When looking for a long lasting knife, you will want to make sure you are picking one with reliable blade steel. Because there are hundreds of different blade steel compositions out there, we are here to help decide which is the best one for your needs.
Steel is an alloy containing iron and carbon as well as a few other materials depending on the type of steel. These other materials can include molybdenum, manganese, chromium, and nickel which all add unique characteristics to the alloy.
There are a few things to consider when choosing the correct steel type. What will you be using the knife for? For example, if you are doing a lot of chopping then you will want a tougher steel than if you were slicing vegetables.
What type of elements will your knife be exposed to? If you are going to be using your knife in wet/damp conditions, then you will want a corrosion resistant steel. However, the more corrosion resistant your steel is, the less your knife will hold an edge typically.
How often will you be using your knife? The more often that you use your knife, the less you will want to be sharpening it. If you only have to use your knife a few times per year, then it is not a big deal to put a sharpener to it before each use. This factor is called edge retention.
Generally speaking, the better your knife holds an edge, the more difficult it will be to sharpen the knife. This will be a factor in, not only choosing the best steel, but also for choosing which sharpener will be best for your particular steel. A knife that is easy to sharpen will likely have low edge retention.
Considering the above factors (toughness, corrosion resistance, edge retention, and ease of sharpening), what is most important for your needs? Below, we will provide our opinion on the best steel for each of the four factors.
Steel Toughness
Some of the best blade steels to consider for hardness and durability would be high carbon steels such as CPM-3V, A2 Tool, O1 Tool, and 1095.
Corrosion Resistance
Many companies will put some sort of coating on low corrosion resistance blades but if you are looking for the best stainless steel then some popular steel types would be H1, LC200N, 14C28N, and 420.
Edge Retention
Steels with the best edge retention are often going to be some of the premium or high end steels. These steel types include S110V, CPM-S90V, M390, and CPM-20CV.
Ease of Sharpening
Softer steels are going to be easier to sharpen than some of your tool steels and high carbon stainless steels. Steels that are easier to sharpen include H1, AUS-8, CTS-BD1, and Sandvik series.
Best All-Around Steels
Maybe you are going to use your knife for multiple types of jobs. There are certain steels that are versatile and can handle any normal task it is put to. These steels would include S30V, Elmax, CPM-154, CTS-XHP, S35VN, N690, and VG-10.
