Steel is the most critical component in any cutting tool. Choose wrong and you’re just throwing away that hard-earned cash. Make an educated decision, and you’re investing in a tool that will probably outlast you. Bottom line; the wrong steel will let you down time and time again. Beyond that some can even be dangerous (cough cough… gas station knives & mall ninja katanas). A quality knife steel takes an edge, and maintains it longer than its low quality counterparts. But, what is the best blade steel?
Like almost anything in life… there is no best blade steel for every person, budget, or use. Some are meant to take and retain a super sharp edge, but won’t hold up in corrosive environments. On the other hand some are corrosion resistant but are very difficult to sharpen. Our goal in this guide is to give you a general understanding of common blade steels. We’ll cover their pros and cons, and provide a few suggestions along the way.
Contents & Shortcuts
The Blade Steel Property Triangle
The best blade steel for a specific use is best evaluated through three criteria. No knife steel will master all three, but some come pretty close. You may have seen those poster that say good, fast, and cheap… pick two. Blade steel is similar, but not as extreme. Let’s take a quick look at each…
Edge (aka Sharpness)
Different steels take edges differently. You can sharpen some steels to surgical instrument sharpness… while others will barely pass for a letter opener no matter how hard you try.
For most of us we’re looking for an edge that works for our individual needs. For example a sushi chef will need a very, very sharp edge to slice delicate rolls. While another person might need an everyday carry blade to open mail and cut random things throughout the day. Both blades need to take an edge… But, the latter needs more long term edge retention and corrosion resistance. That person may need to give up a bit of sharpness and “sharpenability” to get the perfect knife. Contrast that with the sushi chef’s blade. It needs to be extremely sharp at all times, and that may require daily maintenance. So they’re giving up a bit of durability for extra “sharpenability.” If you want it all… it will cost you $$$$.
Now, there are many other things that go into the edge (angle, grind, etc.) but in this guide we’ll focus on “edge” as it pertains to how sharp it gets and how easy it is to get there. For edge retention you should really consider hardness… which happens to be our next topic to cover.
Hardness (Toughness / Impact Resistance)
You’ve probably heard of the Rockwell scale, or the term Rockwell hardness. Without getting into too much detail it assigns a numerical “hardness” value to a metal. A higher number means that the metal is more resistant to penetration or indentation (read more about the test). What does that mean to you, the knife shopper?
A higher number proves the blade with the strength required to avoid permanent bending (or deforming) under hard use. However if the metal becomes too hard, it may have a tendency to chip or even break under hard use or high impact.
When you’re evaluating a blade the hardness will primarily tell you two things. First, will the knife hold an edge. And second what will the blade do when it’s used for “X.”
For example, if you see an axe or machete rated at higher than 55 HRC, you know it will hold a an edge well… but it may chip. If that same axe or machete is in the low to mid 60’s you definitely don’t want to swing it at anything. Remember that video of the shopping network katana? One hit to a wood table and the blade snapped launching a sharp hunk of metal into the host.
While a higher hardness might not be great for an axe or machete, it can be good for a pocket or kitchen knife. A higher hardness will hold up under light abuse and should hold an edge pretty well.
We’ll go into greater detail by blade steel below. But your general understanding of HRC (Rokwell Hardness test “c”) right now should be higher equals harder. And, harder means greater edge retention and resistance to deformation. However… too much hardness and you’ll want to avoid high impact use or high stress. The easiest “rule of thumb” below 55 is good for throwing knives, axes and machetes; while over 55 is best for everyday carry knives, culinary blades, and higher-end hunting knives.
Corrosion Resistance
Here’s where we really start to make big trade offs in blade steel. Hardness is generally created when you temper the steel… which doesn’t add a lot of cost. Unless you’re creating a fancy alloy that takes a high HRC and has other great qualities.
The edge/sharpness is generally a mix of hardness and basic metallurgy, but generally speaking it’s been around for centuries so it doesn’t cost much to know that adding more carbon to blade steel makes it easier to sharpen. But, corrosion resistance is another degree of difficulty.
On a tight budget a you can add corrosion resistance by adding some Chromium. But, that could affect the edge and hardness if you’re not careful. To keep everything in balance you’ll need some metallurgists to create a recipe that keeps everything in balance. They’ll add a little bit of this… and a little of that to create a blade steel that fits a specific need or use. The downside it that metallurgists are very well educated, and that means they don’t come cheap. The more labor they put into a specific recipe (or alloy) the more money the steel manufacturer will have to recoup from people like us.
Blade Steel Ingredients
If creating knife steel is like baking a cake; the main ingredient equivalent of flour would be iron. Iron is the base element of steel. And, technically, to create steel you’ll also need carbon. But, we’ve known that recipe since around the 13th Century BC. But what about blade steel like the stuff used in knives today? Well, the largest leaps forward in blade steel ingredients came about in the early 1900’s. That’s when metallurgists started incorporating ingredients that create stainless steel. From there forward the world of steel got really, really diverse. We created this simple chart to cover the basics of common ingredients.
| Ingredient | What it does |
|---|---|
| Carbon | Mixed with iron... creates steel. Also boosts hardness. |
| Cobalt | Boosts other ingredients effects. More strength and hardenability. |
| Chromium | Boosts corrosion and wear resistance. Also increases hardenability. |
| Manganese | Boosts tensile strength, but it's also really efficient at increasing hardenability. |
| Molybdenum | Great for corrosion resistance, hardenability, and increases tensile strength. |
| Nickel | Boost corrosion resistance and hardenability... makes a knife "tougher" |
| Silicon | Adds strength and removes oxygen from steel in manufacturing process. |
| Vanadium | Finer grains and more hardenability means better wear resistance and strength. |
Evaluating Blade Steels
Unlike many other products you buy, knife makers are very transparent about the blade steel they use in each of their knives. They want you to know why you’re paying two or three times more for a pocket knife… especially when they have two similar models in their product line.
This makes you job much, much easier. In fact, if a manufacturer is vague about the steel you should probably think twice. And, if they avoid disclosing which steel is in their blade… you should move on to more reputable knife makers.
With that said… if you find a knife that you like you can use the following info to evaluate its properties and performance. At least when it comes to those three qualities we covered above. Other things like grind, handle material, and blade shape are covered in our other guides.
Stainless vs Carbon Steel
This could probably fill an entire book, but for most people…. stainless is better. It will cost a little more and there are a few small concessions you’ll have to make. But, in the long run most people will be much more pleased with a stainless blade than a high carbon version. This is mainly due to the fact that stainless “stains less” than carbon steel. Now, stainless is not foolproof. Different variants exhibit different degrees of corrosion resistance. But, in general they’re pretty easy to live with.
With that said… if you’re a knife geek or don’t mind a bit of maintenance you might be happy with a knife that rusts. Chances are you’ll also be a non-stainless blade owner if you pick up a machete, an axe, or perhaps a good but affordable bushcraft knife. We typically won’t EDC a carbon blade… but we have a bunch of them that we love for a specific task or purpose.
Our Favorite Blade Steels
There are a ton of options out there, but these are some of the blade steel varieties we enjoy using. Are they the “best blade steel?” We think so. If you were to say “is VG-10 good” we’d definitely say yes. Now there are other great options out there, and there will be more, but these are the steels we use. Some are better than others, and some provide a lot of bang for your buck. We just wanted to create a seperate section for some of the steels that stand out for us. In the next section we’ll cover many more so you can make a well educated decision. But, let’s look at our top picks first. (These aren’t necessarily ranked in any order… knife steel is pretty subjective if we’re being completely honest.)
1. VG-10
Made by: Takefu Special Steel Co. (Japan)
Where it’s used: Kitchen Cutlery, premium EDC knives, higher-end camping knives
More of the knives that we use each and every day have VG10 blades. From our Shun kitchen knives, to the Spyderco Enduras/Delicas that we EDC more than anything else, to the camping knife that we love most (Fallkniven F1)… VG-10 is a staple knife steel, for us.
It provides an incredible balance of sharpness, edge retention, and corrosion resistance. It’s a Japanese steel originally developed for horticultural use, but it’s become very popular in the US and Europe. It’s fairly affordable… you can find plenty of knives that use VG-10 under or around one hundred dollars.
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2. CPM-S30V®
Made by: Crucible Industries (USA)
Where it’s used: High-end edc and tactical/combat blades.
Any time you see “CPM” in front of a blade steel name you know a few things. First, it’s good. Second, it’s american. Third, it’s made through a proprietary process that involves atomizing the molten alloy. And… finally, it’s consistent. Crucible Industries’ steels have an excellent track record… the company is over a hundred years old now.
Beyond a that reputation and history… S30V in particular is especially unique. It was developed in a collaboration between legendary knife maker Chris Reeve and Crucible. It’s found in fewer blades than VG-10 and it costs a little more. But, if you’re shopping for more sharp without giving up toughness… this blade steel should be near the top of your list.
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3. 154CM
Made by: Crucible Industries (USA)
Where it’s used: Fairly ubiquitous in quality blades from various knife makers
So first off… lets get some of the confusion you might see on other sites cleared up a bit. Both 154CM and CPM 154 exist and they’re both made by Crucible. And, to be honest, in use you probably couldn’t tell the difference. But, CPM is technically a Stainless Tool Steel made using Crucible’s proprietary CPM® process. The Crucible 154CM is an excellent product as well, but it actually falls into the 400 Series stainless family.
Now the 400 Series stainless family is as large and varied as an all inclusive Thanksgiving dinner. There are some black sheep in the bunch, a bunch of average Joe’s, and some pedigreed performers. And, at that imaginary dinner table 154CM (and ATS-34) is like cousin who turned down a full ride athletic scholarship to go to Harvard… and now has a vacation home and a 911 turbo (just for fun). By that we mean 154CM is a standout in the 400 stainless family.
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4. 440C & 440HC
Made by: Multiple (quality varies)Where it’s used: Very common… it’s an affordable alternative anywhere 154CM would be used
Speaking of 400 series stainless… and Thanksgiving family dinner. The 440 siblings are both competent, and reliable. They aren’t all stars but they’re hard workers and will not disappoint. 440C forms what we consider the benchmark for “good” blade steel. 440HC is slightly better due to its higher carbon content.
Chinese knock offs and lower quality (poorly executed) examples of 440C tend to give the 400 stainless a bad name. But, in reality 440 (C & HC) is a solid choice and a good point to compare other steels against. Before 154CM became popular 440C & HC were pretty well respected. But that was about two decades ago.
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5. CPM-20CV
Made by: Crucible Industries (USA)
Where it’s used: Nice knives that you’d pass on to your children even if you use them every single day.
As you can probably tell we’re sort of partial to anything Crucible touches. And, CPM-20CV is the gateway steel to some next level metallurgy. It’s up there with top tier steels like CPM-S110V, CPM-S90V, Bohler’s M390, Hitachi’s ZDP-189, and Elmax.
CPM-20CV might be toward the bottom of the list of premium steels, but it’s really… really good. Most users would never know the difference in these steel varieties. They’re all ridiculously impressive.
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Common (and fairly common) Blade Steel
1095 Carbon Steel
Of the non stainless steels… this is the one you’ll see a lot. Especially in things you swing like machetes and survival/bushcraft knives. It’s the best of the “10 series” steels and it will take a wicked sharp edge. It’s also pretty durable and affordable. The price you pay for all of that in the long run is it’s corrosion resistance is pretty much non existent. However, we think it’s worth a try. Especially if you’re just starting out and want to become proficient at sharpening. Just make sure you get some oil on anything shiny… it will rust if you neglect it. If you’re looking for a great 1095 blade check out Esee knives. And, if you get one we suggest Froglube… it’s non-toxic, all natural, and has a surprisingly pleasant smell.
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3CR13
This is a soft steel, made in China, that is best suited to throwing knives. It’s cheap, soft, and well that’s about it…
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5CR13
It’s a little better than 3CR13… but we’d avoid it for the most part. Unless you’re a mall ninja… if that’s the case we’ve found the perfect steel for you.
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420HC
Definitely not a premium steel. And if execution is average or below you’ll be disappointed. However with the right treatment 420HC is definitely acceptable as a lower end blade steel. However, 420 and 420J2 are much less worthwhile and are better suited to non edged component duty. Buck does a solid job with 420… but if you want a high performance steel look elsewhere.
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440A & B
Slightly better than 420C & HC. Comparable to AUS 6 and 8. Not as bad as 420 and 420J2… but that’s not saying much. If it were our money
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8Cr13MoV
This Chinese steel can be kind of good if it’s treated well by a knowledgeable knife maker. However, edge retention and corrosion resistance are pretty abysmal. And, good luck getting an impressive edge on this mediocre steel. It’s a good-ish low end blade steel… you can probably do a lot better for a little more money.
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ATS-34
This is a Japanese steel that’s very, very similar to 154CM. It’s typically a good value and if you’re building a collection of EDC knives… you should give one a try. We think you’ll be pleased with it; ATS-34 is an excellent value.
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AUS-6
AUS steel is a Japanese made steel that aligns with 400 series steels. In fact it’s basically a 400 series with higher Vanadium content. This makes the steel a little tougher, a little more wear resistant, and allegedly improves the edge. The trade off is corrosion resistance. AUS steels are slightly more prone to rust and staining.
Bottom line. AUS and their 400 series counterparts are pretty much a wash to the average consumer. So if you can tell the difference between AUS-6 and 420… you should be looking at better knives.
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AUS-8
This is one step up from AUS-6, and more or less aligns with 440 steel (a little better than 440B, a little worse than 440C).
AUS-8 also has even more 400 series beating Vanadium than AUS-6. If you’re comparing it to AUS-6… it’s better. Mainly at holding an edge.
But just like it’s 440 counterparts; pay close attention to who is making the knife. AUS-8 can be done well, but it’s also at that price point where lower end knife makers will buy it to up their street cred a bit. Unfortunately, they probably suck at treating steel.
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AUS-10
It’s a little tougher than 440C but not as corrosion resistant. We would say it’s really a wash if you’re comparing them head to head. However, as knife shoppers we’ll typically give the “edge” to 440C. Not because it’s better, but because there seem to be so many bad knife makers using AUS 8 & 10.
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CPM-S110V
This is probably the best knife steel you’re going to find without getting into some ultra exotic blades. Generally speaking; it’s expensive. Mainly because it’s difficult to work with, and that extra effort on the knife makers end translates to dollars on yours. It also means that sharpening will be a chore. But, once you get it back to its razor sharp glory it will be a while before it’s back on a stone.
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CPM-S35VN
This steel really deserves a spot in the list above alongside S30V (above), but we’re still waiting to give it a hands on review. It’s incredibly similar from a composition standpoint, but it’s a little better. Like a guitar amp that goes to 11 instead of just ten. Why you ask? S35VN adds a bit of Niobium to the recipe to refine the grain of the steel. That means a bit more strength and corrosion resistance while preserving that excellent S30V edge. Chris Reeve uses S35VN in his line and as you may know… his world class blades don’t come cheap.
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CPM-S90V
It’s a little tougher to sharpen than the slightly nicer S110V… but it’s a great knife steel. It’s up there with the absolute best you can get.
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CPM-D2
D2 is a tool steel that straddles the fence separating stainless and non. Some systems say chromium exceeding 11 percent is stainless, while others require more than 13 percent. D2 is just shy of hitting that magic 13 percent figure to be a true stainless everywhere. But, it is a good steel regardless.
You will find D2 in quality woodworking tools and knives, thanks to its excellent edge retention. The two major drawbacks are corrosion resistance and ease of sharpening. We think it’s enough of a chore that when it’s time to restore D2’s edge you’re best bet is to take it to a pro. And, by “pro” we don’t mean take it to Sur La Table… we mean a highly qualified professional. The type of person who makes a bulk of their income sharpening tools and knives.
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H1
One of the best highly corrosion resistant steels you can find. Unfortunately it’s kind of pricey and isn’t much at keeping a good edge. It’s a dive knife and that’s about it. You can get it really sharp without much drama. Which is great if you have to cut some net or rope underwater. Which is great when/if you get tangled on a dive trip. But, if you’re battling a team of scuba diving Bond movie thugs like a young Sean Connery… you’ll want something that stays sharp after heavy use.
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