acustico on Nostr: CTS-204P/CPM-20CV/Bohler M390 (Same steel, different companies, imo the best balance ...
CTS-204P/CPM-20CV/Bohler M390 (Same steel, different companies, imo the best balance of edge retention, toughness, and stainless without compromising anything, it really doesn't get better than this. It's low maintenance and great at absolutely everything)
S35VN (Solid edge holding, toughness, affordable-ish, easily available, easy to sharpen, stainless, can't go wrong)
S90V/S110V (Crazy edge retention, chippier than pretty much everything else here due to high hardness, really hard to sharpen)
ZDP-189 (Crazy edge holding, not horrifying to sharpen, but chippy if used wrong)
M4 (This is what happens when you throw stain resistance out the window, it's an insane steel that has better edge retention than everything except S90/110V, but is tough as hell and doesn't chip easily)
3V (Same story as M4, but it's much tougher and edge retention is a bit worse off, but still pretty great, the best high end beater steel)
Elmax (Good, balanced high end steel, but hard to sharpen and imo overpriced for what you get)
S30V (Older version of S35VN, a bit chippier and a bit harder to sharpen than its newer counterpart, but overall solid)
CPM-154/Buck's 154CM (powedered formulation of 154CM, pretty good all-rounder, but cheaper than other powdered steels if you can find it on a non-custom knife. Bos (Buck's HT guy) is a fucking wizard and every steel he touches just turns... better)
https://www.reddit.com/r/knifeclub/comments/5mgr5j/personal_ranking_of_blade_steels/
S35VN (Solid edge holding, toughness, affordable-ish, easily available, easy to sharpen, stainless, can't go wrong)
S90V/S110V (Crazy edge retention, chippier than pretty much everything else here due to high hardness, really hard to sharpen)
ZDP-189 (Crazy edge holding, not horrifying to sharpen, but chippy if used wrong)
M4 (This is what happens when you throw stain resistance out the window, it's an insane steel that has better edge retention than everything except S90/110V, but is tough as hell and doesn't chip easily)
3V (Same story as M4, but it's much tougher and edge retention is a bit worse off, but still pretty great, the best high end beater steel)
Elmax (Good, balanced high end steel, but hard to sharpen and imo overpriced for what you get)
S30V (Older version of S35VN, a bit chippier and a bit harder to sharpen than its newer counterpart, but overall solid)
CPM-154/Buck's 154CM (powedered formulation of 154CM, pretty good all-rounder, but cheaper than other powdered steels if you can find it on a non-custom knife. Bos (Buck's HT guy) is a fucking wizard and every steel he touches just turns... better)
https://www.reddit.com/r/knifeclub/comments/5mgr5j/personal_ranking_of_blade_steels/