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Blade types

Ok everyone how about a little survey. Between Carbon, Stainless and, any other blade material, which is your favorite and Why?

And question number 2 forged, heat treated or what Which do you prefer and why?

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FeaturedPermalink Reply by Craig Henry on December 15, 2012 at 0:03

I buy factory made knives, so question #2 doesn't apply to me. But I USED to only buy knives that were stainless.....period. And I've used all kinds of stainless, from common everyday stuff like 440A, to more high grade stuff like VG-10, CPM-S30V, etc. But some months ago I decided to try carbon steel, 1095 and Chrome Vanadium......and I love it! I never thought I'd be saying that! It seems to me the carbon steel generally hods an edge as good if not better than stainless (remember I'm talking about FACTORY carbon steel vs stainless), and it's a good bit easier to sharpen. I keep a coat of Renaissance Wax on my carbon steel EDCs weekly and rust has not been an issue.

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Permalink Reply by Steven Matthew on December 16, 2012 at 9:02

Love those carbon blades!

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Permalink Reply by Howard P Reynolds on February 23, 2013 at 12:29

Well "Cossack",

1. With regard to Carbon Vs Stainless, we each might be a product of what we last read on the subject. I think it was John Juranich who conducted extensive experiments in the slaughter houses back when carbon was king, and found that stainless was actually better (talking "production" knives, not "custom") slicing and boning meat all day. Juranich makes a good argument for stainless.

2. Forged or heat treated is tough these days since so many of the new steels begin their lives a powder and must, due to economies of scale, be made by "big" steel, i.e. you can't forge them yourself. 01 and M2, etc. seem to be as or more expensive than some "exotics", and I don't have a working example (have a "dress" [short fixed-blade] in M2) of these very hard carbon steels. So, for practicality, I'd go for heat-treated.

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Permalink Reply by Tobias Gibson on February 23, 2013 at 16:09

I prefer Carbon steel in larger blades. 1095 is fine form most combat/hunting blades but I prefer a 1070 in machetes. As for small folders, I like CV but I'm not much of a snob. I have a lot of 440A and I'm really happy with my victorinox knives which use X50CrMO steel. It gets the job done. So stainless for smaller blades and carbon for my larger fixed blades.