What's your favorite steel?

[p_atrick]

Not sure I have a favorite, but I like 14C28N. I know, I know... there are many steels out there that are better is a variety of ways. I like steels that are user friendly. With 14C28N I don't have to spend a lot of time getting a nice edge back on the blade. I don't have to worry about rust after cutting up an apple. I just fold up the knife and stick it back into my pocket. Sure, the steel has its limitations, but I like it all the same. Many of the reasons for liking 14C28N have me interested in the VTOKU sprints.

[steelcity16]

I see a lot people mention Cruwear and M4. Those are in my top 3 as well, along with 52100. Hopefully Spyderco will take the hint with the success and high secondary market value of the Cruwear sprints, and the major success of the BHQ M4 exclusives, and start productionalizing these two steels. Wrap them in some new color of G10 (maybe translucent forest green or translucent charcoal?) like they did with the Blurple for the S110V family and start a new family for each steel for the whole Golden lineup, including the Native, Manix XL, Shaman, Lil Native, and Yohimbo. I also would like to see the Peel Ply CF/52100 continue and hit the Native, Shaman, and the rest of the Golden folders. I'll keep on dreaming over here... :rolleyes:

[PanChango]

For the last few years, I would have said Super Blue, but have really been enjoying the HAP40 Caly recently.

[Xplorer]

It was M390 but the new version of Vanax is blowing my mind and is definitely my new favorite.

[MMGRenovations]

I'm glad to see I'm not the only one that favors M4. I have used my M4 knives pretty hard in particular my Manix. I have hit nails and staples and had yet to have it chip. My use can be considered excessive/abuse at times and I am surprised at how well the edge holds. I have used M390 quite a bit with a mini Ritter grip which I think has the best heat treatment for my use. That was my first experience with M390. I read 204p and 20cv were pretty much the same as M390 but I didn't get the same result. I had both of them chip. The 204p knife is a ZT 0562cf and the 20cv was a mini grip. It seem like they may be harder as they chipped. With the M390 Ritter I never had a chip so I did feel like it was the stainless version of M4. It's what made me buy more knives in that steel family. I have also used cruwear quite a bit but I found it to be very tough but it doesn't hold a edge a long. My favorite thing about cruwear is how easy it is to sharpen. Funny enough I have used S110v quite heavily and haven't had it chip at all with a para 2 or a native 5. Now that I remember I did have my DLT PM2 chip on me as well.

My next question for you guys is what steel do you feel is most similar to M4. What would be a step up steel with similar characteristics? Maxamet or K390? I see hap40 compared to M4 as most similar, but have no experience. I would really like something as tough as M4 but with more edge retention. I know you always have to give up something but maybe it's wishful thinking that there is still a step up to M4.

[edgecentricity]

Thus far (not having that many knives), S30V and D2.

[wrdwrght]

If, in my range of uses, a steel doesn't tend to chip and doesn't demand sharpening too frequently, I favor it.

That means I've come (since joining this forum) to favor a good many premium steels (including VG10) that Spyderco offers (but I still don't have Elmax, Maxamet, or HAP40).

However, I've learned to hold off judgment on offered steels until I've reprofiled the factory-edge, which can misrepresent that steel's properties (no more chippy S30V or hard-to-sharpen S110V for me).

For years, until recently, M4 has been my most favored steel, but nothing has been able to chase the K390 out of my pocket since the Police4 went in last September. That's one thin length of an amazing steel. Maybe the simple novelty of this geometry is what's been limiting pocket-time of my other favored steels, M4 not least.

But I suspect that finding a steel that has both greater wear-resistance and greater fracture-resistance than M4 is getting into unicorn territory, at least theoretically. Experientially, I think it's pretty hard to tell the difference in performance among most of the premium steels.

[knivesandbooks]

Having used S30v the most, it has become my go to steel. However, M4 is my acknowledged best and favorite for any knife. D2 (and cts xhp) and 1095 are my two favorite working knife steels, which means they get used the most. I've an off and on like of M390. It is certainly good stuff but it has definitely chipped when I didn't expect it to. That being said though, the M390 on both my Lionsteel fixed blade and Lionsteel Roundhead are amazing examples of that steel shining.

[cabfrank]

H1.
I'm surprised, and pleased, that it got other votes as well.

[jpm2]

Currently produced, m4. It dominates as my work knife. But that's only because I retired my m2 blade.

[Comedie]

H1. No maintenance worries and sharpens easily. Can take it everywhere and abuse it.
More of a hassle when it needs sharpening, but s110v tends to be my pocket knife that doesn't get abused

[the Southerner]

Just going thru my collection I have 38 knives total. What I did notice is that cpm-m4 dominates my collection. I have 11 knives in m4. It's the steel I use for work everyday. I do like m390/204p/20cv a lot as well, but I find it kinda chippy. Anyway here's my M4 collection

CTS-XHP/S30V/D2 level. They're fairly tough, easy to sharpen, and have a ton of edge retention. Unfortunately Spyderco uses XHP like bait to push certain models and D2 has vanished.

[ThePeacent]

H1.



all I need and ask in a steel, nothing I don't :D

[Skoalart]

I have been torn between CPM-M4 and CPM-S110V. But lately I have been learning towards s110v. I take care of both really well, but the m4 is so care intensive and the rust spots are not very food service friendly.

[xceptnl]

There may have been a time I could have answered this very simply, now things are very complex. I have my favorites, but even steels that are second fiddle in my ranking are still very versatile and functional and would serve me well until the end of my days so the list below is purely what I have come to love since realizing I am a steel snob.

Favorites: Superblue, HAP-40, Cruwear (Z-wear), S110V &

Perfectly acceptable choices to suit my needs: VG-10, BG-42, CPM-D2, 154cm, AUS-8, LC200N, H1, 52100, XHP, Elmax, 1095, Maxamet.

[MacLaren]

CTS-204P.
CPM-154 ain't too far behind.
And 10v. Lol, hard to have just one.