What is your all time favorite steel?

[Mrj]

So I know this question is going to be very controversial but I want to ask it anyway. What is your favorite steel of all time?
For me 15v with BBB’s heat treat is quickly becoming my new favorite. But before there was 15v with this amazing heat treat there was Rex 45 for me. I am madly in love with this steel. I primarily carry a Para 3 Rex 45 version obviously modded out. But it has become a steel that I have even sharpened on a concrete paver and it cut. I’ve cut everything with it. From rope to draw ties. From insulation to plastic. I’ve beat the you know what out of this thing. Then used belts to sharpen it back. Used stones. Used strops. And it keeps cutting. Such a great steel that once was king and now is never talked about.
Please entertain us with your all time favorites. Let me know what steel you can’t go without.
Thanks.

[toml4185]

I would say SPY27. It's easy to take care of and touch up and it is a well balanced steel in most regards.

Magnacut is also a favorite of mine.

[Scandi Grind]

I haven't used a ton of different steels, and I am also old fashioned, so I am sure many will laugh, but right now, my favorite steel is 80crv2. I haven't tried carbon steel in a folder, so I am not sure if I would like that, so for a folder right now it would be VG-10. Not sure if I would like someone elses VG-10 but I do really like Spydercos. I really want to try some ABE-L for stainless but haven't been "abe-l" to yet.

[Drubieg]

I have consistently appreciated the class of steels that 14c28n, lc200n, aebL are in. Good edge stability, stainlessness and sharpen ability are what I prefer most in my knife steels. I like them to be easy to maintain and sharpen, and won't chip when I hit hard things.

[Nestor]

I’m an old school person. Hard to catch up with all the new steels being released almost every year nowadays. I tend to take a good care of my stuff and so, the corrosion resistance isn’t my top priority, despite living in some of the harshest climates on earth (100+ summers and -40 winters). I would say that Cruwear is pretty close to the top of my list now. I would like to try something new next. Perhaps Magnacut? Just in case of me getting a bit lazy with the maintenance lol

[Synov]

3V is my favorite overall since the extreme toughness makes it capable for anything, whether a sword or a razor. It has almost as much edge retention as MagnaCut but it's 3 times as tough, and it can be made almost stainless with the right heat treat. S90V is my favorite high edge retention steel, better for folders. 15V is excellent too if you don't need a stainless steel. They both have good enough toughness that you don't need to worry about them.

[Pacu0420]

Thats tough. I can't really narrow it down to just one. MagnaCut, Cruwear, and Spy27 are probably my current top 3. With S90V and M390/204P as close runners up. Oh yeah, 15V as honorable mention.

I guess I don't have one specific favorite, lol. I do some not so scientific testing, and Cruwear has really been shining in the edge retention dept. It really holds up to moderate wood carving. Even some light chopping. All the others took some minor damage. Nothing a good touch up sharpening didn't fix. But Cruwear was pretty much unfazed. I see why others say it's their favorite.

[mikey177]

I like different steels for varying reasons and applications. Among the ones I am partial to are CTS-XHP, Spy27, LC200N, MagnaCut, H1/H2, CPM Cruwear/PD#1, RWL34, and S90V. Most of these are mid-edge retention steels that I find easy to touch up after use.

My least favorite steels are those that are esily prone to corrosion such as O1 and M4. I also tend to avoid high hardness tool steels such as Rex45, Maxamet, and 15V, even though I have a sample of each in my collection.

[vivi]

H1.

Magnacut may eventually dethrone it but I haven't gotten to put a magnacut fixed blade through rough use to see how tough it is.

H1 is one of the tougher steels I've tried, sharpens incredibly easily, and is rust proof. Hard to beat that combo in my book.

[Sterling454]

Depends on the use context!

For general EDC, I've been carrying Cruwear. I work in property management so having a tough folder is important. There's nothing better to test for rotten wood than as stabbing it with a knife and I don't want to lose a tip. Cutting caulk lines, prying electrical outlet covers off the wall that are stuck to the paint, etc.

If I'm going to be on or around the water, it's MagnaCut. I live in the PNW so there are plenty of opportunities for this.

If I'm going hiking or backpacking, my fixed blade will be 3V (probably my Cold Steel SRK) for chopping & bushcraft tasks and my folder will be a slicey blade in K390 (Stretch 2 XL) for food prep and whittling around the campfire. I'm not afraid of a well-earned patina from time in the woods so these work great for me.

When it's time to shave or trim up my beard's neckline, I haven't found a steel that will take a more wicked edge than 14C28N. Easy to strop back between shaves too!

Previously, S90V served as my favorite steel to murder cardboard with, however, BBB CPM 15V has taken over that role.

If I had to choose just one steel to do it all, it would be MagnaCut, being so well rounded. But I don't have to choose! For me, I enjoy collecting different steels more than the knives themselves

I haven't had a chance to try out SPY27 yet, and of course we have MagnaMax on the horizon so who knows how the list will get shaken up! Can't wait to get my hands on a couple of MagnaMax Mules

[elena86]

Cruwear, SPY27, S90V, H1 and AEB-L(14C28N). To each his own. If I had to pick just one I would probably go with the AEB-L or any other steel in this class( 14C28N …). I like how they sharpen and maintain and edge stability is something I value alot. Second close would be H1 for spyderedges but not only.

[WilliamMunny]

In no real order, but these stand out for me.

SPY-27 - Excellent do anything steel.
Maxamet - Always stays razor sharp.
15V - Great balanced tool steel.
MagnaCut - Great edge retention for a salt knife.

[Paul Ardbeg]

For a long time now it is S90V. Great edge retention, enough toughness for my use, easy to sharpen and corosion resistant enough for this part or Europe.

[Wandering_About]

For pure cutting performance, 15V. It also gives an amazing sharpening experience. The fancy heat treatment has shown to be the real deal in my experience.

For every day use, MagnaCut. Impressively stain resistant, holds a good edge, and sharpens up great. It's kind of boring in thst it just does everything great in day to day use. It is the steel I use most often.

[PanChango]

Aogami Super Blue is definitely one of my favorites. I carried a caly 3.5 in SB for at least 5 years until I passed it to a friend. I still carry both a SB Stretch and Delica regularly. Other than that, Hap40, Rex45, and 52100 all get regular use. None are the most corrosion resistant, but they sharpen easily and are a treat to use.

[kobold]

I enjoy a variety of steels, XHP, LC200N, CruWear, Rex45, Spy27, K390, M4, S90V, Maxamet. If I must have one steel for all my folders, it would be Maxamet.
One steel for all my fixed blades: 3V.
I think I have more fixed blade knives in 3V than anything else. I use a few daily in the kitchen, they cut for a long time and can be stropped back to shaving sharpness with white compound, of which i have enough for a lifetime. But (ofc), the heat treat and the geometry are what matters the most, so I won't be getting something only because of its steel.

[Stirmos]

In Spyderco’s this is REX 76 for me, because of incredible edge taking/holding. Or 15V for even more edge retention and better availability.
CruWear closely behind, for incredible edge stability and flexibility.

And besides, I love MagnaCut with ~64 HRC.

[8th_Note]

For my EDC, I prefer S35VN. I know its old, boring, and "obsolete". But the overall combination of being very tough, decent edge retention, and decent stainlessness makes it a great EDC. It does nothing great, but does everything well. And its easy to sharpen back to a screaming edge. I wish Spyderco would offer more models in S35VN these days. But I know the latest and greatest is what sells.

[PaloArt]

Just today as I was sharpening and maintaining my knives I was thinking of making a new thread with same question great minds think alike

Out of all steels I had luck putting my hands on I narrowed it down to three in this specific order:

Spy27 - most probably THE One
K390
CTS XHP

Love all three almost equally but had to give it some order, Spy27 being the biggest joy to sharpen and maintain with gorgeous VG10 ish sheen to the satin finish, K390 stole my heart with edge retention and patina (I am sucker for patina) and last but not least XHP - overall beautiful steel which just loves to cut, being sharpened and doesn’t rust in my use.

Don’t get me wrong, I like and enjoy VG10 and S30V a lot as well but these three are my favorites. Great topic btw.

[benben]

Cru-wear for me, love everything about it, I wouldn’t complain one bit if every knife I owned was in Cru-wear!

Also love…

K390
S45VN
AEB-L
204P

Have yet to try 3V but I want to sometime soon.