Knife steel

[A-con]

I've been looking at a "Knives of Alaska" Alpha Wolf.

I have the choice of;

"D-2" tool steel @ $70

or for $20 more

"S-30-V" (Ameican made stainless) @ $90

Both are said to be 59-61 Rockwell.

Does anyone have any experince with D-2, does it rust bad ? Is the S-30-V worth the extra money ?

 

[noharleyyet]

Both good blade materials. Have never had a problem with a D2 rusting or edge.
The S30V supposedly has superior edge retention...but 20%+...dunno.

 

[Dangerous Dave]

I'm a sucker for Schrade Old Timer knives. I think they are made out of high carbon steel and therefore tend to rust pretty easy. I don't know how they rate on the Rockwell Hardness scale -pretty low I guess- but man, can I get a sharp edge with that type of steel! All it takes is 4 swipes with the sharpener or a steel and I'm ready to skin anything. Super sharp.
I own a couple of Buck stainless knives that took forever to stop being dull. 20 minute sharpener sessions weren't uncommon, but once I finally got a decent edge, they seem to stay sharp longer. I've been told that's not uncommon with harder steel materials... something to consider when thinking about blade materials.
What I'm trying to point out is that some companies don't have a clue as how to apply the proper edge on a blade. The Schrades were perfect right out of the box and both Bucks were a joke. As long as the Knives of Alaska Company knows how to apply an edge that's actually sharp, go for it. If it shows up dull straight out of the box, you'll have some work to do to get them where they belong.

 

[1_pointer]

I got a Buck 110 this past year with S30V. It skinned and boned 2 pronghorn, 1 deer, 2 elk, and a mtn goat all without touching the edge. I have been most impressed with this knife and the way it holds an edge.

 

[gundog]

I've got a Hatch-It and a custom knife made of D2 tool steel. They both hold an edge extremely well but they're tough to sharpen.

 

[AZ402]

Not sure what steel it is but I have a Alaskan Knives Muskrat and it holds a great edge.

 

[A-con]

Does anyone know how S-30-V compares to ATS-34 ?

 

[1_pointer]

Yes, much better!

 

[gundog]

S30V was developed to hold an edge better than steels such as ATS 34. S30V has a high vanadium carbide content unlike ATS 34. That being said, there has been numerous reported problems/defects over the last several years with S30V in terms of edge holding ability (blunting as a result of chipping at a microscopic level), fracturing under a light work load, etc....

 

[T Bone]

topics like this fascinate. I've never once considered learning more about tool steel.

I have 2 old timer/shcrades that I like. I've had both since age 12.

1 Gerber that I like, mostly because I my eyes picked it out on the side I90 while I was cruising at 80 mph between Billings and Bozeman. Gotta love the freebies.

1 Buck that is Ok. It's tough to get an edge, but it holds once it's there.

 

[Dangerous Dave]

Yeah TB, topics like tool steels may put others to sleep, but it allows me to learn more about other stuff.
One of the most dangerous things in the world is a DULL knife. Sharp knives work -and dull ones make people make mistakes. What makes a blade sharp and keeps it sharp has a lot to do with what it's made out of. DD