When it comes to pocket knives, the sharpness and quality of the blade can make all the difference. Whether you’re an outdoor enthusiast, an avid EDC (everyday carry) enthusiast, or simply someone who appreciates a well-crafted tool, finding the right pocket knife is essential.
Exploring the World of Knife Steel
As a self-proclaimed knife geek, I’ve spent countless hours researching the nuances of different knife steels. Knife Steel Nerds has been an invaluable resource, providing a wealth of knowledge on the metallurgy and testing of knives and steel. Thanks to the hard work of Bill Smutz, Alex Topfer, Florian Bachler, Brunhard Art, Rod H, Sach, Jinny Koh, Jon Duda, Cory Henderson, and the entire Knife Steel Nerds team, we now have a much better understanding of the critical factors that influence a knife’s performance.
One of the most important concepts to understand is the balance between toughness and edge retention. Toughness refers to a steel’s resistance to fracturing or chipping, while edge retention measures a knife’s ability to maintain its cutting edge during use. These two properties often operate in opposition, making it challenging to find the perfect balance.
As Knife Steel Nerds explains, “there isn’t one property that is most important. Many steel ratings seem to over-emphasize edge retention. Or even if they try to be more open to the importance of toughness, the good reputation of the high edge retention steels means that they get inflated toughness ratings along with it.” This is a crucial insight that we’ll keep in mind as we dive into the specifics of the best pocket knife steels.
Categorizing the Steels
To simplify our analysis, we can group the various knife steels into three main categories: Carbon and Low Alloy Tool Steels, High Alloy Tool Steels and High Speed Steels, and Stainless Steels.
Carbon and Low Alloy Tool Steels
These steels are often used by forging bladesmiths, traditional folders, and some production fixed blades. Carbon steels are those that have primarily carbon added to them, with some manganese or silicon as well. Low Alloy Tool Steels have small alloy additions to increase hardenability, allowing them to harden more easily in oil rather than water.
In general, higher carbon steels have higher edge retention but lower toughness. However, some standout choices in this category include 8670 and 5160 for their very high toughness, as well as 52100 and CruForgeV for their balanced properties.
High Alloy Tool Steels and High Speed Steels
These steels are designed to be air-hardening, allowing for easier heat treating in large batches with even cooling to reduce warping and size changes. High Speed Steels are a subset that have significant additions of molybdenum and/or tungsten, making them resistant to softening during machining operations.
The key difference in properties is the presence of harder carbides, such as vanadium carbides and chromium carbides. Steels with very high vanadium content, like Vanadis 8 and CPM-10V, have extremely high edge retention. On the other end of the spectrum, powder metallurgy steels like CPM-1V and Z-Tuff have exceptionally high toughness.
Stainless Steels
Stainless steels are a subset of high-alloy tool steels that contain enough chromium to provide stainless levels of corrosion resistance. The amount of vanadium in the steel can be a good predictor of its wear resistance and edge retention.
Some standout stainless steels include CPM-S90V for its high edge retention, AEB-L and 14C28N for their high toughness, and the balanced CPM-MagnaCut. Vanax offers extreme corrosion resistance but sacrifices some toughness and hardness compared to MagnaCut.
Comparing the Key Properties
When evaluating these different steel categories, we need to consider the critical factors of toughness, edge retention, and corrosion resistance.
Toughness
Knife Steel Nerds has conducted extensive toughness testing using a subsize, unnotched Charpy test. This provides valuable insights into a steel’s resistance to fracturing and chipping. The data shows that steels with higher amounts of carbides, especially larger carbides, tend to have lower toughness.
Edge Retention
The team at Knife Steel Nerds has also done in-depth CATRA (Cutlery and Allied Trades Research Association) edge retention testing, which measures a knife’s ability to maintain its cutting edge during use. They’ve found that the primary factors influencing edge retention are the hardness of the steel, the volume of carbides, and the hardness of those carbides.
The highest edge retention steel tested was Rex 121, which combines a hardness of 70 Rc with a significant amount of high-hardness vanadium carbides. Other top performers in this category include Vanadis 8 and CPM-10V.
Corrosion Resistance
Corrosion resistance is another crucial factor, especially for those who use their knives in harsh environments or around saltwater. MagnaCut stands out as having excellent corrosion resistance due to its lack of chromium carbides, which can deplete the steel’s overall chromium content.
Vanax and LC200N also offer exceptional corrosion resistance, though they max out at around 60-61 Rc in hardness due to the need for careful heat treating.
Putting It All Together
When considering the best pocket knives, it’s essential to find the right balance between toughness, edge retention, and corrosion resistance. No single steel can excel in all three categories, so it’s about finding the right compromise for your specific needs and preferences.
For a pocket knife that will see frequent use, a balanced steel like CPM-MagnaCut or CPM-CruWear could be an excellent choice. These steels offer a good combination of toughness, edge retention, and corrosion resistance, making them well-suited for everyday carry and outdoor activities.
On the other hand, if you prioritize extreme edge retention over toughness, a steel like Vanadis 8 or CPM-10V might be the way to go. These super-wear-resistant steels shine in applications where you need to maintain a razor-sharp edge for an extended period, even if they’re a bit more brittle.
Ultimately, the “best” pocket knife steel comes down to your personal needs and the specific tasks you’ll be using the knife for. By understanding the nuances of these different steel categories, you can make a more informed decision and find the pocket knife that will serve you well for years to come.
Stay Curious, Keep Learning
The world of knife steels is constantly evolving, with new alloys and advancements being made all the time. As I continue my journey as a self-proclaimed knife enthusiast, I’m excited to see what the future holds. Knife Steel Nerds has been an invaluable resource, and I encourage you to explore their site and content to deepen your own understanding of this fascinating topic.
Remember, when it comes to choosing the perfect pocket knife, don’t just blindly trust the marketing hype. Dig into the research, understand the tradeoffs, and find the steel that best suits your needs. Happy knife hunting!
