I’ve made blades of ATS34, d2, O1, W2, 52100, and 5160. They all took great edges.The knives that do the most work, the ones I depend on for countless tasks, are all made of 5160. This includes large chopping tools and machetes. 5160 is comparatively cheap, easy to forge ,grind, harden and temper. It takes an excellent and durable edge that is easy to touch up while working. I carry a hone in a leather sheath that is treated with polishing compound (White Dupont no.2). The steel comes back to shaving sharp easily. I have a large chopper , made from a Ford truck leaf spring, that must have chopped several cords of hardwood into kindling by now. It’s work load has been brutal. I made it about ten years ago and have never had to do more than buff the edge to keep it extremely sharp. In fact, I have to stop writing and put it to work now. It’s cold in here! Big thumbs up 😁👍 for 5160. I don’t go to the woods without it.
Some people don't realize that any carbon steel will outperform a stainless steel in nearly every way except rust obviously, but I chose 5160 as well. I made a 5160 sword.
Would have to agree with you 5160 is a great steel and is one of top 3 for me. If I was totally honest I'd say its my 2nd or 3rd choice depending on the situation. I still prefer L6 over 5160 since in my experience L6 seems to be more ductile and will bend quiet bit even after flexing a great deal before totally failing. Where 5160 will flex a great deal but typically will not bend much after that, once you push it to its flexing limits it will in most cases snap. Heard 80crv is also a great steel but personally I don't have any experience with it. My favorite steel so far is A8 which unfortunately very few people and knifemakers are familiar with. Its a great steel which has .5 carbon 5% chromium. So its in a spring steel territory. Its similar in toughness to L6 and flexes great deal and will even take a set if pushed further but holds an edge almost as good as A2 since its from the same Air hardening tool steel family. Just to give you an idea how tough it is its charpy C knotch impact value at 59rc is 160 joules. For comparison CPM 3V at 59rc has a charpy impact value of 104 Joules D2 at 60rc has value of just 20 joules 440c at 58 has 19 joules A2 and O1 have 50 joules respectably at 60rc. And finally S7 at 58rc has 165 Joules of energy. So we can see it has the toughness of pretty much of a shock résistant steel, but holds an edge and cuts like A2 or 52100. But the down side is its not cheap and its almost impossible to find. More knifemakers use this steel in Europe and Asia than in US. A8 modified is very similar easier to find but not exactly the same steel it has 8% chromium so holds an edge a bit better but just a tad less tougher, but will still be tougher than 3v. Ok im getting carried away, just my 2cents on my favorite steels.
i always used 1095....went to 5160 never looked back. been using knives for 40 years . i want a steel thats easy to sharpen in the field but usually just gets touched up.... i have an ontario Ranger i stripped the powder coat and honed..... my Baby lol.....
I like 5160..very cheap and easy to forge..and very tough..hold reasonable long edge and get razor sharp. I hear that 80crv2 is also very good, but is often out of stock and more expensive.
Besides being so expensive, CPM 3V is very hard to sharpen in the field if you let it get dull. IMO, 1095 and 5160 hold an edge plenty long enough and I can get them sharp again quickly which is important to me. Try to put an edge on 3V with a rock you picked up from the ground.
CPM 3V it's not difficult at all to sharpen in the field. I did it with an old sharpening stone. I even modified the grind of one knife making it convex. It's a good steel tougher and with better edge retention than 5160.
@@MovieGuy666 given the same hardness, the 3v is tougher, has a better edge retention and corrosion resistance than 5160, and that it's a fact. I will choose a well cooked 5160 over any other steel because it's cheaper and works fine, but you can't deny facts.
@@david-onearmedknifemaker-8955 CPM3V has slightly better edge retention than 5160, it does offer far better corrosion resistance though. Preventing rust isn't a issue if you take care of your blades. Anyone that claims it's just as easy to sharpen CPM3V than basic carbon steels is full of shit.
S30v, 3v, s35vn are now dependable good steel, but not even entry-level super steel. Heck m390 is now considered entry-level. Likes of Magnacut and maxamet has taken the main stage; however, none of it really matters since everything has to make sacrifice to excel at one or two area. After all, skilled guys with inferior knives will perform far superior than me equipped with most expensive super steel knife.
Ease of sharpening is the most under rated feature of blade steels. This is the feature you are most likely losing out on with expensive super steels. What is the point if you have a dull knife? I am not great at sharpening and do not have the time or patience to get the super sharp level easily attained with steels like O1, 80CRV2, 1095 etc.
schlooonginator oh yeah. You have to really grind the knife against the stones to get it to be sharp. Every few days I have to sharpen the knives it use because the edges fold over, roll, etc, and having a bit of time to just sharpen is a good thing.
I agree that 5160 is a great steel and is underutilized in the marketplace. It will bend, twist, and pop back to perfectly straight when some other steels would have broken. I think it is perfect for choppers due to toughness. I was surprised to hear how much you liked D2. I have no experience with D2, mainly because of the bad reviews it has gotten. I enjoy sharpening/honing knives but don't want to do it all day on one knife. 5160 will hold an edge plenty long enough. Thanks for the video.
I agree! I wish more makers would play with this steel! I think D2 gets a bad reputation for that and it's corrosion resistance. In comparison to super steels like S35VN it really is not what it used to be.
D2 is pretty good for smaller blades as the large carbides amount is good for edge retention. 5160 is easy to sharpen, gets wicked sharp, and tough as hell.
I find toughness more important then wear resistance. A lot of folding knives people talk about are very chippy if used to cut anything other then paper and cardboard. So real choices for me in fixed blades 5160,1095 if store bought 3v then for folding knives cts-xhp, 14c28n, Aus10, s35vn I'm sure other steels might be better for some these are the ones that work best for me. They are my absolute favorites. If I'm anywhere I will have at least 2 of those steels on me any time I'm out of bed and next to me when I'm sleeping. Lol
Thank you for sharing your knowledge, i have thought for years that d2 doesnt get enough praise, thanks for your honesty and information! I am definitely a fan now
I'll save 20 to 30 dollars a week and get cpm 3v. I get my eyes set on a knife i want and its not too long before ive got the knife in my hands. I took my barkriver bushcrafter and carved wood for 2 hours straight and it still sliced through paper like it had never been used. I've seen alot of people review knives and show this with 3v but theres nothing like seeing it for yourself.😆
great video! recently I went to a local store and got to handle the mora Garberg and the Tops BOB and the mora Garberg and they both feel great! does the BOB seem really heavy when carrying it? is the Garberg a lot lighter than the BOb? thanks and great vid
I made more cold chisels than knives and 5160 is a great choice. Cheaper than S7, 6150, L6, etc. Able to sever even 4130 chromoly bolts. Easy to quench in motor oil too.
Dont use it for food. Rancid. Iv had food poisning before. Not from a dirty knife but from me eating peanut butter with a spoon. Double dipping ... over and over again after 2 weeks . so sick, It was just me eating it no one was with me but never again lol
I like 5160 its tough BUT I've come to learn more about sharpening and maintaining my knives esp grinds and its changed my view. I drift more towards stainless, I really like Mora's 14C but I also really love good American 420HCStainless like Gerber's USA made blades. Its very easy to sharpen holds a decent edge and honestly living in Oregon it really doesn't rust bad ....actually not at all in my experience. I've had 1095 knives and also Mora's carbon steel rust just by being threatened with water "joke" 😂 but dang the Mora's carbon steel is very prone to rust. Ontario's 5160 is great steel and in my experience if ya leave the coating on and let it naturally smooth out, it does a good job of keeping it rust free. I know folks hate coating but honestly if you use the knife the coating becomes very slick, they just need good batoning and chopping work done to them .....Use them puppies, that's the problem with coating, people don't use their knives long enough to see the change.
Thanks, helps me make a more informed purchase. Got a Benchmade outbounder 180 in D2 years ago, loved D2 ever since for the edge retention. Recently got an Ontario Rat 1in D2. Still impressed. I've never really found D2 hard to sharpen but those are pretty much full flat grinds so it's pretty easy. Looking for something more bush craft designed, still in the flat grind that I like so much. Think I'll give the 5160 a shot due to the better impact resistance probably needed for a full flat grind. Not going to super heavy beating, have a thick machete for that.
great video! recently I went to a local store and got to handle the mora Garberg and the Tops BOB and they both feel great! does the BOB seem really heavy when carrying it? is the Garberg a lot lighter than the BOb? I totally forgot to compare the two when I had them in hand. thanks and great vid
I own many knives in different steels , I like O1 , A2 , L6 high carbon, for ease of sharpening . Most of my knives are LT Wright , The steels I hate and will never buy again are- AUS-8 , D2 , Sandvick, S30V , Niolox , I just can not sharpen those blades , if I can not hand sharpen a knife on a diamond sharpener such as a DMT Diafold or Fallkniven DC4 in the field easily then that steel is useless to me. 1095 is fine as long as you oil it right away after use with water or blood , because it does rust fast. Not sure with CPM 3V, or Elmax or these other super steels I have not used them . I tend to use what works for me and ease of sharpening is more important than long term edge retention or rust resistance . Scandi blades are my favorite for doing most outdoor use they are the best for wood and still work fine for food prep for me and the easiest grind to touch up in the field with provided Diamond sharpener DMT and DC4 which I use. Super steels are the big rave these days and 3V looks like a great steel , however try sharpening that steel with a hand sharpener if it gets dull, you will sit all day to get a sharp edge on it. Besides that the super steels cost a lot of money , more cost more difficult to sharpen it makes no sense , though it is only my opinion what I like and use. Buy what you like and what works best for you.
Just for the sake of argument, I sharpen my benchmade steep country (s-30v) on an Arkansas stone. It takes a bit of time with a natural stone, but it's fairly easy to do.
I appreciate the video. It's got some useful data points for me. The 3V vs D2 corrosion resistance was useful since I've had a couple of D2 blades for and just picked up a couple of knives in 3V. D2 is pretty good to me in terms of corrosion resistance (generally I can ignore contact with plain water), so V3 being more corrosion resistant is a pretty big plus imo.
Kaylynn Strain I stuck mine in hot sauce all night tell it turned black....and man it stank LOL but if ya do that it usually works prevent good. Also where the blade meets the handle try to seal off any space cause they do tend to rust inside the tang.
5160 steel is very tough, comparable with 3V. Toughness (chip resistance) is far more important to me in the woods, whereas edge retention would be my preference for EDC. I have fixed many chips from 1095, and it sure does rust. Overrated to me. What do you think about AEB-L? It is tough and not real expensive. Toughness is my primary concern.
5160 is even tougher than 3V. It is top-level tough, along with 8670 and L6. AEB-L is exceptionally tough for a stainless steel, which usually have poor toughness compared to low alloy carbon steels
D2 is a tool steel just shy of being considered stainless vs. A simple high carbon steel like 1095 which is considered a spring steel as is 1070-1080-1084 and 1095 has nearly as good shock value as 5160 or 9260 or even S7 your also wrong about carbon being pliable because it very much isn't quite the opposite actually also worth noting is the popularity of 52100 bearing steel for knives which you didn't mention at all in this video ....now the expected hrc for 5160 straight from the quench is actually lower than that of upper spectrum 10xx steels or that of A2-O1-W2-D2 etc. Etc.because of its lower carbon content which means it won't get as hard or retain its edge for as long since the edge relies on micro carbides in the steel being hard enough to maintain shape but soft enough to flex without breaking ( a place where spring steels truly shine) ....I could rant on but this comment is long winded as is but all it comes down to is personal preference and education as to what a steel can and will do
Yeah, I used to get offended, but I don't anymore, so definitely voice your opinion, I will also be the first to say I don't know everything about knives, though I do have a bunch of them and speak on my personal experience with what I have/ have used
I've been knife making for about two years and blacksmithing for 22 years there's always more to learn and despite my experience I steel feel like a newbie more often than I care to admit lmao
I like 5160. You are not wrong. However, for my uses, stainless just isn't all that necessary. I live in New Mexico, and it's usually quite dry here. So I'm a carbon steel fan. YMMV. In reality though, I look for design, heat treat, and durability. Lol, I am perfectly happy with a carbon steel Mora on my belt, and a Buck 110 to back it up. A Trailmaster in my pack (an example) and I'm good to go. So obviously I'm not picky. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
What do you think about Cold Steel Knives, I have noticed that the bushcraft people don't carry cold Steel knives. WHY? For myself I really like them, they hold an edge quite well and will take a beating.
I do, have a few Cold Steels, and they work great. My only problem with Cold Steel is, they generally make tactical and survival knives. These are not very conducive to easy bushcrafting.
The sanmai master hunter is a wood chopping classic. More for forestry workers and proper backwoodsers. I've only got a CS Kobun but their folders are very attractive and probably their contribution to what they might see as a crowded market. AD10 and another i may well get. Cold Steel make/sell a lot of 're-enactment' weapons and auld classics.. some of their bowies look a good investment.
I like 5160 but I wouldn't say it's resistant to staining at all. It rusts fairly quickly in my experience... almost as bad as 1095. Edge holding for me has not been as good as you say, certainly not as good as 1095. But I believe everyone has different experiences. Every knife steel has it's place and can be useful in different applications. Nice talk.
I've worked with a great deal of both alloys and 5160 does rust a little slower than 1095 but not by much however it can be mitigated by different coatings ,oils, patinas, or finishes a mirror finish rusts slower than a satin finish
I am generally not a fan of stainless steels but a lot depends on the heat treat. Some can be excellent, some can be brittle. I hear that the CPM stainless steels are excellent like CPM 154. Elmax, also considered an excellent stainless. Personally I love 3V or good old O1 and stay away from SS.
ya but that's extended exposure to I don't get the cold you do but I always carry my blades under my clothes and close to my body just for that little warmth . but I have not had any issues with 5160 but .. heat treat make a big difference to hard doesn't matter what it is its brittle .buck is known for 59-60 way to hard stay safe brother
as long as it sharp and it has a good handle that is what matters also being able to keep it sharp knowing how to sharpen sometimes if your using a knife all day you may need to stop to sharpen it 3 times or more in a day and if your cutting near the roots I used to use a scandi grind mora soft steel and just use a steel to reset the edge they roll instead of chip
When I started bushcrafting I really wanted a big knife I purchased ontario sp51 I have since then went away from large blades for axes.but I put that knife through hell and still take it with me in effort to break it 9nce in awhile not going to happen I think.i really love that knife I agree 100 percent about about 5160
Ontario knows how to make 1095 steel. I still use my SP5 and have been for some 10 years now when I want a large blade. I did alter the blade shape though but that is personal preference. My Ontario SP1 I have been using for over 20 years and still like it.
Nice video, thanks for sharing. I like 5160 to, two of my favourit knifes are 5160 (Helle Besseggen and my selfmade bushcraft knife with a Helle temagami blade). I like the carbonsteel Hultafors uses. It is very tough and holds an edge better than 1095 in my opinion. D2 is not my prefered steel, I own a Enzo knife in D2 and it chips very easyly (maybe the heattreatment was bad, but Enzo is known for good heattreatment, so I dont know). I konvexed the grind and now its ok. I realy would like to test out a M390 steel, maybe I will buy a Lionstell Knife to test it. All the best from Germany, Maximilian.
As far as I know Hultafors uses SK5 steel in their carbon versions. Tough as nails. I do have an Enzo Trapper in D2 and it never chipped even in very cold conditions so maybe I was just lucky? 5160 Is Krupp steel right?
Dude I love my cheap little Hultafors carpenters knife. It is my go to for work in my shop. I only wish it would fit in one of those awesome mora sheaths with the belt clip.
U totally mixed up the D2 and Niolox information. Niolox is not the "European D2". They are totally different steels. Niolox is highly rust resistant while D2 rusts slowly.
NIOLOX & D2 are NOT even similar. There is Niolox & Niolox+… lower Carbon, more Niobium etc. Fine grain & tough. I like 5160… easy enough to forge a knife & is tougher than 3V… @ 59 HRC… with a good Heat Treatment (1525 F to form Austenite, Quenched in a Cold bath of Dry-Ice&Alcohol, followed by a double 375-400 F tempering). D2, I am not too fond of… but I like M2 (Chisel steels are O1, A2,3V, M2 for a practical reason: Silky slicing). AEB-L & 14C28N are good economic choices for replacement of 5160… if you are not forging…
