School me on Blade Steel

[doug1980]

Been researching blade steel trying to find a good overall steel for blades. Sort of daunting AUS6, AUS8, AUS10, 440A, 440B, 440C etc etc. What would be the ideal steel to use for a basic all around knife?

[crashdive123]

Boy oh boy, have you opened up a can of worms. There are a lot of good steels available. A lot of your choice will depend on application and environment. If the knife is going to be in a constantly wet or marine environment then a good quality stainless will probably be in order. Keep in mind that stainless just means rust resistant, not rust proof. Some carbon steels resist rust better than others. As to specifics, I'll let those with more knowledge answer your question. From my limited experience I like 1095, 1080, 5160, L6. I base a lot of this on ease of working (grinding and heat treating). I'm looking forward to working with D2 and A2 now that I have a heat treat oven.

[Camp10]

Every knifemaker on here is going to answer this with a different steel. Here is my version of a right answer...

I'm not sure what your vision is for the "ideal" steel and a basic knife. Does this mean money isnt an option and you will spend what you need to get the best steel with the best heat treat or are you after a friendly starter steel that will also give you a good knife?

If money isnt an issue and you dont mind learning on a piece of $80 metal, go with the CPM steels. I like the CPM S30V, or the CPM 154cm. These are a perfect blend of the alloys and the knife will be absolutely uniform. I keep some on hand but really dont make to many knives from them.

If you want to use a basic stainless, 440c or ATS 34 are very good quality for the money. Dont use a 440 steel other than 440c, they have very little carbon.

If you are looking for a carbon steel blade, I prefer alloys like 5160, L-6, 52100 or O-1. I do make quite a few knives out of 1095 and 1084 as well.

I guess if you want to get good at one steel and work the whole process right through heat treat and temper, I'd use either 5160 or 1084. Both will make a very good knife and a simple heat treat will work.

Have fun!

[Sarge47]

Been researching blade steel trying to find a good overall steel for blades. Sort of daunting AUS6, AUS8, AUS10, 440A, 440B, 440C etc etc. What would be the ideal steel to use for a basic all around knife?
This may help: http://www.agrussell.com/Articles/a/109/

Also, once there, click on the "Knife Encyclopedia" link & follow the directions. :thumbs_up: :D

[Erratus Animus]

I will agree this is a can of worms and like Camp said every maker has reasons for the steel they choose.

Currently I am using A2 and D2 and so far I am enjoying them very much. I am leaning more on the D2. I have used both steels for some time in other knives I bought to see how I would like them before I chose to work with those steels. I dont HT those steels either but rely on a professional service and an industry leader to do it for me.

I may do some more experiments with 1075 since now i am using a black oxide coating to aid in making a more corrosion resistant knife.

5160 is my steel of choice for the forge but due to the 28 triple digit days we had this year i have not forged at all. 5160 when forged correctly will be as tough a knife as you would need.

[panch0]

All the steels above are good, 1080 and 1084 are good steels with a simple HT. If you send them out it all depends on what you want to do with the knife. I have made some hunting knives out of A2 and the hunters really like the edge holding ability and I am not worried them snapping if they use it to open up the sternum or splittling a pelvis. Ok we all know that forged kryptonite quenched in dragon's pee, then tempered for 4 hrs in Hades x2 will give you the bestest knife in the world. hehehehe....

[kyratshooter]

I prefer two steels for most uses and it seems that most on here are in the same range of choices. It seems that everyone is saying ???? or 1095/1080

1. The ten series is always good, 1080/1095. Those steels are used by the RAT series, K-Bar, Ontario, Old Hickory(butcher knives), Mora standard blades.

With that as a reference you know it makes a good durable blade.

Secondary information: If you have to forge a blade in an emergency note that Stanley chisels/screwdrivers and Craftsman chisels are made from 1095.

2. My second choice is O-1/O-2. Most of the early custom makers used these steels. Randal started with O-2 and that is still the steel used for all their carbon blades.

O-2 is available as found steel in good quality files: Nicolson, Black Diamond, Starret

The absolute best knife I ever got out of found steel was made from the tie rod end of a 66 Chevy pickup. I have absolutely no idea what it was.

[doug1980]

Wow seems more daunting now. :) Thanks for the replies. Guess I'll just have to try some different ones and see for myself.

[Camp10]

Wow seems more daunting now. :) Thanks for the replies. Guess I'll just have to try some different ones and see for myself.

It's not daunting, its fun! You get to make half a dozen knives (or more) from different steels and abuse them until you learn what you can do with each metal.

I'd be willing to bet that just trying different steels is how most all the knifemakers on this site learned their favorites. I started with 1075 and made my first 15 or 20 knives with just that steel. I started playing with old saw blades and mower blades after that and just went from there. Right now, I have about 6 or 7 different steels in the bin and a few odds and ends in the corner as well.

[panch0]

Camp is right. Don't be in a hury to build the best overall knife. Just pick a steel and build that one to the best of your ability. If it is other than 10XX type steels send it out for HT professionaly. You will be glad you did. A knife is only as good as its heat treat. You can have great fit and finish, but if you have a bad ht then the knife is not going to be that great. On the other hand if you make a homely looking knife but nail the HT then that knife will serve you well.

[Erratus Animus]

Ok we all know that forged kryptonite quenched in dragon's pee, then tempered for 4 hrs in Hades x2 will give you the bestest knife in the world. hehehehe....

Is that the red or black Dragon?:boxer:

[kyratshooter]

Probably the use of so much ten series and O1-O2 is their forgiving nature and simple heat treat. That is espically true in the factory blades.

The factory wants something they can let a min-wage worker put on a convaer belt after the boss sets the thremostat and forget about untill the other min-wage worker at the other end pulls it off and packs it. You want a tougher blade, just make it a little thicker/wider. You don't even have to change the heat setting from one style run to the next. You can run Rat series before break and Old Hickory butcher knives after break, then do a few Becker Neckers after you run the K-Bars.

The most important people in the factory are not cutlers, they are the maintainace people that keep the furnaces running at the proper temp.

We home builders either use the simple to treat steels or add to our costs by sending the blades to a heat treat service, if we can find one.