Which Budget Blade Steel Cuts the Longest?

[@artisancutleryknife]

I'm glad to see that our Feldspar made the cut! We're really happy with the heat treat that we've been able to get on our D2, especially in the CJRB line!

[@mcr0741]

Yes, your D2, and steelwill's D2 are rather some of the finer examples of D2.

[@josephdecker0]

Artisan Cutlery i own a few of your cjrb knives, my favorite so far being the centros with carbon fiber scales. What is it that is setting this D2 steel apart? is it coming out with a higher Rockwell hardness or treated for toughness? The blade on the centros worried me at first as i am used to thicker stock but it has proven itself a working knife. In fact the thinner blade stock makes it even more handy than a lot of the old drop point blades I used to carry.

[@Zaque-TV]

@@josephdecker0 civivi's d2 is awesome too

[@josephdecker0]

Zack Schumann There are a couple i would like to own, i just wish civivi made frame locks on knives like the elementum and bullmastiff. big knives with a liner lock seems.....wrong. especially when i can feel the liner lock pushing out during heavier use.

[@garrettferrell6821]

I love y’alls knives,just ordered the burlap micarta tomahawk from SMKW...I feel like I could chop down a tree with my brass Osprey..lol..I have bought any of the CJRB knives yet but definitely plan on doing so...wish I could afford to buy one of those titanium/timascus knives with the Damascus blades but they are out of my price range

[@griffen898]

If you are already familiar with Pete's testing methods, results start at 7:55.

[@poekz228]

Thank you!

[@jawaring4367]

I've been EDCing 14c28n for six months or so and I love it. It instantly became my new favorite value steel

[@mikeappleget482]

It’s my favorite budget steel too. 14c28n is tougher than LC200N and even has the same edge retention. And people perceive LC200N as a “premium steel” and companies like spiderco certainly charge a premium price for it. I recently got a Civivi with 14c and I’m really impressed with it.

[@robertgolden1534]

Just finally got my pocket knife shaving sharp using 80 grit sandpaper, random mistery grit pocket stone, a brick, and leather strop. I was normal before I watched this channel I think.

[@mikafoxx2717]

Wow, 420HC outperforming 440C, now that's the difference an average versus great heat treatment makes, never mind a bad heat treatment which can make any steel into play dough.

[@bulbchangingmonkey]

Pete thanks for the work you put in.

[@1312020m]

14c28n is definitely my favorite budget steel, ive always gotten pretty solid performance from it.

[@DamionJR4923]

I like it also. It is similar to vg10. I personally don’t like D2 steel.

[@moneymark7660]

@@DamionJR4923 why not?

[@DamionJR4923]

Money Mark It rusts pretty easily. I would rather have a straight carbon steel (1095, O1, Mora’s carbon steel, A2 or similar). It can be a pain to sharpen. It doesn’t keep a razor edge very well. It keeps a tooth edge for a while. Overall I would rather have a stainless steel pocket knife and a tougher less chippy steel for a fixed blade. I have a pretty limited use of it but didn’t like it enough to want more of it. There are so many options now. So I generally choose not to get D2.

[@1312020m]

@@DamionJR4923 14c28n shouldnt be rusting very readily, ive noticed surface rust on plenty of steels but thats not one ive ever had an issue with.

[@DamionJR4923]

Matt Tripp no D2 steel. I like 14c28n sharpens real easy. Pretty rust resistant fairly tough.

[@budthecyborg4575]

One of my most favorite knives ever was the Spyderco Military in CPM D2. I had that edge scary thin, cut like a monster. The CPM process tames the beast and makes it a crazy good slicer.

[@Errcyco]

Bohler does it now with K110.. it’s just D2 done better.

[@jonpoetzl126]

I always enjoy the knife lab thanks Pete. Side by side side budget steels great topic, Everything doesn't need to be a Super Steel., a budget beater with a good action is fun to have around as well.

[@johnd48]

Confirmed how I felt about those steels from my experiences. Love me some D2. North Texas. No humidity. Never had D2 rust on me at all

[@rickkerans8485]

I think the 14C28N got a bit of a disadvantage because of the blade of the metamorph. It doesn't have the height of the other blades so not as much taper down. CJRB does a good heat treat on their D2. Cold steel does Aus8 and Aus10 very well. Enjoyed the cut off. I still like 14C28N over D2 mainly for rust resistance plus it cuts close enough to D2 and is easier to get a svreaming edge on.

[@MisterDeets]

One metric that I think should be included in these tests is the length of time it took to sharpen by hand. I find that 440C is the easiest to sharpen while holding a decent edge for an acceptable amount of time. I have had super steel knives that held a good edge twice as long, but took ten times as long to sharpen. They just aren't as worth it on the work scale unless you have mechanised sharpening.

[@Imightberiding]

"All will be brick." Bricky seems to be a real prophet. When the world wide nuclear apocalypse finally comes to fruition, most everything will be brick & glass albeit somewhat melted & heat treated. I was watching & listening to your video while wearing cordless headphones & was busy with something for a moment & glanced away from the screen when an add came on. It was for a tracking device & the robotic voice on the add sounded so much like Bricky that I thought he had interrupted your narration to inform you of his plans to monitor your movements in the future. It took me a while to realise it was an add. On a more video related note: I for one, much appreciate the time & effort you put into this video comparing the more common steels seen as budget options these days. Although I as many others, your self included no doubt, appreciate the newer "super' steels that are favoured on most quality folders for their durability, have never been hung up on them exclusively & instead care more about design/geometry, practicality in use & maintenance & sharpening, heat treat, etc. It was a worthwhile endeavour on your part & time well spent for anyone watching. Cheers.

[@tombrown8800]

Alright , somebody testing budget steels! OK not just "somebody" but the guy with the knife lab & his masonary sidekick ! Steels everyone can afford to choose from.

[@kerrykitterman4602]

Great test ,real results keep it up ..I'm a D2 guy living in the midwest no rust problem. My favorite budget steel

[@LowenKM]

Excellent comparison, thx! Yeah, even the 'cheaper' knife steels like AUS 8 and the 440 stainless steels are actually pretty decent with proper heat treating, and they're essentially the same steel that your grand daddy probably used in his Gillette razor, back when stainless was first invented in the 1920's.

[@chronovore3726]

Nice video. I have a QSP Parrot. Their 440C seems on par with Ganzo's. Watching 420HC with a good heat treatment outperform 440C with an iffy heat treatment is a good teaching moment. I know your arm is tired but I'd love to have Kizer's Acuto 440 and 9Cr18Mov from Civivi or Real Steel on the budget table.

[@otpays8552]

Why not the d2

[@chronovore3726]

@@otpays8552 For what?

14c28n is a favorite of mine...Almost as good as D2 in my EDC usage but I don't worry about rust. I won't use D2 to cut food, for example. I wonder how 154cm/cpm154, N690, and Nitro V compare? I only have one CTS BD1 knife, and I love it (Byrd Crow 2). Don't know if it's the steel, the blade geometry, heat treat, or what that really makes it great, though. Lastly, I really hope s30v, s35vn and LC200N come down in price and become more common in sub $100 knives. It's time, dammit. The "super" expensive steels are 20cv and m390...But the real super steels are even above those, like Maxamet, Vanax, ZDP189, and even more exotic stuff.

[@benmacdhui]

@z z - agreed. BD1 is an underrated steel. Not sure why Spyderco quickly changed to BD1N, likely for better stain resistance, but I prefer without the added Nitrogen - albeit slight. For me, BD1 is easier to sharpen and keeps its edge a bit better than the latter in my experience.

[@WillEDC]

One of my favorite as well. My favorite food knife maker uses it across the board.

[@sheltermonkey6065]

A data point: S30V gets corrosion spots in my pocket, while 14C28N does not.

[@antimatter4733]

I'm a big fan of 14c28n, in terms of its combination of toughness, edge retention and corrosion resistance it's very difficult to beat, not only in the budget steel range but even compared to powdered steels

[@MountainFisher]

It is that tiny nitrogen content as nitrogen steels seem to have good abrasion resistance without being brittle.

[@kaizen5023]

see my comment above re: TwoSun and 520 cuts??

[@Max-ye9xg]

Sorry guys sorry if the cost 420 Buck is dog shit will never get sharp no matter what you do so any other characteristic is pointless

[@TheBenpost]

I came to this channel for Pete and the knives, I stayed for Bricky 👌🏻

[@thiago.assumpcao]

Always good to see some tests. Edge retention is such a complex topic. Heat treatment is quite important and how you plan to use the knife too. D2 is rich in carbides so it probably has the best abrasion resistance from the lot but also has the lowest impact resistance. 8Cr13 MoV is usually has bad heat treatment, way too soft. Spyderco is the only brand I know that optimizes it at 60-61HRC. 14C28N most of the times is not optimized. It can have a target hardness of 62-63HRC but usually we get 60HRC or below. 420HC, 8Cr13 and 14C28N have few carbides so they may not perform well on high abrasion tests like rope cutting but they have high impact resistance and edge stability that may allow sharper angle or thinner blade. Which steel is the best will depend on how you plan to use the knife. For Kitchen use we don't have to deal with high abrasive materials so clean steel with high apex stability like AEB-L on 63-64HRC sounds like a beast. EDC knives that will be used with impact I would also go for clean steel. High abrasion tasks and no impact D2 and powder metallurgy wins for sure.

[@otpays8552]

Would would carving be abrasion

[@thiago.assumpcao]

@@otpays8552 I don't carve wood but I have and idea of how the edge will wear out. Wood has some silica but not too much, also wood is hard material that will induce mechanical fatigue. Certainly both abrasion and fatique will impact durability, the question is how much each will contribute. I read a study on edge durability for kitchen use comparing wooden board or a plastic one, there was no significant difference. Plastic has no abrasive in it so considering the study was well made, the major factor for edge loss is roling or chipping on both cutting boards. Another example, Gabe from the Home Slice did 1000 chops on a wood block with a clean steel machete and it was still shaving hair after it. Not a controled test but certainly an impressive durability for a clean steel on wood. For carving I would prioritize clean steels with high hardness and decent toughness. My bet on great choices would be 13C26 on 63-64HRC, 80CrV2 on 63 HRC or Magnacut on 63HRC. These are just some examples but most steels above 60 HRC that are not brittle should do fine. Wood carving also has some specific sharpening tips. Aggressive toothy edge is not helpfull since you are push cuting. Polished edge will cut better and last longer. Also make sure you dont have foil burr so finish edge leading on an a fine stone and do only a couple passes on loaded pasted strops.

[@mikafoxx2717]

​@@thiago.assumpcaoYep, plus 14C28n, aeb-l, 12c27, nitro-V. As tough as the carbon steels at the same hardness but stainless

[@BonaFideWildLife]

I loved this video! I went with Buck knives 420HC because what makes D2 is harder also makes it more brittle and prone to breaking (like at the tip). D2 also rusted if it wasn't properly maintained. The price was also significantly much more than 420HC! After I bought the Buck knives, I gotta say, I love it even more because I found out it's a Made In USA company that stands behind its products!

[@l1v1dsow26]

Not sure what you mean about the D2 being more expensive. The Buck 110 in 420HC he uses in the video is about $65, where the CJRB Feldspar in D2 he uses is more like $35...

[@BonaFideWildLife]

@@l1v1dsow26 I was looking at Knives of Alaska D2 Steel. It must be the brand...

[@BonaFideWildLife]

Also, I'm very, very happy with Buck! It's a great company I will stand behind 200%!

[@l1v1dsow26]

@@BonaFideWildLife I won't argue with you there. I don't own a buck yet but I'm sure I will soon enough lol

[@monkpato]

Knives of Alaska uses a friction-forged D2 which is pretty amazing.

[@slick_slicers]

I love Bricky! I had a couple of Buck 420HC knives for years, without complaint. Only in the last few years did I even know there was anything better. I’m 54 years old and have been collecting knives for 46 years.

[@mr.crumbles2557]

Bd1 testing would be great!! I've fallen back in love with my plain jane manix 2

[@Shawn_the_Protogen]

I have a D2 STRIDER karambit, nightmare to sharpen so I gave up trying to carry it since its not as sharp as I want. I carry a Spyderco Endura 4 Emerson and CRKT M16 Big Dog

[@davidh9585]

Great to see you revisiting the basics. Thanks!

[@CedricAda]

You bet!

[@Stormcloakvictory]

"budget steels" shows how spoiled we are these days. 100 years ago people would kill for those steels

[@X8X8X6X4X]

People will laugh at the steels we have today a 100 years from now.

[@jimmyboredom3519]

Imagine the bronze age

[@ilikewaffles3689]

@@X8X8X6X4X Ceramic

[@ilikewaffles3689]

@Kaysen Rowen shut up

[@ilikewaffles3689]

@@bradleynathanael1454 2nd fake account

[@liverpain3485]

Vg10, 154cm, ats-34, and n690 are all the same family of steel with name changes to differentiate where they come from. This line of steel was designed to be a direct upgrade to 440c in almost every way.

[@Torquemada71.]

Nice to see the 14c28n do so well, I was honestly kinda surprised actually. My main edc I've been carrying for the last few years is in that steel and I've always thought it doesn't hold a great edge for very long, but then again I do use it pretty hard. On the plus side though, it never chips and it never rusts no matter what I get on it and it's very eazy to sharpen.

[@wbgh008]

This channel is such a gem. Keep up the good work Pete 👍

[@datafoxy]

Do not tell Bricky to shut up. He is wiser than anyone!

[@edm2822]

Weird but objective knife testing! Subscribed! 420HC should be the benchmark. Not the greatest but gets the job done which is the point. Scrape paint, cut carpet, sharpen, take deer hunting, make peanut butter sandwiches camping…the Buck 110 has done it all!

[@cincinnatifunk]

I second this Buck 110 420hc. Paul Bose treatment. cuts everything not the wallet

[@danielduvall4154]

I remember when the German knives were using 440c back in the day. Was the old Carl Schliepner Edge brand knives 440c or 1095? The 70 and 80s German stag handle knives that were marked Solingen

[@robertm8401]

I love D2. Not that hard to sharpen but holds its own. Wonder how CPM D2 fares better.

[@samturner6455]

No benefits to it being in powder form

[@Rikhardi]

@PESTIL3NCE yeah powdered steel is a lot better compared to normal

[@richardhenry1969]

You know the funny thing nothing is hard to sharpen nowadays because diamond stones an plates have made sharpening easy. In the old days 420 was a pain to sharpen my favorite steel is cts-xhp then m390 but budget aus 10 is getting it done. Really aus 8 was fine an 8cr is very easy to get shave sharpen

[@cbwelch4]

Your channel is a lot of fun. I find your geek out content relaxing. I like 12C27 and it keeps a very sharp edge with touch ups. I also really like the Civivvi in 9CR18MOV under appreciated. Close to D2 and more stainless. I like my Bucks.

[@cbwelch4]

One more thing, I’ve heard that Kershaw also has a great heat treat on it’s 420 similar to Buck’s Paul Bos heat treat. Has that been your experience just out of curiosity? Thanks!

[@Alex.P_10]

Have you considered comparing d2 steels directly? For example, chinese d2 vs western/american vs "cryo" treated d2. Maybe toss in the k340, or whatever the equivalent of d2 is in the K series steels?

[@CedricAda]

if you search cedricada d2 theres loads I have done, not a ‘many brands’ thing yet though. its a good idea!

[@Alex.P_10]

@@CedricAda yeah, I saw that you have a some vids on d2, but I was wondering if it's worth doing a comparison since now we have a lot of d2 "suppliers"

[@49giants3]

Wow that crjb performed really well. I forgot the channel, but that particular knife underperformed. I think 14c28n is a razor blade steel. It performs good as well. Thanks Pete

[@hellopartner18]

I had an old spyderco with aus8 and it was one of my favorite all around knives. Not sure if they heat treated it but I liked it better than even some nitro-v boars I have.

[@dm3639]

I for one welcome our new brick overlords. Gotta wonder if that 440c heat treatment was done by the same folks who do the two sun S90v. 14c28n is criminally underrated/underused. Cuts almost as long as D2, very tough for a stainless and it's very corrosion resistant. Not h1/lc200n/vanax level rust proof, but in the next tier.

[@WarGrrl3]

Agreed

[@sigriddewolf6322]

Without even being aware of it, I had been waiting for you to do this video! Thank you.

[@luketcg]

So you have edge retention tests--what about sharpenability counts? I feel like you would develop a retention/sharpenability ratio that knife nerds would flock to!

[@sarko1040]

I love your testing and your sense of humor. I enjoy all your videos regardless of content. Keep up the good work sir. Also thank you for your stance on sprint runs, I agree.

[@ronaldbarnes8302]

Nice test Pete! Curious how N690 fits in to the mix. Seeing a bunch of budget knives with it. Thanks for sharing!

[@I..cast..fireball]

440C was actually originally for ball bearings. That nitrogen in 14C28N really pulling thru here. One of my favorite steels.

[@pruff5072]

If I wanted to make my own comparable test- What paper type and thickness do you use? And what rope brand, type, and thickness do you use? Thanks for publishing your spreadsheet for everyone!

[@CedricAda]

reflex brand copy paper and grunt brand twisted sisal rope, 10mm thick

[@brandonwagner9329]

sandvik 12c27, cold steel aus 8 and cold steel aus 10. I feel cold steel dials in their heat treat. Great steel test video.

[@tonycanniffe2360]

Yes. And Cold Steel’s steels perform superbly in all the cut tests I have seen.

[@WarGrrl3]

I agree Brandon, i would use a Cold Steel in Aus 8 cuz they really know how to get the most out of that steel. Their heat treat is exceptional.

[@drameday]

154CM is one of my favorite blade steels. Sharpens pretty easily, and holds the edge really well for the cost. I’m not sure it falls in the budget steel category though.

[@MountainFisher]

Did you know 154 CM has three names? Originally it was the Japanese ATS 34 and there is the RWL 34 and 154 CM CPM

[@viflag]

Oui c'est un acier excellent mais il reste cher.

[@primeministersinister625]

tops knocks it out of the park with 154cm

[@Ruger44Redhawk]

I'm starting to go back to 154CM and 440C. I've recently put all my "super duper" steel knives in a box and there they sit. I've been grabbing as many 3 dot 1980-81 Buck 110's as I can which was the last year they used the better 440C heat treated by Paul Bos. Another reason I like the 3 dot Buck 110 is no pocket clip (pocket clips destroy my pants so I'm done with them), thicker heavier squared off bolsters and no internal parts! No springs, screws, bushings that could fail. Just a strong lock bar and spring bar and one piece metal bolsters. All boxes checked in my opinion. Plus, just to add for fun, it has killed Grizzlies before.

[@denmar355]

@@MountainFisherCPM is different. It’s the powder version. Pretty different really.

[@bushcraftingmuslim]

Lol as soon as you said "garage" I thought of that scene from the Simpsons. Excellent as always Pete

[@wamps0127]

Pete, thanks so much for all the hard work you do for us! It really means a lot...

[@MrFanntaz]

Well in my country the D2 and 14c28n knives are 2 to 2.5 times more expensive than the other listed steels , so I think they performed just about right . Although i am a bit surprised 440c underperformed like that .

[@AscendedLife1]

Supersteel Steve mentioned in the past thay D2 has a smaller margin of error on its heat treat meaning its easier to not heat treat well even though its widely available. I like D2 but when steels like 14c28n and even s30v seems to even be moving to more budget steels I have trouble trusting D2. Im curious if D2 productions knives tend to have a wide variance in performance

[@chronovore3726]

440C, D2, and 9Cr18Mov can have a pretty wide performance range depending on the heat treatment. I know variance and sensitivity are issues. The QSP Parrot is a good example of low-end 440C. Performance is on par with Ganzo's 440C in my experience. Chinese D2 can be all over the place but Artisan seems to do a good job. Civivi and Real Steel both do a good job with 9Cr18Mov. If you really want to see the other end of the spectrum, try a Schrade in 9Cr18Mov. =o

[@danielsmit3524]

Have you considered creating testing methods to test rust resistance and toughness. It woul be pretty useful and interesting if you could test those aspects of blade steels and combine it with your edge testing. I can't imagine it being fun to do (or even how you would do it without ruining your knives). I just selfishly like to see you do all the hard work and get the info I need from a honest source (i.e your videos). Many other channels just reference your tests, so I think you have really created a niche for yourself. And whats greater than doing something you like, knowing other people enjoy it and benifit from it? So end of long comment: thanks for the hard work! It is of value.

[@Obliticus]

I'd like to see how 9CR and AUS10 compare to their predecessors...

[@monkpato]

+1

[@IlliniDog01]

I think AUS-10 is nearly identical to VG-10

[@ThomasRonnberg]

They're probably so similar that a blindfolded person couldn't tell the difference.

[@christiannasca3520]

Thanks for the excellent comparison test you made with limited resources but with a very practical approach. It puts the different blade materials into perspective. Yet I have one suggestion for you: Maybe you would like to make an additional video of a regular cutter knife with replaceable snap-off blades performing the exact same test. Although without sharpening obviously. Those snap-off blades are usually made of SK5 carbon steel. And since most people have already used them, it would add another point of reference to your comparison, to which most people could relate to from their personal experience. Just a suggestion. But would love to see the result. Cheers

[@Kratos_God_of_50_BMG]

Great video, but I have to ask if the opening music is from one of the earlier Final Fantasy games?

[@mitchellerickson9836]

9cr18mov seems to be a great budget option as well

[@aceman1126]

New to the channel. Drawn in by the knife content but subbed for the AMAZING game music and beautiful doggos. Nice work dude!

[@CedricAda]

thankyou muchly and warm welcomes!

[@ryewaldman2214]

Knaf lab cut tests is why we came to this channel, the humor and presentation is why we stay. I never get tired of the cut tests. I'd be happy to send you a pile of Manix 2's if you ever wanted to revisit a "same platform, different steels"' test like you did with the Mules. I have them in every steel variety they've been made in, less the early 154 variety. Spy27 is on the way when ever it actually gets released...

[@MrRebus777]

Aren't most of your other test done at 20 degrees. At first it was a little confusing when I compared these results to the large listing of your previous test. Could you elaborate on the differences between angles and higher polished edges?

[@richardcameronlewis]

I for one welcome our new brick overlords. All will be brick!

[@airtioteclint]

As a trusted TV personality?

[@bergknivesandsharpening8014]

Just curious how this compares to your earlier videos and progress with sharpening methods being consistent? In one summary video 420hc was dead last at 20 cuts as i expected it to be in the lineup of all steels ever tested or something. But D2 did 80 if i remember. So now both numbers are different, probably the thin edge and better than worksharp sharpening, which is all valuable data as well! Also not knowing the hardness of each is one variable that would be nice to know.it would be cool to see manufacturer vs each other but same steel. Buck 420hc vs gerber vs leatherman vs kershaw or something. Anyways i watched this to see if i wanted the composite kershaw or not but now i kinda just want three leeks, the cf in cpm154, a 14c28n one and the d2

[@evanthompson1420]

That brick part def earned my follow!

[@evanthompson1420]

KZbin has led me back to the first video I watched of yours apparently lol. Still great as always

[@thomaslanders6244]

I think the old Benchmade 710 was the first popular knife with D2. Years ago, it was one of its big selling points

[@londiniumarmoury7037]

D2 or 14C28N is obviously going to win this, my money is on one of those. Edit: that D2 is pretty well done, it beat 14C28N by more than I thought it would. Nice.

[@CedricAda]

what is it about 14c28n, it looks rather plain on paper but this good result truly seems to be a shared, repeated experience from a lot of users.

[@londiniumarmoury7037]

@@CedricAda I love 14C28N it always surprizes me when my E775 Griffin is still sharp after doing a bunch of heavy cutting with it. that tiny bit of nitrogen really seems to give it a kick up the arse.

[@mikes_.5_cent]

Any chance to get a list of the knives tested attached to the video ?

[@guitartec]

I love my Boker Kalishnikov Sub D2 auto. It's a great cheap auto with an awesome opening snap that rivals my Protech Runt Auto. You can also buy parts for the Sub at BladeOps. D2 steel is what they cut other steels with. It's as hard as petrified poop and holds an edge forever. The Sub was like $45. and has become my EDC for almost a year now. BTW, I had a Boker AUS-8 Kalishnikov Mini Tanto that SUCKED so bad, I gave it to my nephew for his first auto. Felt like one of those toy comb switchblades. The Sub is rock solid.

[@jonnyboat2]

I was using my Buck knife just like that one today. Their leather holster type sheaths are nice, but bulky. There’s too much hype given to super steel. I’ll take D2 any day.

[@seandwyer4061]

I fell for the super steel fad for a while. I ended up with a bunch of beautiful, very expensive knives that I was afraid to use. Back to the basics for me. I like having a knife with a steel that is easy to bring back to a razor's edge as well, few minutes on a fine stone and good to go.

[@jonnyboat2]

Sean Dwyer The knife I carry daily, Cold Steel Voyager XL, is Aus8. It’s the old version. It’s easy to keep sharp with a few super light strops over a piece of 3M Trizact 3000. The knife I really like is the Cold Steel 4 Max Scout. It’s made with Aus10. I’m seeing them for $80 to $85 now. That’s a nice knife.

[@jonnyboat2]

Robot Mechanic The drop point 110’s are really nice 👍. Mine’s a clip. I’m going to get a nylon sheath with a Velcro closure for mine so I can carry it in my pocket.

[@mfreeman313]

I've got Japanese kitchen knives where a fair degree of hardness helps with edge retention, especially on relatively thin blades with acute edge angles. But you're still looking for a good balance of hardness, toughness, ease of sharpening, all that. I'm not going to spend a ton on a chippy blade I have to struggle to sharpen. Folks who want to, great, knock yourselves out with your Elmax or whatever. Does nothing for me. Balance, that's the thing.

[@perplexingperceptions8888]

@@seandwyer4061 Same here, I now mostly carry a n OKC RAT1 never any issues.

[@pop4803]

Thanks for all you do, your tests are still a benchmark for me. Have you tried cold steels aus10? Harry

[@CedricAda]

yeah! theres a video on it too: kzbin.info/www/bejne/aHTSgqF_rttgm6c hope it helps! its good stuf

[@8bitorgy]

D2 has been a godsend here in America land. I can scoop these up for $20-50. The jury is still out how these will hold up, but I find these very sharp but difficult to sharpen correctly.

[@krustysurfer]

Strop is key 1-13 micron diamond paste and finish on green compound hard leather 😉almost too sharp diamond is key with D2

[@krustysurfer]

Eafengrow..........

[@abc456f]

Thanks very much for the work you put in to bring us these type of videos.

[@rebelyell2741]

I’ve got 25 knives in 440C that I bought in the 1990’s. Relatively cheap. Two big 6mm thick choppers that I paid $65 each for, now are $350 for their equivalent. Pocket knives that cost me $8-$10 back then are now $100+. Some still in packaging. Now I know it was money well spent.

[@jeremygunkel]

Bricky's attitude reminds me of Skippy from the Expeditionary Force book series.

[@brettclark8020]

Trust the Awesomeness!

[@jeremygunkel]

@@brettclark8020 Grand Exalted Field Marshall El Supremo

[@FactFinderGeneral]

The D2 corrosion issue will depend where you live and how it was treated, plus some of it isn't actually D2. I've had D2 sit on a shelf for a year and EDCd for several weeks, no rust ever with very minimal maintenance. Upstate, NY.

[@zoiders]

I have a Trend folding diamond stone and I dip it in a jug of hot water with a drop of washing up liquid. Seems to work just fine for lapping.

[@ZakWilson]

Perhaps 14C28N gets a performance boost from its very high toughness. That would make sense if some of the dulling in this test is a result of micro-chipping. That toughness also lets it use more acute edge angles with their attendant benefits to cutting performance and edge longevity than a low-toughness steel like D2 can get away with.

[@jimmycricket7946]

No it's advantage is it's higher chromium content it probably forms more chromium carbides in the matrix during the heat treatment. D2 is actually tougher then 14c28n and is theoretically suppose to outperform 14c28n in edge retention and toughness. The only advantage 14c28n has over d2 is corrosion resistance and it's easier to sharpen. Also note that alote of this budget Chinese d2 doesn't compare very well to it's American counterparts. I can see a major difference with performance. For example If you were to take a demko ad20 in d2 and a civivi elementum in d2 I can bet you that demkos d2 is far superior then the civivi version. In other words not all d2 is created equal in quality. This is even before we take heat treatment into the equation.

[@monkpato]

@jimmycricket4976 D2 is nowhere near as tough as 14c. On Knife Steel Nerds' ratings, D2 is a 3.5 while 14c is an 9.

[@-tzadakim-7805]

Only thing about d2 is it’s not corrosion resistant and it’s annoying to sharpen. 14C28N is corrosion resistant, has great edge retention, has good toughness, and is easy to sharpen.

[@Horde334]

Honestly wish more manufacturers would offer models in 14c28n as an alternative then again depending on the blade finish d2 can resist rust ontario's semi polished blade doesn't rust as easy but definitely safe to say that d2 can be a bit of a pain to sharpen when you don't have the proper stones on hand and even then it can be a bit of a bear. Then again the steel i dread to sharpen is cpm s110v performs great but don't let it get dull cause its a total pain in the ass.

[@KINGACE9]

​@@Horde334 14c28n seems to be coming about in many of the new budget knives, lately.

[@Horde334]

@@KINGACE9 Its been cropping up a bit more lately i just wish it was a bit more common place when compared to d2 the properties of 14c28 make it more flexible as a overall user steel and its alot more forgiving on the heat treat cause heat treating d2 can be a bit of a crap shoot.

[@charlespangilinan6351]

Well, I put my money on D2 and 14C28N. Great vids, as always.

[@karolwlad76]

Please include also in future test a Mora knive. I'm really keen how a sandvik still is gonna hold the edge. Nice music - almost like Amiga or other 8-bit computers 😀👍

[@rwstubbz]

Thanks man, would only like to mention that my d2 experience has required a bit of oil and maintenance to remain rust free just like you mentioned. That said, I like to do maintenance on my knives, I find it relaxing and meditative, so I would rather have d2 than any of those other steels. The big question! is chinese d2 the same as american? Please do a comparison for us. I think the results will surprise you.

[@berniem.6965]

The rust issues with D2 have mostly two reasons. First, on paper, D2 is usually put into the 'stainless steel' category as it just barely has the 'ingredients' that usually are required for a steel to be put in that category. But D2 is at the lower end of that category and usually requires pretty much the same care as carbon steel. Second, the rust resistance of D2 is highly dependent on the heat treatment. A very well heat treated D2 like the one from manly knives doesn't only hold an edge for very long, it's also surprisingly prone to rust and only stains a little when exposed to acidic food. When it comes to Chinese D2, I haven't heard anything positive about that steel so far, but a lot of negative experiences. Chinese knives with good quality D2 blades are pretty much always made of imported D2 steel.

[@vf19blue]

I EDC a D2 Zancudo at work (Sparky) it gets used around 5-10 times a day, lives on my tool belt and I have had zero issues with it other than leaving it on an AC outdoor unit for a couple of months 🙄 I'm in Qld, so I really expected rust issues, but they never happened. Fun fact: D2 left in the weather for two months will develop nasty pits as well as surface rust.

[@rwstubbz]

@Alabama Hot Pocket that's been my experience too. I've had some bad experiences with Chinese D2. Thought it had to be a different steel than advertised until I found out that there were slight differences in the quality of the "ingredients" used. I wonder what they would both do against sicile rope though. It would be a good video.

[@shino8854]

@@berniem.6965 Lol a lot of American made D2 knives D2 steel imported from China.

[@Pch100]

Hi I'm not sure if you know this one on the kme system if you want a more accurate angle you can flip the rod gide upside down. Hope you find this helpful

[@Gonzificus]

I dropped my Ganzo FH-11 within the first week and took a chip out of the tip, I was surprised how brittle it was. Sharpening D2 on my Lansky turn box kit (diamond rod version) is just frustrating. 440C is just fine, 154CM was fine, but the FH11 has put me right off D2 steel. I'm keen to try the 14C28N or some VG10 but I think its about as "fancy" as I'm willing to go.

[@mcr0741]

YES! This is what I've been saying too. Using D2 is all fine. Sharpening it is a friggin nightmare. Chips away like solidified dust. But if you really wanna go the distance, invest in a decent s35vn blade. You'll really see the difference.

[@chronovore3726]

Ganzo runs their D2 nice and hard. It holds an edge but it can chip and it can be more challenging to sharpen. It can also rust. I'm much happier with 14C28N, VG-10, or the Acuto 440 used in Kizer's Tangram line.

[@shafff78]

Would have liked to see vg10 and 9cr on this too. Never get any more from them than 14c28n in my own use and 14c28n is much nicer to sharpen

[@jimtolar9517]

Are you subsidized by the rope industry? Are all sisal ropes the same? Is this a reliable reference media from brand to brand depending on what is available at your location?

[@akwan108]

There's more to steel than carbon content which he seems to mention repeatedly but glad he puts it to the test. I'd take a "low end" with an exceptional heat treat over "high end" steel with a bad heat treatment. I'm partial to 14C28 or D2 depending on the application.

[@DapperDanLovesYou]

how is this the perfect youtube channel? Just.... how

[@vibeslide]

"No, SAK, this is not about you!" SAK: :*( I like the shirt.

[@Greg_Chock]

I like that you use a sharpie on the blades - a reminder that these are just tools and not some holy object that must not be sullied.

[@muratmustafa4532]

That 14C28N can be a lot harder compared to 440C (something like 58/59 to 61/62), which explains the difference.

[@elihernandez330]

I love D2. My local walmart's sell the camillus horizon a really nicely well made decent size ball bearing frame lock deep carry clip D2 knife for only $19.97 at least here in Texas. It used to cost $17.97 but inflation jacked it up by $2. But still it's a D2 knife that is shockingly well made for under $20 and it's not small. Can easily full hand it. Bit heavy but it's a frame lock. Blade holds such a good edge but it does take me longer to sharpen it. I love how D2 can be had for under $20. I bet they could make a cheaper $10 with a much thinner and lower height blade and a cheaper liner lock and plastic handle construction with nylon or bronze bushings.

[@Sanguivore]

They now have a $10 crossbar lock knife with a D2 blade at Walmart that, in my experience so far, is absolutely fantastic. Mine is razor-sharp right outta the package, the action is ultra smooth, edge retention has been perfect so far, and overall it's just a fun knife. I highly recommend it if you manage to find one! It has an orange handle and a black blade. Looks kinda similar to one of the Benchmades I can't remember the name of.

[@TheProfessordank]

What do you do with all the genuine hand shredded rope?

[@lewisward4359]

I haven't had a problem with my D-2 Queen Cutlery Oar Carving knives rusting in this humid climate. I've head them for 10-14 years. Most of those years w/o air-conditioning. Some people find D-2 difficult to sharpen. On another subject, ceramic knives were very popular 20 years ago. I don't see them advertised as much lately. All I could think of was they would chip or break apart. Have you ever tested them or do you (wisely) assume what's the point?

[@chrisgriffin5184]

Great work sir. I always learn from you and your labor. Never stop producing good quality testing and good comedy sir!

[@darkiee69]

An interesting follow up would be how easy it is getting it back to the same sharpness it had at the start of the test.

[@tacticalcenter8658]

How thin behind the edge is that cjrb? That thick boy Doizer d2 looks like it would run circles around it at the same bte thickness.

[@shadowdance4666]

When is BRICKY going on his world tour?

[@bushcraftingmuslim]

You mean his stomping on humanity coronation?

[@garethbaus5471]

@@bushcraftingmuslim 6 one way...

[@AnotherWasted1]

Oh man...FF5 into music! My second time watching a video of yours, and FF starting both videos! Instant win.

[@argonzificationd.1531]

Always nice to see some classic knife lab content. But where's the intro?

[@christopherskipp1525]

What angle knife sharpening system are you using in this video? Thank you.

[@jonechemendia4672]

Benchmade fixed infidel is my favorite D2 knife. Hard not to sweat in South Florida tho and man does it rust quickly.

[@meatpopsickle1895]

I wonder why companies aren’t using CPM D2 more? I’ve seen it out there a couple times and sounds like it is a great steel that’s comparable with cpm-154 when it’s bonded through powdered metallurgy method.

[@krustysurfer]

Metallurgist need to add a tad bit more carbon and a heap more of vanadium add nitrogen cobalt and niobium and they would have a super D2