Why is AUS-10 not more popular/used by mfrs?

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I find AUS-8 fine for most of my cutting tasks and like it's ease of sharpening and ability to get a very sharp edge (due to vanadium content?). I like my 440A blades even (Kershaw), but have noticed they don't get to as sharp an edge as AUS-8. AUS-8 appears in many brands, particularly in models that are low and mid-priced, I assume because of the steel's low price. Why is it then that AUS-10 is not used more frequently as an upgrade steel from AUS-8? In looking at its elemental contents, it sounds like a good upgrade steel that would also be cheap to keep the pricing of the low and mid-priced knives low and allows for a sharper edge than 440C. Does it cost more than I think?...does it cost more than 440C?
This came about when I was looking for a knife with AUS-10 and couldn't find any.
 
I think Aus-10 is less corrosion resistant that Aus-8 and the gains in hardness don't make it worth the upgrade, especially when VG-10 is harder and more corrosive resistant which makes for a far better upgrade. I do believe the Native II has Aus-10 and Stainless steel. I'm not sure about the cost of each steel, but the heat treat plays a huge part on the hardness, as in the benchmade 440C for the 42 is great stuff while I find the AUS-8 on the mini-ambush to be slightly softer. I think the AUS line doesn't have to much good rep going for it because it's not as widely used as the 440s and people are naturally doubtful about things they don't know about...

Hope that helped a little, that was the extent of my knowledge on it.
Phil
 
Phil - thanks for the info. I assumed VG-10 was more expensive than AUS-10. I also assumed the abundance of AUS-8, especially in low- to mid-priced quality folders, was due to its low price and thus assumed the price of AUS-10 was also relative low (relative to VG-10, ATS-34, 154CM). AUS-10 looks to be very competitive with 440C in that it has similar carbon content. I like that AUS-10 has some vanadium in it also to get that sharp edge whereas the 440-series steels don't. Seems like a good alternative to 440C while being lower priced (again, assumed) than VG-10, ATS-34, and 154CM. And AUS-8 and AUS-10 are nearly identical, including chromium content, except carbon, so I'd assume (I'm doing too much ASSuming) corrosion resistance would be the same. What you state with people not being familiar with AUS-series may be true though. Sad as many of the folders that are out of my price range and use the higher end ATS-34 and 154CM blades may fall into my price range if they used AUS-10, which at least according to the elemental makeup, I'd prefer over 440C.
 
No worries, what knives do you have anyway (my friends and I call them barbies so people will just think we're queer instead of armed, as in "I got a new barbie you should come over and see it!" Instead of, "I got a new butterfly knife (illegal on campus) come over and we'll play!")

So what barbies do you have?
 
AUS-8 might still be blankable while AUS-10 probably isn't.
 
I believe you still get a spyderco native with a stainless handle and AUS 10 steel
 
diamdave said:
I think Blackjack uses AUS-10 in their small hunter and Slick.
Click to expand...

Yes, I just got a BlackJack Cocobolo Small which has an AUS-10 blade a marked Seki Japan with cocobolo handle. Looks like it will be great but haven't had time to use it yet.
 
Aus 10A is accepted and used in Japan much more than it is here. There are some decently made and priced folders made in the 100$ plus range, as well as the Junglee $60 on down knives in SS and FRN. It takes a very good edge, and polishes up to what I think is one of the better looking stainless types.

Pick up a junglee Marshall, Tripoint, or sahara(?) and give it a try. The KC has them on clearance as low as 24.00$ for a decent, sidelock knife.
http://www.knifecenter.com/kc_new/store_store.html?ttl=CLEARANCE%20ITEMS%20AT%20SUPER%20LOW%20PRICES&srch=woSPECIAL%20INSTRUCdatarq%3Dclearance&&&s=49

They're obviously not super heavy usage knives but they are well made, sharp and polished out of the box. I've bought a few for fun and gifts to people who aren't going to try to destroy them just to say they did. hey also have AUS8a, and ATS 34 knives available in different styles. JL
 
How are those Junglee knives? Overall quality? Quality of steel (heat treat, edge retention, etc.)? Lockup? Their prices are quite nice, even for the non-clearance ones.
 
I bought a couple of them recently, the price was so reasonable.

(Tripoint model.)

The blades are really, really nice---sharp as all get out, nicely ground and finished.
Very impressive blades.

The handles? Decent; some FRN material with a rubber insert on one side.
Liner lock is average thickness with good lockup.
Pivot pin is adjustable.


I wouldn't use one as my sole EDC, but great value IMO.
 
I'm looking at the Shogun tanto, Marshall and Marshall Jr models. It says the handles are Zytel...not sure how that is (never had a Zytel knife). I prefer thumb studs over holes, which is why I'm not really looking at the TriPoint models, tho those are super cheap!
How does the handle feel relative to the Mini-Grip? I think the Mini-Grip handles feel quite cheap, but many like them. They're grippy, but still cheap feeling to me.
 
Zytel is a brand of FRN. (Fiberglass Reinforced Nylon.)

The handle feels very very different than the Mini Grip handle.

The Mini Grip is more solid feeling, and it has the steel liners within on both sides of the handle. The Tri Point has only the liner lock side with a liner.

Also, the Tri Point handle is more flexible than the Mini Grip handle.

My feeling is that if you think the Mini Grip feels too cheap, you're probably better off staying away from these Junglees.

BUT:

Knifecenter is a great merchant. I have bought many knives from them. They have a true no hassle return policy, and if you buy the knife and really don't like it, send it back and they'll issue a credit immediately.

Anyway...
 
Thanks rifon. I'll likely pick up a Junglee...deciding between the Marshall Jr. PE with SS handle for $45 and the Shogun PE Zytel for $33. Not sure I want a folder the size of the Shogun with just an ok-thickness liner lock. Too bad they don't have a Marshall Jr. with Zytel handle in PE. I don't think I'll mind the handles. I do think the Mini-Grip handles feel cheap, and my Delica4 (which has steel liners on both sides) and Native (no liners) feel even cheaper, but I don't have a problem with them...they work fine.
 
AUS 10 should be roughly equivalent to VG10, 440C, or N690 as all four have the same carbon content. By roughly equivalent, that is all three hold an edge better than 440B, AUS8; but not as well as ATS34, 154CM and above.

I do not have enough user experience to differntiate between the performance of the four steels. And there are so many other variables that go into knife performance that, unless I had the same blade shape, optimized heat treat for each steel and then performed Cliff Stamp style cutting tests, I do not think I ever will have enough experience.

I would guess that AUS8 is used so frequently for the same sorts of reasons that 440A and 440B are used. Easier to manufacture.
 
Can anyone take some pics of their Junglee folders? I'm interested to see some more pics, particularly of the liner.
Thanks.
 
The only knife I ever had that had AUS-10 blade steel was a stainless handled Spyderco Native model. I had that knife for about a year until I replaced it with a Spyderco Renegade. I actually liked AUS-10 blade steel and I would buy another knife with it if it were a design I liked.

But some of the newer steels such as VG-10, S-30V and especially ZDP-189 probably make it highly unlikely that I will ever have a knife made with AUS-10 blade steel again. But I have nothing bad to say about it at all. Now you couldn't give me a knife made with AUS-6. But I have had 2 blades with AUS-8 that I didn't think were bad either.
 
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