Your Favorite Steel.

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paintfool

Joined
Sep 7, 2004
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I'm not sure if this has been done/done to death...... but I've gone and done it anyway!
What is your favorite blade steel and why?
just curious guys/gals. :)
Steve
 
Well, I haven't tried out that many, but from what I know/ have seen, my favorite is D2. I haven't tried that extensively, but from my experiences I like it. :) 440 stinks. Really. (Not to offend you makers that use it. It's just more for a display knife I think.)

~Brian

Edit to add: I have been corrected from my opinion of 440 (Specifically 440c)
 
I agree regarding the 440C...I used a bunch of it when learning the ropes,but found that most folks wanted a blade steel a cut above the rest...I find that if I do my job making the knife (ie: good workmanship) it will sell itself if ATS-34 is used. It appears that the general public is of the opinion that 440C is "plain vanilla" now...especially with all the super steels coming on the market now. I like 154 CM as well, which is basically American made ATS-34. I can really tell a difference in edge holding with the 34.

Regarding D2, I have made a few knives with it and it is a super steel to use...just ain't made too many with it. I am not sure that the new generations of the super steels out there now are all they are cranked up to be, although I am sure I will get flamed for that comment. I had one knife made by one of the premier makers out of one of the newer super steels and ended up trading it off, as it would not hold an edge for squat.

Take it easy,

Hank
 
I have 3 blades ready to be heat treated all made from 440C! :p
I too don't really have much experience with different steels when it comes to making but most of the 440 that I have used in my purchased knives seemed fine.
I'm currently working on an O1 blade.
I'm thinking about trying out some new steels and just wanted some other makers input, ATS was on my list already, but it seems to be more of a pain with stainless, I don't have a way of treating it w/o sending them away :grumpy: .
Steve
 
I have tried many through the years but, still keep coming back to O-1 and 1095 and use 440c for stainless applications.Dave :)
 
A2, S30V and D2, lots of D2. D2 is easier to grind and heat treat than S30V and I am not convinced yet that the S30V is any better. I have had D2 knives I've made do two and three bull elk without resharpening. The jury is still out on S30V.

I like A2 for bowies/choppers for its high impact strength and good edge holding ability.
 
I like 0-1. Yep it rusts but man what an edge!

Anyone know a source for 0170-6C Carbon steel? What is this steel anyways?
 
Without a doubt it's D2 for me. :D Straight carbon, I'll go with Don 5160. D2 has an awesome edge holding ability and I like the fact that it's used also to cut other steels in the tool and die industry. I think it's the baddest steel of them all. :D
Scott
 
I like flint. Back when me and IG where young pups, its all we had. It was either that, or the leg-bone from a mastodon for self-defense. Yep, I remember once when good ol' IG was sitting on a rock in the bright sunshine, knapping off a nice spear head, and and dreaming about sardines. Suddenly a sabertooth tiger jumped him. I laughed my butt off as he flailed around, trying to get that wild cat off him! Finally, with a deep sigh, I jumped in and killed that mighty kitty with my flint knife. George was pretty thankful, and he offered his sister to me. I smacked her over the head with a bone club and dragged her off into the cave for little caveman afternoon delight. Ah! Those were the days!

:rolleyes: :p :footinmou :eek: :D
 
Boy!!! How soon you forget. Do you remember the time that the gay caveman was chasing you?? Oh!! That's right I let him catch you and I just laughed. HEHEHE!!!!
Damascus then D2 are my favorites.
 
indian george said:
Boy!!! How soon you forget. Do you remember the time that the gay caveman was chasing you?? Oh!! That's right I let him catch you and I just laughed. HEHEHE!!!!
Damascus then D2 are my favorites.
Click to expand...

Yeah I remember that. Hurt like hell. :mad: He kept calling me George, though...
 
I hope the poor girl doesn't resemble IG in looks. No offense, George, toward your sister! Can you imagine, being in a cave with a girl that looks like George? Or, a blind date with a girl that looks like George wearing a dress? When I was young and dirt had just been invented, I saw a girl that looked like George. She was swinging from tree to tree, with a saber toothed cat running beneath her. The cat was hoping she would miss a vine. George was pearched upon a high limb of a nearby tree, playing with a flaming stick he had found next to the volcano. George was trying to light a rock he had just found. Suddenly, a hungry T Rex appeared, and ............................ .
 
Damascus, followed closely by, other damascus. I will ocasionally make a knife out of plain old 52100 or 1095, even once in a while of 5160.

Jeez, when I was a kid, we made spears out of sticks, you learn quick to sharpen the big end :) course, I'm not as old as you guys, but I do remember Moses being a pretty slow learner, kept throwing his stick on the ground and turning it into a snake.

Tony
 
jaegar said:
Well, I haven't tried out that many, but from what I know/ have seen, my favorite is D2. I haven't tried that extensively, but from my experiences I like it. :) 440 stinks. Really. (Not to offend you makers that use it. It's just more for a display knife I think.)

~Brian
Click to expand...
My shop knives, and the pocket knife I've been carrying for over 20 years all have 440C blades. I couldn't ask for better. Many knives I've made over the years have also been 440C. Never had a complaint.
Your statement leads me to believe that you really don't have much experience with 440C in custom knives, either working it, or using it.
Most complaints about 440C, or any stainless for that matter can usually be traced back to poor, or inadequate heat treat.

Just because some steel has been around for a number of years and has no "secrets" anymore, doesn't mean that it's junk, just that it's more predictable to work with, and heat treat. That's a good thing!
If older steels were all treated this way, then no one would be using 01, W1, W2, A2, etc. Or do different standards apply to them?

Why is it different with 440C, just because other stainless steels have appeared on the market, and what exactly makes 440C so bad in your eyes?
 
John Andrews said:
I hope the poor girl doesn't resemble IG in looks. No offense, George, toward your sister! Can you imagine, being in a cave with a girl that looks like George? Or, a blind date with a girl that looks like George wearing a dress? When I was young and dirt had just been invented, I saw a girl that looked like George. She was swinging from tree to tree, with a saber toothed cat running beneath her. The cat was hoping she would miss a vine. George was pearched upon a high limb of a nearby tree, playing with a flaming stick he had found next to the volcano. George was trying to light a rock he had just found. Suddenly, a hungry T Rex appeared, and ............................ .
Click to expand...

You Ole Injun!!! You are alway looking in them trees for those rats even back then. You were throwing stones at them and missing. But now you are shotting at them and missing. Somethings never change. :( :( :D
 
Mike Hull said:
Your statement leads me to believe that you really don't have much experience with 440C in custom knives, either working it, or using it.
Most complaints about 440C, or any stainless for that matter can usually be traced back to poor, or inadequate heat treat.
Click to expand...

It's true, I haven't worked any 440. I also don't have a custom knife in 440. although I do believe that something custom made is better, factory isn't too far behind (if using 440 I believe. Also this refers to stock removal.)

Practically all of the knives that I have grown up with were 440. At least 4. My main complaint is that it doesnt hold an edge very long (and I do know how to sharpen. Very well I might add). The stainless properties are nice, but edge holding, it's just not all it's pumped up to be. :(

I'm sorry that you were offended by my post, if you re read it, you will notice I put a clause in saying that this is merely my opinion. I feel I am entitled to my opinion. Other makers have praised other steels. When I first had 440, I liked it, but that is because it was better than what I previously used. I have found that ATS 34 seems to out preform 440, along with AUS 6 and 8. (in the stainless steels)

Most of this experience as I said comes from factory knives, as I don't have the money to either buy custom knives, or buy several types of steel to make them.

I suppose as you say that these factory knives are inferior from proper heat treat. But give me a custom knife, and in my opinion, ATS or D2 is better. This is only my opinion, it does not have to be everyone elses.

~Brian
 
In reference to my previous post,
from yall's opinion, are factory knives (Buck to be specific) much much worse than other custom knives in the same steel??
I suppose I'm just ignorant, and if that is the case, I'm truly sorry for judging the steel before all evidence. I wanted to give my opinion. It was mostly based on factory knives. If you notice though, the original question was what is your favorite steel, not what is your favorite steel in custom knives.

~Brian
 
jaegar, you may or may not be aware of this, but most commercial blades advertised as "440" are the A or B series and quite inferior to 440C. I have found that few commercial blades use 440C, which is far superior to A & B when properly heat treated. In my experience with customers, 400C gets a bad rap from A & B, and most people are unaware there is a distinction.
 
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