MY GO TO STEEL
AEB-L Stainless Steel-
Additional steels I use
CPM 154 Stainless Steel- (This steel is marked by two "dots" under the maker stamp) Not to be confused with 154cm, CPM 154 is a modern high performance powder version of a long time tested steel composition. This is in a family of steels made popular by the venerable Bob Loveless and if you have ever had a well made knife in it you know why it is so loved! With edge retention between 3V and 4V, toughness like A2, good stainless properties and easy to field sharpen its hard to beat the balance CPM 154 brings to the bush. I heat treat in house using a cryo and low temper. 60-63HRC depending upon intended use.
CPM 3V Tool Steel- (This steel is marked by a "V" under the maker stamp) I heat treat in house using a cryo and low temper. 60-61HRC Details coming
A2 Tool Steel- (This steel is marked by an "A" under the maker stamp.) This steel is a time tested high carbon tool steel and is my main go to carbon steel. With better toughness, edge retention and rust resistance than O1 it is a solid high performance carbon steel. While A2 has similar field performance to 3V, its lack of vanadium carbides means it is much easier to field sharpen. A2 has a small amount of rust resistance but it is a non-stainless steel so it will need to be dried and oiled at times to prevent rust. I heat treat in house using a cryo and low temper. 60-63HRC depending upon intended use.
CPM Cruwear- (this steel is marked by a "+"under the makers mark) Details coming
8670- (This steel has no mark under the maker stamp) Details coming
80CRV2 Spring Steel- (This steel is marked by an "X" under the maker stamp) Details coming
CPM Magnacut- (This steel is marked by a "five point star" under the maker stamp) 62-64hrc depending on the intended use.
1095 High Carbon- (This steel does not have a mark, but is usually in a hamon or forged blade) It doesn't come anymore proven than 1095 when it comes to steel. Whether its a Mora, an Old Hickory, or a USMC Ka-Bar most people have had some use with this steel or its equivalent at one time or another. Good toughness, good edge retention, and easy to maintain in the field has made 1095 a go to steel for many people over the years. I mostly use this steel for Hamon work and kitchen knives but on occasion I use it for forging as well. 1095 is a high cabin non-stainless steel so it will need to be dried and oiled to prevent rust. I heat treat this steel for a 59-62RC depending on the intended use.
Convex Grind- The Convex Grind is in my opinion the best all around grind that will perform a large number of tasks very well and is easy to sharpen and maintain. While not quite as good at slicing as a flat grind, it is tougher and superior for battening and wood carving/feather slicks. The Convex Grind is a better bushcraft grind than a flat grind, a better slicer than the scandi and it is very easy to maintain your edge in the field. In my opinion the Convex Grind is the best do it all grind for hunting, bushcraft and utility work. I grind my convex grinds with a small secondary edge and a thin grind. What this means is that you can just sharpen the edge just like a normal flat grind on a stone and a hard back strop. At the same time, the secondary edge is well blended into the bevel so if you prefer to sharpen on a mouse pad, or a rolling motion on a stone it will work very good as well. This grind preforms different depending on the thickness you choose. For a better slicer you should go with a 3/32", while for a robust bushcraft knife 5/32" gives you a lot of strength and 1/8" is a good balance of strength and slicing performance.
Flat Scandi Grind- (I no longer offer this grind) Probably not the best all around Bushcraft grind this grind is a pure wood carver. While it's not as good of a slicer as other grinds, if your looking for a purebred wood carving knife, than the Flat Scandi is the way to go. This grind is a standard in the bushcraft world due to its fine sharp edge and easy sharpening. One way to improve it's slicing ability is to keep the stock thin. I think that 1/8" is the best balance between strength, carving and slicing. The scandi also has more strength for the thickness than other grinds because so little metal is ground off for the bevel. If you balance the thickness right you end up with a knife that is good for just about anything and is sharp as a laser. Another nice thing about the Flat Scandi grind is that due to the zero degree grind with no secondary bevel it basically has it's own angle guide for sharpening. simply put the bevel flat on a stone and begin sharpening. DO NOT PUT A SECONDARY BEVAL ON THIS GRIND!!!!!!!