Steel genie is about to turn all your knives into one steel…what are you picking.

[Josh Crutchley]

I enjoy knives because they're available in different steels. If I was limited to one steel I would probably have one or two knives instead of the 40+ I have now. But if somehow I do come across a magic lamp and find myself in this situation I would probably choose Maxamet. I still have a few popular steels to try like K390 and Magnacut so that's subject to change.

[Albertaboyscott]

Cruwear/zwear for me. At least untill I try that good good magnacut!

[steelcity16]

Delta 3V, followed by Cruwear

[Bill1170]

Definitely something stainless, because I grew up with smelly carbon steel kitchen knives and that put me off non-stainless steels. You did say “all your knives.”

Magnacut seems like the right answer. I’ve never tried the stuff, but reports on its properties suggest a very well-balanced metal, like VG-10 but better in several respects. What’s not to like?

[vandelay]

REX121... then I can sell them for a massive amount of money and buy more knives.

For a non-joke answer: magnacut is probably most practical. K390 is better for what I normally do, but it would be a bit annoying for certain tasks unless I had DLC'd blades. 15V might work better than K390, but I don't know if I'd trust it to take a beating.

[Brock O Lee]

I’ll chase that genie away.

[Fireman]

I’ll chase that genie away.

[R100]

I like a lot of different steels but if I only had one I'd probably pick Cruwear. It's great in SE as well as PE and the corrosion issues are easily dealt with. Tough, stable, great to sharpen and hangs on to the really sharp edge pretty well.

Dan

[RustyIron]

If that dumb ol' Genie tries to pull any of that magical mumbo jumbo on me, I'll whip out my Manix 2 Heavyweight CPM-15V, Spydie Flick it open, and stick him in his fat Genie neck. If he has any wishes left, he'll be wishing he hadn't tried to mess with my Spydercos.

[dan31]

Ugh, I guess HAP40 on the land and LC200N for the ocean.

The most balanced steels might be CPM Cruwear and CPM S90v.

[bbturbodad]

Clad Hap40 run @ 65

Great for kitchen knives and folders

[shunsui]

I wouldn't want one steel. The whole idea is to try different steels.

However, popular opinion is fun to watch. Magnacut appears to be beating out yesterday's "M390 at 63 RC".

[anycal]

Tool steel is king in my book. But woudn't want to be without a decent stainless.

K390 and S90V. Since I have multiple of my favorite model, this would work out just fine.

[BeggarSo]

Uru but until Spyderco makes it available CPM-Magnacut.

[JoviAl]

Platinum. Then I’d weigh them all in and buy all of my grail knives

[standy99]

Ugh, I guess HAP40 on the land and LC200N for the ocean.

The most balanced steels might be CPM Cruwear and CPM S90v.

Yey a HAP40 fan…do enjoy HAP40

I recently found a stock of very old Japanese HAP40 steel. (From a Japanese supplier)
It’s actually hardened already so it will make some nice knives but can see myself wearing out some belts making a few knives out of it.

[wrdwrght]

Sameness doesn’t float my boat. Variety, spice, and all that…

[ncrockclimb]

I am begging Steel Genie to stop and go away. Half of the fun for me is using and sharpening different steels. Being limited to just one would take a lot of joy away from me.

edit to add:
If I have to choose, rex 45

[Wartstein]

Nice to see quite some votes for REX45 / HAP45 (including mine for PE).

[CDEP]

Cru-Wear.