Many different types of steel are used in pocket knives, and the choice of steel can affect the knife’s performance in terms of edge retention, corrosion resistance, and toughness. Pocket knife steel quality correlates to cost, so expect to pay a premium for the strongest and sharpest knives.
Here’s our guide to the best steel for pocket knives that should help you make an informed decision.
S30V
S30V is one of the most popular steel types used in pocket knives and everyday carry blades. The alloy includes 14% chromium, 4% vanadium, and 1.5% molybdenum, which gives it its high level of wear resistance, edge retention and toughness. It is also a powder-metallurgy steel that has a high amount of vanadium carbides, which contribute to its excellent properties.
S30V is considered a versatile steel and is used in all types of cutting tools. It’s easy to sharpen and maintain, compared to some other high-performance steels, and it can be hardened to a high level of Rockwell hardness. S30V steel is considered to be one of the first high-performance steel that was made available to the general public.
S35VN
This is a newer steel that is a modification of S30V. It has improved toughness and is easier to sharpen than S30V. It is a powder-metallurgy steel that contains a high amount of fine carbides, which contribute to its edge retention and wear resistance.
S35VN steel is considered a versatile steel that can be used in various knives, from hunting and outdoor knives to kitchen knives. It is relatively easy to sharpen and maintain, compared to some other high-performance steels, and it can be hardened to a high level of Rockwell hardness. The steel is also considered to be moderately priced among the high-performance steels.
CPM S90V
CPM S90V is a high-performance stainless steel alloy that is comprised of 14% chromium, 4% vanadium, 8% cobalt, 5% molybdenum, and 1% tungsten. This combination gives it its high hardness and wear resistance.
CPM S90V is considered to be one of the best knife steels on the market and is often used in high-end knives, particularly those that require heavy use or demanding cutting tasks. It is relatively difficult to sharpen and requires specialized equipment and techniques. Due to its exceptional properties and difficulty to work with, it’s also considered to be one of the most expensive knife steels.
It’s worth mentioning that CPM S90V is a very hard steel and it’s not recommended for knives that require frequent sharpening, and it’s not the best option for people who are not familiar with sharpening high-performance steels.
CPM S35VN
CPM S35VN is a high-performance stainless steel alloy that includes 14% chromium, 4% vanadium, 2% molybdenum, and 0.5% niobium which gives it its high wear resistance and toughness.
CPM S35VN is an upgraded version of the popular S35V steel, which has been modified to have improved toughness, making it less prone to chipping and breaking. It also is easier to sharpen than some other high-performance steels. It is considered to be one of the best steel for knives, especially for those that require heavy use or demanding cutting tasks, such as hunting and outdoor knives, as well as high-end kitchen knives.
CPM S35VN is relatively easy to sharpen, but it requires specialized equipment and techniques. It’s also considered to be a moderately priced steel among high-performance steels.
M390
M390 is a high-performance stainless steel alloy commonly used in knives and other cutting tools. It is known for its excellent edge retention, corrosion resistance and toughness. The composition of the alloy includes 20% chromium, 10% molybdenum, 1.9% vanadium, 1% tungsten, 0.7% silicon, and 0.3% carbon, which gives it its high hardness and wear resistance.
M390 is considered to be one of the best knife steels on the market, with high corrosion resistance and excellent edge retention. It’s often used in high-end knives, especially for those requiring heavy use or demanding cutting tasks. Due to its exceptional properties, it’s also considered to be one of the most expensive knife steels. It is relatively easy to sharpen and maintain, but it’s a hard steel to work with, and it requires specialized equipment and techniques. It also has good toughness, so it’s less likely to chip or break under heavy use.
S110V
This super steel is similar to S90V but with even more wear resistance and edge retention. The composition of the alloy includes 14% chromium, 4% vanadium, 1.5% molybdenum, 1% niobium and 0.5% cobalt, which gives it its high hardness, wear resistance and corrosion resistance.
S110V is generally considered to be one of the best knife steels on the market, but it is also relatively difficult to sharpen and may require specialized equipment and techniques. It is also relatively expensive compared to other types of steel. Due to its exceptional properties, it’s often used in high-end knives and outdoor knives, as well as knives that require heavy use or demanding cutting tasks.
8Cr13MoV
This is a Chinese-made steel that is comparable to AUS-8 steel. It is a budget-friendly steel that offers a good balance of edge retention, corrosion resistance, and ease of sharpening.
The composition of the alloy includes 8% chromium, 0.13% carbon, and molybdenum and vanadium added for improved hardness and toughness. The alloy is comparable to AUS-8 and 440B in terms of its properties and performance.
AUS-4
This is also a budget-friendly steel that is made in Japan. It is similar to 8Cr13MoV in terms of its properties, but is generally considered to be of slightly higher quality.
It has a lower carbon and chromium content than other stainless steels, which means that it has less edge retention, toughness and corrosion resistance compared to higher-grade steels. However, it is still a stainless steel and offers some corrosion resistance. It is often used in budget knives, and other cutting tools that don’t require high-performance, such as kitchen knives, pocket knives and everyday carry knives.
AUS-8 Steel
This is a Japanese made steel that is considered medium quality. It offers a good balance of edge retention, corrosion resistance, and ease of sharpening. It is a medium-to-high carbon alloy steel that contains a high amount of chromium, which gives it good corrosion resistance.
AUS-8 steel is known for its good balance of edge retention, toughness and corrosion resistance, making it a popular choice for knife manufacturers and knife enthusiasts. It is considered a lower-end steel compared to other high-end stainless steels like S30V or VG-10, but it still offers a good balance of properties. It is often used in budget-friendly knives and other cutting tools such as hunting knives, folding knives and tactical knives.
D2 Steel
This is a high carbon, chrome tool steel made in the USA. It is considered a premium steel and is known for its excellent edge retention and toughness, but it can be difficult to sharpen.
It is often used in applications that require high wear resistance such as in knives, dies, punches and form tools. D2 steel is also used in other cutting tools, such as woodworking tools and machine knives. I
t is considered a semi-stainless steel, as it contains a high level of chromium (about 12%) but not enough to make it fully stainless. It is also known as a “high-speed steel” due to its ability to maintain its hardness at high temperatures, which makes it ideal for cutting and grinding operations that generate heat.
VG-10 Steel
This is a high-quality Japanese steel similar to AUS-8 in terms of its properties. It is known for its excellent edge retention and corrosion resistance and is often used in high-end kitchen knives.
It is a type of steel that contains a high amount of carbon, as well as other alloying elements such as cobalt, molybdenum, and vanadium. VG-10 steel was developed by Takefu Special Steel Co. Ltd. in Japan and is a popular choice among knife manufacturers and knife enthusiasts.
S35VN Steel
S35VN steel is a type of stainless steel that is often used in knife blades. It is known for its high edge retention, toughness, and resistance to wear and chipping. It is a relatively new steel, developed in the late 2000s by Crucible Industries in collaboration with knifemaker Chris Reeve. It is considered to be an improvement over the popular S30V steel. S35VN steel is a high-end steel that is often used in high-end knives and other cutting tools.
Damascus steel
This type of steel is made by layering two or more different types of steel together, then forging them and folding them to create a unique pattern. Damascus steel is known for its beauty and strength, but it’s also more expensive than other types of steel.
It’s important to note that the steel used in a knife is just one aspect of its quality and performance, other factors such as heat treatment, blade geometry, and handle materials all play a role in the overall performance of a knife. Prices can vary greatly depending on the brand and model of knife, and the steel used in it.
Check out some of our favorite knife brands which use these premium steels.
