AEB-L Urban Performance Reviews

[Cambertree]

Yeah the UKPK would be cool in AEB-L. Maybe a serrated version?

It’s unlikely to happen, but I feel like the Junction would have been a nice candidate for AEB-L in a fixed blade, with its thin bladestock. And that steel choice would fit well with that light camp utility knife, bushcrafty day hiker and small game hunting knife niche that the Junction excels at.

Regarding the original AEB-L Urban, I still enjoy using mine for high sharpness applications. I’ve been pairing it with the ZDP189 Dragonfly at work from time to time. I often bring whole pieces of fruit or vegetables to make my lunch or dinner with, and the AEB-L Urban is very useful for peeling and slicing, in a low key manner. My workmates often ask me to slice open packets of ramen or cut up a chilli pepper for them, too.

One of my workmates asked me to slice open a ramen sauce packet the other day. I held it in one hand and sliced the top cleanly off at an angle with the Urban.

She said ‘Wow, that thing’s really sharp!’

I shrugged, passed the packet to her and said ‘It wouldn’t be much use if it wasn’t’. :p :)

[dj moonbat]

It would be nice to see a new run with this steel: Urban, UKPK, Mule, PM2.
Thin @ 61-62HRC.

Yeah, I was thinking hard about the AEB-L Urban, but if the readings in the HRC Database thread are right (with the hardness at 58-59), the steel isn’t really hard enough to reap the benefits of AEB-L edge stability potential.

[p_atrick]

I shrugged, passed the packet to her and said ‘It wouldn’t be much use if it wasn’t’. :p :)

Daaaaamn! Cambertree flexing on these fools.

[Cambertree]

I shrugged, passed the packet to her and said ‘It wouldn’t be much use if it wasn’t’. :p :)

Daaaaamn! Cambertree flexing on these fools.

:D :D :D

[GarageBoy]

I've had Chinese knives in 12c27/14c28n - they don't seem that hard, and they seem to easily roll over (didn't help that this one crkt I had came with a straw colored edge near the tip). Is the aeb-l in this urban better in that regard?

[Enactive]

...

One of my workmates asked me to slice open a ramen sauce packet the other day. I held it in one hand and sliced the top cleanly off at an angle with the Urban.

She said ‘Wow, that thing’s really sharp!’

I shrugged, passed the packet to her and said ‘It wouldn’t be much use if it wasn’t’. :p :)

Hahaha ha! LOLZ! True enough.

I shrugged, passed the packet to her and said ‘It wouldn’t be much use if it wasn’t’. :p :)

Daaaaamn! Cambertree flexing on these fools.

I was already laughing from Cambertree's joke when i saw your comment and .gif. Glad i didn't have anything in my mouth then! :p

[steelcity16]

I'm going to be placing an order for some AEB-L kitchen knives soon. I'd personally like to see an AEB-L Military, Endura, and Police LW. I think it is suited to the long narrow blades. I wouldn't say no to a Delica either. :D

[vivi]

I'd be in for an AEBL Police.

[Mattz83]

It would be nice to see a new run with this steel: Urban, UKPK, Mule, PM2.
Thin @ 61-62HRC.

Yeah, I was thinking hard about the AEB-L Urban, but if the readings in the HRC Database thread are right (with the hardness at 58-59), the steel isn’t really hard enough to reap the benefits of AEB-L edge stability potential.

Hi guys and gals,

Didnt know if this had been shared yet
https://knifesteelnerds.com/2020/05/01/ ... fe-steels/

Shows AEB-L at the lower rc that it can be cutting over the 52100. This is with the catra test.

Read the whole article, I learned a ton and have been using this as a reference.

Aeb-l is on the carbon saturation line and has k2 carbides, turns out its one of the most balanced stainless steels. At the bottom of the article he explains, super steels can cut longer, but suffer by being too brittle.

[Doc Dan]

AEB-L/13c26 is a really tough steel. I have been carrying my Coyote Urban for the past week and really enjoying it all over again. The pivot is a pain in the rear end, but it is otherwise a great knife. I think the Urban overall is my favorite actual pocket knife.

An AEB-L or 14C28N UKPK would be an instant buy for me.

[p_atrick]

I've been enjoying my AEB-L Urban as well. I run this knife pretty thin (no idea what the angles are) and haven't had any issues, though I my cutting is pretty tame by the standards on this forum. I hope there is enough positive feedback to have the steel used in more models.

[Woodpuppy]

I just realized how much I’ve been carrying the AEB-L Urban during the year of the rona. It has been the default choice for all days when I wear sweatpants or generally floppy pants and shorts with an elastic waistband. Where my other daily favorite is the CRUWEAR Military, this little urban doesn’t pull the pants down and performs all my mundane daily cutting tasks effortlessly. The form factor of the knife works, it’s definitely a “big little knife” and I’m appreciating the steel more as I use it. I was initially underwhelmed, but I just don’t get edge damage with it at all, and it’s easy to get a killer edge. I have also been swimming in a pool with it, to no ill effect.

Overall, a fantastic little knife. Now a UPKP in AEB-L would be really cool too. But really the UPKP may as well be done in CRUWEAR too :D

[Dazen]

I would love to see a regular production Wharncliffe Urban in SE AEB-L. Would also be nice to see it in the same green as the new Roadie.

[Bemo]

I would love to see a regular production Wharncliffe Urban in SE AEB-L. Would also be nice to see it in the same green as the new Roadie.

Now you're talking Dazen! AEBL Wharnie Urban or UKPK, I'd be in for 2, maybe of each.

[Cl1ff]

I like that idea!

[Dazen]

I just figured this would be an easier addition to the Urban lineup.

- The AEB-L is already in Europe from Germany
- The Italians already know how to work this steel in this knife.
- The Wharnie Urban has already been done.
- The Olive Green FRN is already in or on its way to Italy.
- It won’t duplicate the Sprint by Spyderco’s rules.

And in my own opinion: AEB-L would make the perfect SE, and the Olive Green is the best FRN color yet!

Sal, please make this happen!!

[JMM]

I've been messing around with my new AEB-L Urban today, it is a new steel for me to own/use/sharpen... so far, it reminds me of V-Toku2, it's easy to get really sharp & easy to get quite dull. More using/sharpening/testing to be done for sure but my knee jerk reaction is if I want super easy to sharpen I think I'll stick to SuperBlue or XHP. Regardless it's always cool to add another steel to the family & to have a little better understanding of IMO. :D

[steelcity16]

I'm going to be placing an order for some AEB-L kitchen knives soon. I'd personally like to see an AEB-L Military, Endura, and Police LW. I think it is suited to the long narrow blades. I wouldn't say no to a Delica either. :D

My AEB-L kitchen knives are supposed to be done next week! A semi-custom bird and trout in AEB-L was delivered a few weeks ago but I haven't put it through the paces yet. Looking forward to checking out how this steel performs in the kitchen. Hope to see more AEB-L from Spyderco. Especially in some Seki models.

[Doc Dan]

I've been messing around with my new AEB-L Urban today, it is a new steel for me to own/use/sharpen... so far, it reminds me of V-Toku2, it's easy to get really sharp & easy to get quite dull. More using/sharpening/testing to be done for sure but my knee jerk reaction is if I want super easy to sharpen I think I'll stick to SuperBlue or XHP. Regardless it's always cool to add another steel to the family & to have a little better understanding of IMO. :D

Except with AEB-L you get incredible toughness

[JMM]

I've been messing around with my new AEB-L Urban today, it is a new steel for me to own/use/sharpen... so far, it reminds me of V-Toku2, it's easy to get really sharp & easy to get quite dull. More using/sharpening/testing to be done for sure but my knee jerk reaction is if I want super easy to sharpen I think I'll stick to SuperBlue or XHP. Regardless it's always cool to add another steel to the family & to have a little better understanding of IMO. :D

Except with AEB-L you get incredible toughness

True, although for me super tough w/poor edge retention isn't what I'm looking for in a folder, that seems like what I'd look for in a fixed blade I want to baton the crap out of while out camping -- at least, that's been my experience... I had the 3V Tuff for like a week and it seemed to have about the same edge retention as my decade+ old 154CM Manix so I traded it at my earliest opportunity, I just wish the Tuff were offered in a different steel like 4V or S90V, it's a unique and awesome folder design imo.