Knife Steel Guide – Understanding Blade Steel Types for Beginners

The steel your knife blade is made from determines how well it cuts, how long it holds an edge, how easy it is to sharpen, and how resistant it is to rust. For beginners, the alphabet soup of steel names can feel impenetrable. This guide breaks down the most common knife steels in plain English so you can make informed buying decisions.

Budget Steels: 8Cr13MoV and AUS-8

These are the workhorses of the budget knife world. 8Cr13MoV, commonly found on CRKT and budget Spyderco models, offers decent edge retention and excellent ease of sharpening. It dulls faster than premium steels but sharpens back to shaving sharpness in minutes. AUS-8, used by Ontario and older Cold Steel models, is slightly tougher with similar edge retention. Both are perfectly adequate for everyday tasks and excellent for learning to sharpen.

Mid-Range Steels: D2, 14C28N, and VG-10

D2 is a semi-stainless tool steel with impressive edge retention at an affordable price point. It will develop a patina over time and requires more effort to sharpen. Sandvik 14C28N, found on Kershaw and many Civivi knives, offers a fantastic balance of corrosion resistance, sharpenability, and edge retention. VG-10, the staple of Spyderco’s Japanese-made knives and many kitchen blades, provides solid all-around performance with a preference for corrosion resistance.

Premium Steels: S30V, S45VN, and M390

CPM-S30V and its successor S45VN are the benchmarks for premium production folders. They offer excellent edge retention, good corrosion resistance, and reasonable sharpenability. M390, found on high-end production and mid-tech knives, pushes edge retention even further while maintaining stainless properties. These steels justify their higher price tags if you use your knife daily and appreciate longer intervals between sharpenings.

Shop knives by steel type on Amazon and understand what you are paying for.