Which Budget Blade Steel Cuts the Longest? 

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.

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

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!

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.

Pete thanks for the work you put in.

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

"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.

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

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

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

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

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

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!

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

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!

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.

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

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.

That brick part def earned my follow!

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.

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

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.

9cr18mov seems to be a great budget option as well

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 😀👍

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.

When is BRICKY going on his world tour?

Great vid as always. Nice to see some budget steels being compared for once and look forward to seeing bd1 vs bd1n! The latter is one of my favorite non powdered steels along with vg10. Some aus 10 would be interesting also. Cheers!

Nice! Just bought an Esee Avispa D2 steel so thank u for making me happy 😃 👍🏼

Thanks for working so hard in your car hole to bring us answers!

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!

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.

I am beginning to think 🤔 there’s something to be said for a knife steel that holds a decent edge but is fairly easy and quick to hone or sharpen free hand. Super steels while interesting and fun to use and collect, they are just the latest marketing ploy to sell more knives 🔪 with greater profit margins imo. For repetitive motion muscle and joint soreness Uncle Randy recommends rest and Salonpas patches with lidocaine or similar product.

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

Nice to see your video. I have bougt an edc knife made by 14C28N steel. See your video make me full thank for the right choise.

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

i hope you make abother video like this i have a hobby of seeing d2 win over all the other budgets

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

I've kinda come in and out of being a knife nut over the years and when I started, some of these steels were considered solid midrange. We've really raised the bar in terms of blade steel since when I started! Nice to see the ye olden steels get some love in 2020.

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?

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

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

And that's why D2 is still my favourite budget steel. I know that people seem to be getting sick of D2, but when it performs so well why complain? I know some like to complain about it rusting, but since it's less than 1% short on chromium to be considered stainless, it only ever gets slight surface rust (and only if you leave it wet). Unless you're really, really pedantic about blade finish, the extra edge retention should be worth it.

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.

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

8:43 that had me laughing pretty hard. Keep up the great videos!

Perception.. and marketing is powerful. Today a performing steel gets labeled budget due to the creation of and massively elevated price of a new steel.

The Chinese have always took a shine to d2 for some reason. Popular with their fake Strider etc and now with a lot of high quality budget knives. I've had a couple via Drop that are exceptional for the money. Stuff that easily beats traditional brand budget offerings.

It's all about heat treatment fellas. I have lots of d2 and it's definitely a good steel if it's treated right. I couldn't believe it was d2 when I bought my sencut because it felt like a premium steel on the stone and made a nice crisp burr, not at all difficult to remove. Some companies just do an amazing job with it, others have no clue, or just don't care about it, and slap the d2 label on, and heat it up till it gets hard enough to pass, and out the door.

Hi guys you know those videos you see where people use like leaf spring and rasp files to make knives out of. How does that steel compare to premium steel knives like micro tech

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.

New to the channel, loved the bit about Bootes void.

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.

I've had a couple knives in d2 that were fantastic, just hit them with the occasional strop which I enjoy. And I once had a 440c that I brought to hair wittling sharp, for whatever that's worth.

I realise this is all about factory blades....but if you check out knife steel nerds you will see they rated 14c28n as the best mid range steel across the board! My own thoughts using this steel to make knives....it is my favourite so far....price, easy to work with, clean, finishes well...easy to sharpen, holds good edge, good rust resistance....heat treated to the 62hrc range you can grind it thin with good edge stability to get a good performing blade...As an all rounder for Australian conditions it's a winner!

What most people want to know is what steel is the easiest to sharpen in the field and hold its edge the longest WITHOUT specialist sharpening equipment or spending 3 days sharpening the blade. If I get stuck in the wilderness for any reason I want to be able to hone my knife on a rock, and not have to carry a $300 sharpening kit with me and spend the next month in blizzard conditions sharpening my knife.

Would have been nice to see the comparative chart at the end. I watched this video from the USA, and can barely understand the accent 50%, and can't understand the metallurgical names. But, it's a good comparative test for low-priced knives.

I don't have luck with d2, loses edge after a couple uses. But all my blades with 14c last forever

Watching you reminds me that my life is going okay

I have D2 on a Kershaw, really happy with it. I have not been abusing it. But cutting thing I might not with a nicer knife. Been using it out of my tool box.

I'd take 14c28n over any of those steels. Easy to sharpen and in my experience takes a keener edge than others. I have a chefs knife in 14c28n at 62hrc and it's amazing. Pared with a Spydecro paring knife in bd1n is pretty much all I need. Though I still love my Cold Steel chef in 4116 and use it for rougher tasks (I keep it at about 18-20 dps vs 12-13 dps on the 14c28n) like cutting through small bones when breaking down a chicken. For about $20 it's tough to beat, the handle is great and it came hair widdling sharp.

I wonder what Edge retention on an authentic samurai sword is like.

I wonder what percentage of knives sold ever get sharpened. I bet its a small number.

Nice shirt...it goes well with your car hole.

That was a lot of work! Thanks for the video : )

My favorite is 14c28n but D2 might hold a better edge let’s see 🤔. Damn I’m good

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.

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

Great looking dog.

3 years using a Dozier and never had a problem. I keep it sharp and it keeps cutting. If you maintain the blade, no need for expensive knives or steels.

Great vid! Am I just incredibly lucky? I have a number of d2 knives, folders AND fixed blades that I either hard use, EDC, use in food prep and wood processing. I have never had even the hint of rust on any of them. Yes, i clean n oil my knives when needed but I hear YTers talk abt d2 rusting on almost every channel. I do choose my knives from reliable companies n have the sense to wipe them off after every use but truly, the only time I've had a rust issue has been on knives w 440c n very old high carbon knives that have been given to me in that condition. My new d2( actually, Bolher k110) fixed blade (my current EDC) is Wingman115's design; the Mt Laguna and I LOVE it more than my s35vn (previous) EDC. The high saber/convex grind is phenomenal w exceptional edge retention, the 90° spine is wicked sharp yet comfortable, impeccable fit n finish (can you tell how much i LOVE IT?). Maybe I'm just oddly lucky but my experience w d2 has been fantastic. Peo, put some mineral oil on your knives or stop complaining. All knives should be oiled! Also I still think 14c28n is the best true 'budget steel' and should be used instead of 440c, mov or aus8. For ex: CRKT has excellent designs but I won't buy them cuz of the sub par steel, likewise Kershaw. I don't understand them; Kershaw brought us 14c28n for their less expensive line, then hardly ever used it. People that are not willing to pay Benchmade/ Spyderco insane prices but also won't buy crap steel knives would absolutely pay for 14c28n and most definitely d2. The Rat (d2) sells as much, if not more then the Bugout. JMHO . Anyway, another fantastic vid., thank you for all the effort you put into your vids. I truly enjoy your channel and recommend it to all my knife addicted Friends. Stay safe, Be Blessed.

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.

The bootes void 🤣 the best of voids

Great test and video!

I noticed that Kizer is moving to Carpenter BD1N on some of their models. I am looking forward to that review when it comes to pass. I have had a bit of luck with BD1 on some of the budget Spyderco models and I am curious to see how much of an upgrade BD1N is.

Where does 8CR13MOV fit in? Is it considered a budget steel?

perfect video. thanks for feeding my knife brain some fresh knowledge. lol

Excellent! Thanks, Pete!

14c28n isn't a budget steel. It's the highest performing stainless steel there is before you get into powder metallurgy and the supersteel realm. The cost is very good due to it being a conventional steel, but its better described as an affordable premium steel.

great job ,always interesting and entertaining

these are the tools I actually use, while my expensive high end blades sit above the rec room tv where my high school badminton trophy sits. Fourth Best Effort I believe it was.

An another great review, thanks mate.

Love your test

Always good to see basil

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?

Great job you two.

Does d2 or k110 really rust that easily? Can it be a edc without be carrying around oil for it or what...?

Props for dog and cat.

BUDGET? D2

A sudden tangent about the Boötes Void and the Kardashev Scale? I'd say me and Pete definitely frequent the same Wikipedia rabbit holes. Also, surprised at no 9Cr18MoV.

does 440c have good strenght ?

A lot of this is dependent on the manufacturer's processes.

What clone of the Apex is that?

Got some RuneScape tunes up in here

I was sad not to see the old knifelab intro, but Bricky is excellent.

Sounds like a SNES music intro? Where is this from, some RPG?

Fight with Seymour... Oh, the memories!

My dad had buck knife that's all I knew until I went in my uncle's car and he had a charade and it was sharp

I really like your hat. I want one, but I am not willing to google "Arse Cap"...

Could you test a ganzo fh91 d2 to see how good it is for 25$ knife. Or if you want maybe I can mail you one to test if you don't or can't buy it. I'm just really curious because it's 63 Rockwell.

You forgot the 7 CR 17 Mov. Pretty common in budget knives nowadays