Poor Man Survival
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A Digest of Urban Survival Resources
Know Your Knife: A Guide to the
Best Knife Steel
Before we dive in, let’s go over the most common elements
present in steel and the properties they give it.
·
Iron is the main
ingredient in steel.
·
Carbon is one of the most
important factors, as it functions as a hardening element and makes the iron
stronger. Every type of steel will have some amount of carbon, and oftentimes
the amount can be telling of the quality of a blade. Low carbon means
there is 0.3 percent or less carbon in the alloy, medium carbon is typically
between 0.4-0.7 percent, and high is generally considered 0.8 percent and
above.
·
Chromium is what makes
stainless steel stainless. Technically all steel can rust, but types with more
chromium (usually around 12-13 percent) are much less prone to it.
Cobalt adds strength to Before we dive in, let’s go over the most common elements present in steel and the properties they give it.
·
Iron is the main
ingredient in steel.
·
Carbon is one of the most
important factors, as it functions as a hardening element and makes the iron
stronger. Every type of steel will have some amount of carbon, and oftentimes
the amount can be telling of the quality of a blade. Low carbon means
there is 0.3 percent or less carbon in the alloy, medium carbon is typically
between 0.4-0.7 percent, and high is generally considered 0.8 percent and
above.
·
Chromium is what makes
stainless steel stainless. Technically all steel can rust, but types with more
chromium (usually around 12-13 percent) are much less prone to it.
·
Cobalt adds strength to do
some research.
The 400 Series
420 Steel: Common in lower-end knives, this steel has about .38 percent carbon. The low carbon content means that it’s very soft in comparison to most others, and it doesn’t hold an edge well. Blades made from this material need to be sharpened frequently and are more likely to chip. On the bright side, all 420 stainless steel is extremely rust-resistant. This makes it a great material for diving knives, since their constant contact with saltwater makes them more likely to rust.
425M Steel: This is a material similar to the 400 series that has .5 percent carbon. Not a great steel by any means, but it’s not a bad one either, and it’s reasonably tough for the price.
440 Steel: There are three different types of 440 steel: 440A, 440B, and 440C. The further along in the alphabet, the better it gets. The only problem is that oftentimes manufacturers simply stamp “440” on the tang of the blade without the letter grade, so knowing what you’re buying is tricky. As a rule of thumb, if it doesn’t explicity say 440C, it’s most likely a lower-end version like 440A or 440B. Certain knife manufacturers have even gone so far as to rename 440C as other things in order to differentiate the quality of the product.
·
440A Steel: This low-cost stainless
steel has a carbon content range of .65-.75 percent. It is the most rust
resistant of 440 steel, and 440C is the least rust resistant of the three.
However, taken as a whole, the 400 series is comprised of some of the most rust
resistant steel you can buy.
·
440B Steel: This is very similar to
440A, but has a higher carbon content range (.75-.95 percent), so it has better
edge retention.
·
440C Steel: This steel has a carbon
content range between .95-1.20 percent, and is generally considered a higher
end steel. It’s extremely common in knives because it provides a good mixture
of hardness and corrosion resistance, but also isn’t terribly expensive.
The AUS Series
The biggest improvement of the AUS series (made in Japan) over the 400 Series is the addition of vanadium, which improves wear resistance and provides great toughness. This also reportedly makes the steel easier to sharpen.
AUS-6 Steel: AUS-6 Steel has .65 percent carbon and is generally considered a low-quality steel. It’s comparable to 420, but with better edge retention and less corrosion resistance.
AUS-8 Steel: This fairly popular steel has .75 percent carbon, which makes it fairly tough. It also has more vanadium than AUS-6, so it holds an edge better. Cold Steel likes to use this stuff a lot in its blades
AUS-10 Steel: Our final option in this series has 1.1% carbon and is roughly comparable to 440C. It has more vanadium and less chromium than 440C, which makes it slightly tougher in comparison, but a little less rust resistant.
ATS 34 Steel: This steel is very similar to 154 CM (listed below), and is generally considered one of the best steels you can buy. It has 1.05 percent carbon, and there are lots of high-end custom knives that use it because it’s just excellent metal. Benchmade and Spyderco seem to be fans of this steel, as you’ll see it a lot in their products.
ATS 55 Steel: This steel (carbon content of 1.00 percent) does not have the vanadium that is present in both ATS-34 and 154-CM (see below). This means that it doesn’t hold an quite edge as well, and has also been reported to be less rust resistant than ATS-34.
ATS 34 Steel: This steel is very similar to 154 CM (listed below), and is generally considered one of the best steels you can buy. It has 1.05 percent carbon, and there are lots of high-end custom knives that use it because it’s just excellent metal. Benchmade and Spyderco seem to be fans of this steel, as you’ll see it a lot in their products.
ATS 55 Steel: This steel (carbon content of 1.00 percent) does not have the vanadium that is present in both ATS-34 and 154-CM (see below). This means that it doesn’t hold an quite edge as well, and has also been reported to be less rust resistant than ATS-34.
It’s just a step above S30V, but is relatively rare in knives because it’s more expensive.
S90V Steel: This steel has superior edge retention, but due to it’s ridiculous hardness, it can be almost impossible to sharpen. You’ll typically only find it in custom-made knives, and it has a carbon content of around 2.30 percent.
154CM Steel: This is high quality steel — arguably one of the best available for knives. It has a carbon content of 1.05 percent, it holds an edge well, and has pretty good toughness for how hard the steel It is tougher than 440C and is often compared to ATS 34 because the two are so similar. Some people prefer this steel to ATS 34, however, since this one is made by Crucible, an American company.
Editors'
Recommendations
Talon Fixed Blade Tactical Knife With Bonus Belt Holder
Sheaths
- The James Brand Crafts Practical
Pocket Knives for Everyday Carry
- Peep The James Brand’s Stunning and
Serviceable Elko Black + Black Knife
The first three elements of
preparedness I recommend working on are water, food and security.
The next thing I would concentrate on is building up
your food storage. This is something you should start ASAP but can work on over
time. Every time you make a trip to the grocery store, spend an extra $5 (or
whatever is in your budget) and buy a few nonperishable goods to add to your
emergency food stores.
RELATED ARTICLE:
Brutal
Tips, Tricks, And Myths from a Filipino Knife Fighter
I’ve
been practicing knife fighting for over a year now. While my
dreams of being a professional knife fighter like The Winter Soldier have
crumbled away (*tears*) it has brought me some serious and lethal realizations about using knives
for combat. Here just a taste of what I’ve learned:
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How to Survive the War on the Middle Class
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Living Frugally In Suburbia
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These depression-era frugal tips still work today!
These depression-era frugal tips still work today!
8 Simple Ways to Put More Money in Your Pocket
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Have more money without working harder!
Could
You Earn Enough Money Being Self-Employed?
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Is it just a dream? Or could it become reality?
Knowing
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Stocking up could save your grocery budget!
Stocking up could save your grocery budget!
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2 comments:
A good knife isn't cheap. Anything made in the US, Switzerland, Germany or even Japan goes for a premium price at our area auctions or online but they're worth it...some brands of Chinese knives have picked up in quality over the years however.
The key is keeping them sharp, honed and lightly oiled.
Nice guide-found it very useful.
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