{"id":12623,"date":"2023-08-31T18:13:19","date_gmt":"2023-08-31T22:13:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/techwriteredc.com\/?p=12623"},"modified":"2023-12-29T22:26:34","modified_gmt":"2023-12-30T03:26:34","slug":"knife-steel-guide-a-compresinve-guide-for-blade-steel-on-edc-knives-and-fixed-blades","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/techwriteredc.com\/knife-steel-guide-a-compresinve-guide-for-blade-steel-on-edc-knives-and-fixed-blades\/","title":{"rendered":"Knife Steel Guide | A Compresinve Guide For Blade Steel On EDC Knives and Fixed Blades"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Whether you\u2019re buying a pocket folding knife for EDC or a fixed blade hunting knife, you have a lot of options when it comes to types of knife steel. And all those options can be more than a little confusing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

At its most basic, steel is essentially just iron and carbon. But as we all know, it\u2019s not really that simple. Steel manufacturers have developed a dizzying array of compositions and processes that have resulted in more types of steel than ever before. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Which one is best for the knife you want? There may not be an easy answer\u2026 but we\u2019ll try our best. Let\u2019s first take a look at the properties of good knife steel<\/a>, and then break steel down into a few basic categories. Finally, we\u2019ll provide a thorough-as-possible list of the most popular knife steels, along with the properties that make each one unique. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ready for a deep dive? Here we go.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Properties of Knife Steel<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Steel can be judged on any number of qualities, but the following are probably the most widely used. Keep in mind that there\u2019s no such thing as a \u2018perfect\u2019 steel that scores a 10\/10 in every category listed below. There\u2019s usually a trade-off required, so a steel that scores highly in one property is likely to be lacking in another. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hardness<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Simply put, hardness refers to a material\u2019s ability to resist deformation under stress or impact, (i.e. a blade\u2019s resistance to scratching, abrasion, bending or otherwise deforming). Steel hardness is usually measured using the Rockwell C scale, which is abbreviated as HRC. Most knife steels have an HRC rating between 52 and 64. The higher the number, the harder the steel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toughness<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Toughness is steel\u2019s resistance to breaking or chipping. Tough steel can take impact without breaking. One of the biggest trade-offs in steel is between toughness and hardness; steel that is higher in one is almost always lower in the other. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Wear Resistance<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When we talk about wear resistance, we\u2019re talking about a blade\u2019s ability to resist abrasive and adhesive wear. There\u2019s a definite correlation between a steel\u2019s hardness and its wear resistance, though hardness is not the only determining factor. Carbide size also plays a role, with steel made up of larger carbides losing toughness and being more resistant to wear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Corrosion Resistance<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Steel\u2019s ability to ward off corrosion\u2014including rust, patina and other staining\u2014is referred to as corrosion resistance. As a general rule, high carbon steels are most vulnerable to corrosion, while stainless steels are more corrosion resistant. This is another area where a trade-off occurs, as carbon steel typically has greater hardness, while stainless has greater toughness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Edge Retention<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

As you can probably guess, edge retention refers to a knife\u2019s ability to stay sharp. There\u2019s an argument to be made that \u201cedge retention\u201d is more of a marketing buzzword than a definitive property of steel, since there\u2019s no way to directly measure it in any concrete way. Blades can dull from a multitude of causes, making edge retention a combination of many factors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ease of Sharpening<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Like edge retention, ease of sharpening is difficult to measure or quantify, but it is important. There\u2019s something of an inverse relationship between ease of sharpening and wear resistance, since a more wear-resistant steel will, by nature, be harder to sharpen. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Common Steel Types<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Before we get into specific kinds of steel and the properties of each one, let\u2019s start by dividing steel up into a few broad categories. Keep in mind that, while each individual kind of steel in the same category will share certain characteristics, they can also be quite different. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Carbon Steel<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Carbon steel is the simplest steel there is, typically consisting of only iron and carbon. If other alloying elements are present, they are present in very low amounts. The advantages of carbon steel are toughness and durability; it can be given an extremely sharp edge, and is usually easy to sharpen. That being said, carbon steel sacrifices some toughness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Carbon steel can be brittle, making it more likely to break or chip than to bend or deform. It also has low corrosion resistance, making it vulnerable to rust. Carbon steel is often used for machetes and survival<\/a> knives, though there are some excellent folding knives with carbon steel blades. One of the most common carbon steels is 1095, which is named for its 0.95% carbon content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stainless Steel<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The addition of chromium to steel increases its corrosion resistance and makes it stainless steel. The traditional rule is that steel must have at least 12% chromium content to be considered stainless, though that rule occasionally gets bent in different ways. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition to corrosion resistance, stainless steel typically also exhibits high toughness, but at the expense of hardness. Stainless steels are typically more difficult to sharpen than carbon steels. Pocket knives and kitchen knives are most often made of stainless steel, and some of the more common varieties include the Sandvik, 400, AUS and MoV series steels. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tool Steel<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The basic definition of tool steel is that it\u2019s any type of steel used in tooling, which includes hand tools as well as machine dies that are used to cut other metals and materials, including other kinds of steel. D2 is one of the most common tool steels used for knives. A key feature of tool steel is hardness, which is achieved using high amounts of carbon, along with other hardening elements like silicon and molybdenum.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Alloy Steel<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Alloy steel is any steel in which the main elements of steel (iron, carbon) are alloyed with between 1% and 50% additional elements. That includes chromium, which means that all stainless steels are alloy steels, but not all alloy steels are stainless. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Damascus Steel<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A Damascus steel blade has two or more types of steel that are welded or forged together to create a swirled pattern. There are countless varieties of Damascus steel of varying quality, and although some of them offer exceptional hardness and edge retention, Damascus steel is widely seen as more of an aesthetic choice than a functional one. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Powder Steel<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The term \u201cpowder steel\u201d refers more to how a steel is made than what it contains, but suffice to say that powder steel tends to be premium, high-alloy steel. Broadly speaking\u2014and keeping in mind that I\u2019m not a scientist\u2014the process of powder metallurgy involves very fine metal powders, which are sprayed tinto the form of a solid ingot. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s a vast oversimplification. But in the case of steel, it results in a uniquely uniform structure with smaller carbides and allows a greater range of alloying elements to be incorporated into the steel without losing its workability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Premium Vs. Budget Steels<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s often difficult to directly compare types of steel, and I would argue that to call any steel \u201cgood\u201d or \u201cbad\u201d is to oversimplify its properties. Having said that, there are definitely<\/em> certain types of steel that are, overall, better than others. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For the purpose of this guide, steels below are broken down into premium, mid-range and budget categories based on price and performance. But keep in mind that you can get a good knife in virtually any price range, so consider the purpose of the knife you want to get, and look for steel in your budget that has attributes that make it well suited for your intended use. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Premium Steel<\/h3>\n\n\n\n