The best steel for tactical knives

A

ancalagon

Joined
Dec 26, 2004
Messages
6
I come from a military and martial arts background. I am familiar with knives (mostly combat knives), but most of my knowledge is on how to use them. I have some knowledge of different blade steels, heat treatment, etc. I know, for example, that for combat steels I usually go with 440c, s30v, 154cm, d2, or 1095. I know other possibilities include ats-34 and -55, bg-42, a2, 5160, etc. I know that a knife made by a terrific knife maker using okay steel can be better than a knife made by an okay knife maker with terrific steel. Suffice to say, I’m not a complete novice. However, I am not a knife maker, and my knowledge of what goes into making a good knife pales in comparison to many on this forum. So I have a question for you experts.
I’m looking for a superb tactical knife. Basically, a knife in that will have a similar shape to the kabar (examples I’ve looked at include the rat-7, MOD nightwing, Kershaw outcast, or even a Chris Reeves Neil Roberts warrior knive). Basically, I want a knife between with a blade between 6 and 9 inches long that will be used primarily for things like cutting branches, making firewood, clearing brush, and other campsite needs, and a secondary requirement being that it will make a good combat (killing) knife. What I want to know is what kind of steel will be best for the knife I described (providing the manufacturer is decent)? I appreciate any help anyone can give. Thanks.
 
Heat treatment is more important than the steel.Proper HT will make a lesser steel equal to or better than a "terrific" steel,also,a high carbon steel is usually "tougher" than stainless and takes a sharper edge. :)
 
Well considering the things you want the knife for. You definetly want a non-stainless blade. As they tend to be more brittle and not as tough. A rat-7 or becker BK-7 would do all the things you want and prolly be fine. But the are not the best designs for fighting knife. I would stay away from the MOD knife as its design is fighting oriented and prolly of little use on a campsight. If you want a knife that can do any camp chore and abuse and ask for more than a Ranger RD-7 or something from Swamp rat would fill that role very well. For a fighter a Ka-bar would be a good choice. Inpensive, tough, but not as good as a camp knife. I think it would be decent though. Well there is my .02

TBG
 
ancalagon said:
What I want to know is what kind of steel will be best for the knife I described ....
Click to expand...

Some type of non-stainless tool steel with decent toughness, 5160, L6, A8, 1065, or similar.

-Cliff
 
You definetly want a non-stainless blade. As they tend to be more brittle and not as tough.
Click to expand...
You don't think s30v would be tough enough?
I would stay away from the MOD knife as its design is fighting oriented and prolly of little use on a campsight. If you want a knife that can do any camp chore and abuse and ask for more than a Ranger RD-7 or something from Swamp rat would fill that role very well. For a fighter a Ka-bar would be a good choice. Inpensive, tough, but not as good as a camp knife. I think it would be decent though.
Click to expand...
Thanks for your help. I'm really looking for something top of the line (I have two kabars, but I want to try something really high end this time). I'll take a look at some of the knives you mentioned (the rd-7 and the BK-7). Also, I've never had much of a problem using a kabar in the field for normal tasks (like camp work), and the nightwing from MOD seemed like it would work as well, although I can see what you mean with regard to their other models (I'm more concerned with whether s30v is the best choice for steel).

What I really need is not so much advice on which knife or knife company to go with (although that always helps! :) ), but which blade steel would be best. Thanks.
 
ancalagon said:
You don't think s30v would be tough enough?
Click to expand...


S30V is a good steel, but better for folders then it is for fixed blades, it will hold an edge well and cut well but it is somewhat brittle due to how hard it is and the edge is easily chipped.
 
S30V is a good steel, but better for folders then it is for fixed blades, it will hold an edge well and cut well but it is somewhat brittle due to how hard it is and the edge is easily chipped.
Click to expand...
Okay, so what if the choice was between 1095, a2, d2, and bg-42?
 
ancalagon said:
Okay, so what if the choice was between 1095, a2, d2, and bg-42?
Click to expand...

1095 with a differential temper with a spring spine and a 58 HRC edge is fairly solid, but you would be better off dropping the carbon content down further.

-Cliff
 
Cliff Stamp said:
1095 with a differential temper with a spring spine and a 58 HRC edge is fairly solid, but you would be better off dropping the carbon content down further.

-Cliff
Click to expand...
And you would do this why? :confused:
 
The differential temper would be to raise the ability to take severe shock and flexibility, lowering the carbon content follows the path of in general changing the allow to get the required toughness instead of underhardening which leads to grain growth and coarsening of carbides. See for example "Tool steel's simplified" by Palmer, but the same point is made in most books on tool steels, most steels have regions of peak toughness and for 1095 it is actually quite high, about 65 HRC, to get the same torsional toughness when soft you have to run it way down to about 50 HRC which leaves it quite weak. With a lower carbon content you can get both values higher at the same time.

-Cliff
 
If you are really going high end, try Busse's INFI, or, for a bit cheaper, Swamp Rats SR101 (52100 with added kryptonite).

Both are very tough steels.

Putting on the popcorn and cracking a beer. LOL

Rob
 
If you want a knife that does all the things you mentioned, get a camp knife with a 9 inch blade forged from 5160 spring steel. It can handle all the camp chores with ease and would be a devastating weapon if need be. If you go with a good custom maker it will run anywhere from $400 to $1000 depending on who makes it and how fancy you want it to look.
 
Norton, the knife you described is exactly a ranger knives RD9. Like most already said, 5160, INFI, and SR-101 are going to be your best choices for steels.
 
W.T. Beck said:
My favorite combat knife is the Randall Model 14.
Click to expand...

Well, yuh, but he was asking about steels. LOL

Who WOULDN'T like a Randall 14?

A bud got a Randall #7 for his 18th BDay ~30 yrs ago. Don't we all wish we had a Dad like his? He uses it BTW.

Rob
 
San Mai construction offers in some cases the best of both worlds. This would allow for a stainless blade to be included in your list of viable choices. A non stainless San Mai product would offer even more preformance. Many of the best weapons of many cultures used San Mai construction...Ed
 
Thanks to all for your replies. I looked at the ranger rd9, I think I may go with that (I'm not quite sure yet).
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top