of AUS-6 is all over the place, it can be good with good heat treatment. With the knowledge of Swedish steels 12C27, 13C26, AEB-L growing, etc. you'd think that the companies that use AUS6 would slowly switch over to them. The cost has got to be around the same, while still having the ability to blank it, while also not having the negative reputation of AUS6. But I don't think very many will switch over.
 
gabsliceoflife said:
A lot of it has to do with tempering.
Click to expand...
BINGO!

This comes up for every steel. A "better" steel can outperform a "lesser" steel, but only with proper heat treat. A 440C blade treated by Paul Bos, for instance, could outperform a hunk of S30V with a crappy heat treat.

As for AUS6, I've seen good and bad. Some are waaay soft, just won't hold an edge; but doen right, it's a perfectly good EDC steel: decent edge holding, easy sharpening, high corrosion resistance, etc.
 
I have a Knives of Alaska Camp Knife in AUS6 and before I could get the hide off of a Russian boar it was dull as a butter knife. My Fehrman in CPM3V was a different story.
 
I've never used AUS6, but if it's anywhere near as bad as AUS8A, I wouldn't have it as a gift.

I want something that will hold an edge, and AUS8A definitely aint it!:thumbdn: :thumbdn:
 
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