When I was a teenage hunter, I heard terms like HRC, hardness, toughness, corrosion resistance etc from my military dad as he was very picky about it and chose knives only with good qualities. As an amateur, I ignored most of them and used knives that looked good.
One day, my dad asked when steel do you prefer for skinning, field dressing etc, and obviously, I had no clue. That’s when he taught me about stainless steel and carbon steel a bit. Since then, I started to learn about knife steel and picked only the good ones for myself.
For more than a decade, I’ve used knives with various steels and today, I’m going to share what are the top-rated steel for knives from my experience.
Key properties of a knife steel
1. Hardness
Hardness in a knife steel refers to its ability to resist permanent distortion from external pressure at a microscopic level. It decides the strength of the knife. Hardness is measured in Hardness Rockwell C (HRC). Higher the HRC is, the harder the steel is.
2. Toughness
Toughness refers to the ability of the knife to withstand sudden impact. A knife with minimal toughness could easily cause cracks or chips.
3. Abrasion Resistance
To maintain the knife’s sharp edge, high abrasion resistance is crucial. The higher the abrasion resistance is, the longer your knife’s sharpness will last. High abrasion also means it will be hard to sharpen.
4. Corrosion Resistance
This property states how long a steel can survive when it comes in contact with water or acid. As you may already know, steel is a combination of iron and carbon, and it is easily prone to corrosion.
A knife with more chromium instead of carbon is highly resistant to water and acid.
5. Edge Retention
This property of the knife will determine how long the blade will retain its sharpness after a period of use.
Common Steel Types for Knives
1. Carbon Steel:
It is a combination of iron and carbon. The carbon content on this steel may range from 0.5% to 1.5%. Perfect for rough use and is common in survival knives. It has a sharp edge and is easy to sharpen. The only disadvantage of this steel is, it is prone to corrosion due to low chromium content.
2. Stainless Steel:
This is generally a carbon steel, but with more chromium. The stainless steel contains at least 13% chromium content.
This has better corrosion resistance and can deliver high-performance due to high chromium content but you’ve to give up the toughness of this.
This is my go-to choice for hunting knives due to these characteristics.
Understand the basics of this steel in this video.
3. Tool Steel:
They are hard steel alloys used in cutting tools. It contains 82.5% iron, 12% chromium, 1.55% carbon and small amounts of Cobalt, Vanadium and Molybdenum.
This steel is an excellent choice as it has high-hardness, edge retention and wear resistance. Knives made of this steel perform really well due to these qualities and are suitable for camping and bushcraft activities.
Popular steels you’ll find in this group are D2 and O1.
What are the High-Quality Steel for Knives?
The overall top picks- CPM S35VN, Magnacut
CPM S35VN
This steel was introduced in 2009 by Crucible Industries and is a successor to the S30V. The company decided to add more niobium to this steel and included the N in its name.
This version has improved toughness. It has very good retention compared to many other steel types, like 1095 carbon steel. With a single sharpness, you can use it for a long period.
I’ve 3-4 S35VN knives from brands and my personal favorites are ESEE-4 and COLD STEEL Recon 1.
I do activities like cutting vegetables, cutting ropes, opening packages, skinning, field dressing etc with steel.
CPM Magnacut
The CPM MagnaCut was founded in 2021 by Dr. Larrin Thomas, one of the most popular metallurgists in the world.
I own CRKT Redemption with this steel and I can say this steel performs tougher jobs like butchering a big game with ease. I bought it just a few weeks after its launch in 2023 and after 2 years of using the knife, it is going strong and one of my favorites these days.
Overall, it has solid retention, corrosion, and the toughness you want in a knife to perform in outdoor conditions.
Get to know about this steel in this video.
Budget Friendly- D2 Steel
D2 is an old school steel, generally used for knife production and metal cutting, and yes, it is abrasion resistant. Many popular knife brands opt for this steel for their products as it has high chromium (12%). Due to the shortage of chromium, we consider this as a semi-stainless steel.
It is a popular choice among heavy users including me as it is known for its high hardness, toughness, and wear resistance. It is also very easy to sharpen.
Due to a low amount of chromium, D2 is not corrosion-resistant, and if you don’t maintain it properly, it’ll rust easily.
If you have a limited budget, i.e., under $100, I would recommend D2 knives for the performance they deliver at this price range.
The best knife with this steel is Kershaw Iridium. I’ve been using it for more than 2 years and haven’t encountered any problem with slicing, edge retention or toughness.
Premium Steel- CPM S110V
The S110V is a premium steel known for its wear resistance and edge retention. You may not be able to distinguish this with CPM-S90V at first glance, but the performance it delivers compared to the latter is easily noticeable. On paper, it has 2.3% Carbon, Chromium 14% and Vanadium 9%.
It is a bit costly and may not be easily sharpened, but if you maintain it properly, this steel will hold with you for a really long time.
If you have a decent budget to spend on a high-quality knife, opting for this steel would be worth it. I’ve invested in Spyderco Manix 2 and I still own it after using it for more than a decade.
FAQs:
1. Is D2 steel better than S30V?
If you want a blade with better corrosion resistance, edge retention and ease of sharpening, go with S30V. For hardness and affordability, D2 should be your choice.
2. What steel does the military use in knives?
Common steel in military knives are; 1095 High Carbon Steel, D2, CPM 3V/ CPM S35VN, 440C, S30V and 154cm.
3. Which is the best steel for pocket knives?
CPM S35VN, a stainless steel, is considered one of the best options for its better edge retention, toughness and wear resistance. Alternatives include 154CM, M390, S90V, 420 stainless steel and S110V.
4. Is Japanese or German steel better?
German knives offer soft steel and they are durable and easy to sharpen. Japanese knives feature a hard steel and they are sharper, hold and edge for a long time, however, they require extreme care for durability.
5. What country has the best steel for knives?
Japan and Germany are known for producing high-quality steel for many centuries.
Conclusion:
These days, I have been asked this question multiple times in our hunting club and all I can say is, there is no one-size-fits-all steel. You have to identify the purpose and go for the one depending on it.
For example, I go with stainless steel for hunting, your choice could be a chef knife. Be sure to check the characteristics of a steel in detail before you pick the one for yourself. If you have any other questions, please let me know in the comments and I’ll get back to you soon.
