What's the very best steel for an everyday carry pocketknife?
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- Опубликовано: 24 июл 2024
- Today, I'm remaking an old video, and discussing my thoughts on the best steels for your daily knives, talking about some of the things that matter much more than steel chemistry, and giving my take on the steels that are good, great, bad and ugly for your specific needs.
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'Knife Engineering' Book (Affiliate link, if you'd like to support the channel): amzn.to/3vFy6wL
And here's the list from the video:
Things that matter more than Steel
- Blade and Edge Geometry
- Heat Treatment
- Stainlessness and other needs
- Your sharpening comfort
- A note on ‘Damascus’
- Steel matters less than you think
My ‘Nope’ Steels
- 3Cr, 4Cr, 5Cr, 7Cr…
- 420/440A/440B
- Cheap Damascus
‘- Surgical Stainless’ or ‘Stainless Steel’
My ‘Probably Not’ Steels
- 1.4116
- 420HC
- 8Cr13MoV
- AUS-8
- H1
- Victorinox
My ‘Solid Budget’ Steels
- 12C27
- 14C28N
- 154CM
- 440C
- 9Cr18MoV and AR-RPM9
- AUS-10A
- CTS-BD1 / Z
- D2*
- N690 / N690Co
- VG-10
My ‘Good to Go’ Steels
- 1095
- 52100†
- AEB-L
- CPM-154 / RWL-34 / ATS-34
- CPM-4V†
- CPM-CruWear
- CPM-D2
- CPM-MAGNACUT†
- CPM-REX45
- CPM REX-121†
- CPM-S30V
- CPM-S35VN
- CPM-S45VN
- CPM-S110V
- CRUFORGE†
- CTS-BD1N
- CTS-XHP
- Damasteel
- Elmax
- HAP-40
- Nitro-V
- PSF-27
- SM100**†
- SPY-27
- Terravantium/Dendritic Cobalt**
- Vanadis 4†
- Z-Max†
My Personal ‘Steels of Choice’
- CPM-3V
- CPM-10V
- CPM-M4
- CPM-S90V
- Damacore
- K390
- LC200N / Z-FiNit
- M390 / CTS-204P / CPM-20CV
- Maxamet
- Sandrin Tungsten Carbide**
- Vanax Superclean
- ZDP-189
Legend
* - ’D2’ means many things and there is an unusual variance in final performance
** - This is not chemically a steel
† - Based on community feedback and data, not personal experience
Where to keep learning
- Knife Engineering (2020) by Dr. Larrin Thomas
- knifesteelnerds.com
- TripleBHandmade (Shawn Houston)
- Cedric & Ada Gear and Outdoors on YT
- Knife Steel Composition Apps and Charts
- Forums (e.g. BladeForums, Spyderco Forums) 
Хобби
Nobody does it like Nick
Thx for summarising everything I've been researching in the last 3 months into 30 minutes
Your channel rules
Having declared my dissatisfaction with this sharpener last night ruclips.net/user/postUgkxDcr-y2Pf6xdnrFHrSP7dl9kpKaCozcSQ I thought about the problem some more. It occurred to me that I might be undoing each attempt at achieving a sharp edge by the repeated attempts. So, I tried to clean up the unsatisfactory result by honing with only positions 3 and 4.Miracle!! A really nicely sharpened chef's knife, more than enough to handle my needs. Admittedly, it did not reach professionally sharpened razor-fineness, but it is now significantly sharper than it was. A bout of breaking down carrots convinced me. So, major apologies to the manufacturer, Amazon, and all happy and potential owners! Follow the directions: don't buy it if you have ceramic blades; and don't overwork your knife blade.
Nick Shabazz: the master of stretching a simple topic into a well over 20 minute video
You know your stuff, Nick! Was really pleased to hear you talk about heat treatment and grind in response to the best steel question.
Thanks for taking me to school, it is very much appreciated. You comment of this being interesting and useful information was certainly an understatement!
Nice video - gives a little perspective without digging to deep into the matter. I appreciate that more and more channels mention that heat treatment is one of the most important parts (and one the user just can not fix) as well as the geometry (which if necessary can be fixed)
This video is so informative I’ve decided to watch it twice, or maybe even return to it every so often to help retain all of this useful information.
this is something i discovered recently, thank you for affirming my research and teaching me a few new tips
What a fantastic list, unless you have as much experience with knives and steel as our man Nick, this is the most helpful list I've seen. Thanks for sharing.
The D2 steel I’ve got on my Esee Zancudo and Avispa has done well. I really enjoy D2 over the other budget steels.
I had two D2 knives develop rust on the blade and in the pivot because of the environment I work in. Since then I’ve pretty much only used knives made of parts that won’t rust by Quiet Carry.
Very informative vid for someone like me who has used pocket knives most of my life but am totally new to the technical side of blade steels. Thanks Nick...
I can tell you are a science focused person. I love these style "talking hand" videos.
Great information for those who aren't interested in digging through 100s of pages of knifesteelnerds
Good catch! He is literally a scientist! 😁
@@Daniel_DiSanto yes indeed he is. Just the way that he lay stuff out definitely fits in with that fact.
Between the vast knowledge and the sharp humor I appreciate you!
I’m glad you brought up how important geometry is. 👍🏻
What a great reference sheet!
Thank you Nick!
My current personal favorites are CPM MagnaCut, CPM 15v, CPM Rex 45, CPM Rex 121, and Maxamet. They just make me happy.
You got some good performance out of that Magnacut, them nails didn't stand a chance.
D2, 440HC and 14C28N are my preferred alloys.
Indeed.
Simply an excellent, masterful presentation. I'm not aware of any one video that gives you the basic rundown on most of the steels out there while first providing critical context on how to think about the steel used as one factor in decisions on what to buy and use. I'm a longtime knife-liker and relatively recent knife nut, and I'm thinking more about a sane balance between edge retention and ease of sharpening at this stage, especially in my kitchen knives that see use every day, so this is all hugely helpful.
This was an absolutely great video. I'm pretty new to this and learned so much. I am a fan of yours truly. Thanks 😊
Nice amount of work you put in this! Gj mate!
Nick , excellent work , I really needed that.
I love VG-10. Yes, there’s tons of great options that hold their edges longer, but it takes about two minutes on a Sharpmaker to get any of the VG-10 Seki Spydercos just absolutely sticky sharp. That’s a real benefit.
Agreed, and if you're only using it for light use, it'll hold an edge for a long time.
I have an older Gerber Gator folder I purchased in the 1990's and I can't put an edge on it. Great knife but damn the sharpening but again I'm no sharpening wizard.
@@M60gunner1971 lol that would be either 420hc or 440A more than likely so yeah those are very soft and easy steels to sharpen 🤷♂️
@@M60gunner1971 if you know somebody with a lansky sharpening system , or buy one yourself you can put an amazing edge on your knife.
Most knives don't come with a very edge from the shop.
So you have to spend a bit of time reprofiling the edge.
@@kevinAuman1 oh can I mail it to you blade cyclops?!!
Superb video. Machine gunning facts at 3000 mph, no filler, no bias, no ego, no music. Just fantastic. Thanks.
Thank you for your experience and knowledge of knife steel! Excellent video!
This is an excellent informative and well balanced masterclass with tiptop advice.
Solid vid on different steels. Love me some CPM-154, M390/CPM-20CV, S90V, S110V, and Maxamet. That MBK fixed blade looks gorgeous and I don't own any 3V; time to buy another knife! Excellent that you brought out that book again!
Great vid Nicolás! Loved your steel choices.😊👍
Thanks for the list in the description section. It provided a nice list to start researching...
Very informative, thanks Nick.
This one goes into my "saved" pile.
Thanks Nick, nice one 👏🏻👏🏻
Great video!! When I started out I was completely lost. After becoming a steel nerd through research and using different steels you learn what you like. Like the brand of oil in your car. There is no wrong choice once ypu get past a certain level. Also depends on usuage environment. So far s110v, M390/20cv, K390, M4, and lately s90v are my favorites. Need to survive in wilderness 1095 or 3v. All comes down to blade shape, heat treatment, and usage. I find all non stainless steels will..drum roll stain. Even if cared for it is only a matter of time, before you forget to wipe/oil and will get a patina or rust/pit. I have some steels I collect and others I use daily. All part of the hobby.
Love my Demko in 3v
I have a little assemblage of old U.S.A. pocketknives of 1095 or thereabouts. The patinas on them are wonderful if you just let them go, nicer than Damascus patterns
I love seeing knife nerds rate steels. Thank you for the great info!
K390 is crazy. After over ten years of collecting, it's edge retention, toughness is the best Ive seen. Maintains a keen edge after banging it around. LC200N is also a revelation for its corrosion resistance.
Of the crazy wear resistant steels, it is one of the easier ones to sharpen. Love my endura in K390.
I don't even care about steel that much as I've amassed my collection, I generally look at a design I like and typically they're good enough steels.
This is awesome, thank you Nick
Slicey blade geometry with a very good heat treat equals Spyderco.
You mean TRM
Got my s45vn para3 and love it.
You make exactly the right point. The steel is usually not all that critical and blade geometry and ergonomics are much more important. Also, for the very vast majority of customers, the most service the average EDC will do is open boxes from Amazon. I have been carrying EDCs of all types for a very long time, and mostly what they have had to deal with is packaging materials. I have a dozen or so knives, but the Bugout is the best at opening things because it has a super-slicy blade.
Awesome video, and have watched a few times. I really wanted to try different steels and really didn't know where to start. After watching this I was "good to go." 😎👍
Thanks for the video Nick, very informative
I have two knives in 14c28n Swedish steel. Probably same edge retention as vg10 , sharpens as easily, but I think tougher. Great budget steel.
It's very similar but VG10 is marginally better cutlery steel. 14c28 is just 13c with slightly more corrosion resistance at the expense of less edge keenness. 13 is closer to VG10 and takes a finer edge than 14. Many people consider 13c and VG10 to be interchangeable. Both are EXCELLENT stainless cutlery steels and about as good as non PM steel for the purposes of a knife blade get.
when you pulled out the s90v & carbon fiber native i went "hey, i have that one!" and then.. remembered that your review is the reason i have this one 😂
my only issue with this knife is that s90v is kind of a b*tch to sharpen. still a good steel - even a great steel - but not my #1 favorite, or even #2
At least it’s good to see my favorites on your favorites list. Thanks for the info.
So helpful! thank you sir Nick!
Thanks again for this video, don’t know how many times I reference this piece!
was what i need
thank you for this banger of a video
Excellent vid there on steels. Superbly put across.
“Actually sharpening raises a good point” I mean he isn’t wrong
What an EDGEy comment
If victorinox steel is used by various military units in the world it can’t be bad can it ?
@Marc Dee Yes it can.
Civilians hear "military grade" and get excited, whereas soldiers hear that term and shiver with fear at the low quality.
@@TheRealKennethReid yes and no, the purpose for using "cheap" steels in "military grade" is ease of field sharpening. Try sharpening elmax on a rock for example, your going to be there awhile.
This video is really incredible. I've bookmarked it and will recommend it to anyone in the market for a knife!!!!!🔪 Thanks !!!!
A nice compilation of good facts, as hunting/fishing knife I have 3G steel knife from fällkniven edge retension, tuoghness and rust resistance is amazing. At work I use "solid budget" VG10, D2 or 14C28N, dont have to cry if I i hit it on something that ruin the blade or it gets chipped, and as a EDC knife i have M390. As you said I almost gave up sharpening M390 and 3G these are really hard to get a good edge on, but when you finaly got it just need to strop it to get that razor edge back
Informative video, Nick. You’re steel the best.
A+
Pleasantly surprised with how highly Nitro-V ranks, just bought the new civivi imperium in that steel and I'm in love so far, good to know the steel will hold up long term!
I have one too and love it. I was also surprised. I’m still learning about steels. My most recent folder is a kizer escort with 154
Great job!!!! I'll check out the Knife Engineering book 👍
great video! lots of congrats!!
I was steel watching hhahhehahhhhehhhahhehha
great video! it's about time you updated it = )
Pete from c&a is awesome, and I'm happy to see that you two are good buddies ❤️
Thank you sir this gave me a whole new perspective on knife steel as of right now I am a M390 snob in fact I saw a site that will make a M390 blade for my Ontario Rat 2 lol once again thank you I definitely value your opinion 👋😊😁
Awesome update!
Anything in the M390/CV20/204P family of steels. Fairly tough and holds a pretty decent edge. Also pretty easy to sharpen for people that aren't very experienced either. Also highly corrosion resistant.
Your commitment to doing the least editing possible by printing out stuff instead of making graphics gives me a comfy old youtube vibe.
Damn this list is on par with how I would list blade steels 🤣 1095 is absolutely good to go from Tops knives and my favorite EDC blade steels are S90v on my spyderco native chief and M390/204P from microtech.
I was worried when the list was 3/4 done and I didn't see those steels. Happy to see I'm not the only person happy with those three steels 1095, M390, S90V. Stay awesome Nick 👍
Fantastic! Thank you for list in comments
Thanks Nick for opening up the can of worms on knife steel you left out a few but still I found your comments on this some what interesting keep up the good work.
Good points at the beginning, especially with heat treatment and grinds. The Steels list after is very subjective, especially when dealing with brands. Like AUS-10a is exclusively Cold Steel, and good luck finding 440c!🤣
A while back ago I picked up a Kershaw scallion, which I believe is only 420 steel and that thing somehow still is a razor edge after a ton of hard use. I’m talking basic cuts, cardboard, food prep while camping, and even whittling.
Great information loved the video
I would love to see someone experienced in the hobby and sharpening guess what steel is which in a blind test type video...😏
I'm going to do exactly that with ~25 different Spyderco Mules later this summer. Or you can see it done right by Larren at knifesteelnerds.com.
It is a lot of fun to see how the various super steels sharpen up. K390 and Maxamet are steels that are easy to identify by how they cut and sharpen.
Almost impossible because of different heat treats.
@@davidr6856 sweet!
@@RadDadisRad ur no fun Leland lol 😆
I just got a new knife in Elmax. Starting to really love this steel.
Very well done. Thank you!
LC200n for wet field work.
Cruwear, CTS-XPH for overall general application.
154CM, D2 awesome budget options, especially D2 which has amazing value.
great video, and huge amount of info..and yes I was "steel watching" @ 29:38
I can whole heartedly agree with your placement of “M390”. I absolutely love that steel! I know that. The “Sandvik”, steels are considered cheaper quality but over the years & using various knives with 12C27, 13C26 & 14C28N, along with 1095 rank very high w/me personally. They are those type steels that to me are “I know exactly where this blade needs a touch-up”, or just feel it when making a pass on a stone when they are “good-to-go”. For me personally they represent the “Favorite T-Shirt, your “Old Sneakers”, or “Mom’s Home Cooking”! Lol 😆 However those steels aside; there is 1 steel that I find so very intriguing but very little is said about it. Yes I have a knife from the company, the steel is thick but I can get an edge like nothing else when speaking of BUSSE Knives and “INFI Steel”. I’d love to hear your take on Busse & Swamp Rat knives as well. Great stuff, Thanks!
Years ago I had an old dagger with a some sort of bone handle and the word "Solingen" on the blade. Spectacularly beautiful and sharp.
Well done nick!
Of course I looked at the description AFTER typing out all the steels in a Word document. Derp. Good video. Subbed.
The original video you did on this topic was my first video I saw on your channel. Oh, memories.
In my own opinions s30/35/45vn is my favorite all rounder for edc. But for a lot of people, depending on where they live, lc200n is it. Technically vanax would be best, but its very expensive
I love them personally, plenty stainless for my usage. I have a few Vanax blades for abusing.
Big fan of m390/20cv/204p but I think people look down their nose at s30v/s35vn but they are something you could easily use for a lifetime if you know how to sharpen. I prefer s35vn for it's sharpen ability but s30v isn't bad. Looking forward to Magna Cut, saw Chris reeve is testing it and that would be perfect for their target of decent toughness, decent stainlessness and easy to sharpen people bitch about them using s35vn but I have no issues. I have seen BG42 sebenzas that are 20years old that barely look like the blade has been sharpened that I know have been used.
Diminishing returns on Vanax. 5x the price with %10 return in increased performance
@@Barryhatchet price will come down over time though. Vanax is a pretty tough stainless and edge retention is close to m390. Definitely not worth losing sleep over lc200n is great but on the 3 knives I have in vanax, they stay sharp forever. Wanting to see a spyderco mule or pm2 so I can do apples to apples comparison but impression is close to m390 and tougher with the crazy stainless
We made two fixed blades out of Vanax Superclean, it's crazy expensive for 3x45x250mm blanks we paid 90 dollars a blank for them, heat treat was a bitch as well and he had two failed treats. Once we got the heat treats done well and all said and done the knifes are fantastic, it's a superb steel but not worth that kind of money. They came in at 60HRC, they are fairly easy to sharpen considering and edge retention is very good. Overall a hard steel to work with becsuse getting a good heat treat is a total bitch.
For the money?
S35vn, spy27, Lc200n
Best in general?
M390/20cv, vanax, cruwear
Maybe THE best?
I think a coated m4 or k390. I mean you get literally everything if those steels are coated to prevent rust.
I've got a VTOKU endura and I love it
nice to see you think so highly of dendritic cobalt, I've been looking at Boye Cobalt knives for a few years now and keep going back and forth on whether or not they're something I'd want to buy. (I do live right on the Ocean, so the rustproof feature is a big plus)
Funny you mention the Boye Cobalt. I just acquired two in a trade, they're from the 90s when they were still made in Davenport, CA. They strop up like nothing I have seen before.
@@MontereyBayKnives interesting, didn't know they started in CA, I figured they were in AZ from the beginning.
@@mtargetproduction originally Davenport. The owner of William Henry Knives first entry into knives was grinding for David Boye. Both companies originating out of Santa Cruz County.
@@MontereyBayKnives cool, learn something new every day!
It's good to see that I'm not the only one with a mirror edge Pilar
Awesome video! I think it is very important not to forget about the new comers when it is all said and done. Thanks!
The Italians are actually doing wonders with n690co.
DBK tested a extrema ratio selvans in n699co and it outperformed most of their supersteel knives.
Nick! 3V for the win! Im carrying a 3v xm18 in my pocket right now😎
18:55 is the greatest nick line I’ve ever heard 😂
I bought LC200N for the combo of edge retention and sharpen-ability.
Most of the knives I EDC have steel in Nick's "Probably Not" and "Solid Budget" categories. Works fine for me. Very light EDC and some bushcraft stuff is most of what I do with knives. Since most of the time I find I only have to hone the edges, or use the fine rods on the Spyderco Sharp Maker, I think that means I don't have much of a need for a super steel. Today all I cut was an avocado and some cheese. For me, LC200N is the most intriguing option from the "best" list. I'd like to see the Dragonfly in that (I also contend with extreme local knife laws on blade length).
Nick Shabazz has the best, most informative, and most entertaining channel for knives in my opinion.
I live in Hawaii near the ocean and spend a lot of time in the water. I’ve found that a serrated H1 Spyderco Pacific salt works well for me for nearly every cutting task. I like the smaller thumb ramp of the VG10 Endura’s, but I’d be worried about corrosion on the liners. I think H1 is great if you get serrated. I’ve had plain edge H1 and it is very underwhelming.
Great video... Generally agree with your "rankings". Although I'm not really a steel snob and I have some 8cr blades, both folding and fixed. They're good beater knives to keep around (especially in the car). Like the Schrade SCHF61. I just dig that knife even though I know it's low end. Got 3 of them for $47 so....
8Cr13 is in fact a beautiful budget steel. Gets crazy sharp in a whiff just like a carbon-steel Opinel and stays that way if you do not cut cardboard boxes and aluminium cans all day.
Helpful, thanks!
S90v, M390 and M4 are my fav steel.
I have the Launch 13 with cpm 154, sharpens pretty easy and holds an edge pretty well, I just ordered the Launch 16 with M4, excited about that, I also ordered my first knife with MagnaCut, hoping it holds up well too.
All of those are great steels. The d2 needs more care though as it’s not as corrosion resistant as the other 2 you have.
A bravura performance! Kudos on a great reference vid...
Outpost76 is a great channel with cut tests of differant knife steels.
LC200N for my EDC folder, CPM 3V for my fixed blade and 1095 for the knife that lives in my suit pocket 🤘
I usually nitpick your videos a little when it's on something you are less informed about, but on this, I can't really fault your choices. Good vid!
awesome video!
I’d be curious to hear your take on the influx in the 9cr Damascus that you see today on the civivi’s and other knife company’s!
Hey, Nick. Love your informative videos! Is that older video still up? I remember you mentioning a “beauty steel” in terms of edge retention and sharpen-ability. Do you remember which that was? Thx!
I agree with the Victorinox steel. I dream of a day when they use better steel and I can carry one with confidence everyday.
Ever think of carrying a pocket stone with you?
I've found a wharncliffe or sheepsfoot works best for what I carry a EDC knife for. I love full flat grind because it seems to be the best of both worlds between saber and hollow grind. Never had any issues with 440, aus8 or vg10 back in the day but love s30v / s35vn. All these steels can be maintained easily with a ceramic rod and strop. 1095 is just fine and cheap for a larger outdoor blade for me. My biggest EDC knife issue would be being left handed.
Poor lefty. A C R I’m guessing you’re aware of Knife_Swap on Reddit. Probably the best place to find lefty knives. Just post a want to by a left handed Sebenza or whatever and you’ll find whatever you’re looking for in time.
If only these bladeshapes weren't so ugly.
Another resource (more for buyers of Chinese brands that are never touched here) is the project that LuvThemKnives has going. That involves proper scientific metallurgical testing of sample knives from different companies, with the result documented on a publicly-available spreadsheet. It focuses particularly on hardness and composition. Some budget-knife companies haven't come out of it well, but some have been surprisingly good.
This is superb.