Knife
Knife steel guides that explain what each steel is good at, from budget stainless to premium powder steels, with example knives for each.
- 47 guides
- 47 updated for 2026
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Updated 2026
Knife Steel
W2 Steel: Is It Good for Knives? (2026 Guide)
W2 is a water-hardening carbon steel prized by custom makers for the hamon (temper line) it can show. Short answer: W2 is a carbon steel that takes a very keen edge and can display...
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Updated 2026
Knife Steel
O1 Steel: Is It Good for Knives? (2026 Guide)
O1 is an oil-hardening tool steel that has long been popular with custom makers and bushcraft knife brands. Short answer:...
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Updated 2026
Knife Steel
52100 Steel: Is It Good for Knives? (2026 Guide)
52100 is a ball-bearing steel that custom makers love for hunting and kitchen knives. Short answer: 52100 is a fine-grained...
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Updated 2026
Knife Steel
80CrV2 Steel: Is It Good for Knives? (2026 Guide)
80CrV2 is a German carbon steel popular for choppers, bushcraft knives and forged blades. Short answer: 80CrV2 is a very...
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Updated 2026
Knife Steel
SK5 Steel: Is It Good for Knives? (2026 Guide)
SK5 is a Japanese carbon steel. Cold Steel has used it in many fixed blades, including the SRK. Short answer:...
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Updated 2026
Knife Steel
EN45 Steel: Is It Good for Knives? (2026 Guide)
EN45 is a British spring steel used mainly for swords. It is tough and flexible, which is what a sword...
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Updated 2026
Knife Steel
5160 Steel: Is It Good for Knives? (2026 Guide)
5160 is a spring steel used in leaf springs, swords, machetes and big choppers. It is all about toughness. Short...
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Updated 2026
Knife Steel
1095 Cro-Van Steel: Is It Good for Knives? (2026 Guide)
1095 Cro-Van is best known as the steel in the Ka-Bar USMC fighting knife. It is a 1095 carbon steel...
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Updated 2026
Knife Steel
15N20 Steel: Is It Good for Knives? (2026 Guide)
15N20 is a nickel-alloyed carbon steel best known as the bright layer in Damascus. It was originally made for bandsaw...
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Updated 2026
Knife Steel
1095 Steel: Is It Good for Knives? (2026 Guide)
1095 is one of the most common carbon steels in outdoor knives. ESEE's popular fixed blades are made from it....
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Updated 2026
Knife Steel
Maxamet Steel: Is It Good for Knives? (2026 Guide)
Maxamet is a Carpenter powder high-speed steel that runs harder than almost anything else in production knives. Short answer: Maxamet...
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Updated 2026
Knife Steel
1084 Steel: Is It Good for Knives? (2026 Guide)
1084 is a simple carbon steel that is a favorite of new bladesmiths because it is easy to forge and...
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Updated 2026
Knife Steel
Böhler K390 Steel: Is It Good for Knives? (2026 Guide)
Böhler K390 is a powder tool steel that combines very high wear resistance with surprising toughness. Spyderco has used it...
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Updated 2026
Knife Steel
HAP40 Steel: Is It Good for Knives? (2026 Guide)
HAP40 is a Japanese powder high-speed steel that runs very hard. It has appeared in Spyderco sprint runs and some...
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Updated 2026
Knife Steel
CPM M4 Steel: Is It Good for Knives? (2026 Guide)
CPM M4 is a high-speed tool steel that has become a favorite for hard-use performance knives. Spyderco's Gayle Bradley models...
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Updated 2026
Knife Steel
CPM 3V Steel: Is It Good for Knives? (2026 Guide)
CPM 3V is one of the toughest knife steels you can buy. It is a favorite for hard-use fixed blades...
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Updated 2026
Knife Steel
CruWear Steel: Is It Good for Knives? (2026 Guide)
CruWear is a tool steel loved by hard-use knife fans. It offers a rare combination of toughness and edge retention....
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Updated 2026
Knife Steel
D2 Steel: Is It Good for Knives? (2026 Guide)
D2 is a tool steel that became hugely popular in budget and mid-range knives. It offers strong edge retention for...
