Steels

Steels

Choosing the right steel comes down to what you value most: toughness, edge retention, stain resistance, or ease of sharpening. There’s no perfect steel, just different strengths for different jobs.

Nitro V

A very tough, stain-resistant steel with decent edge retention and relatively easy sharpening. A great all-rounder and an excellent choice for most people.

80CrV2

Tough as nails. Similar in performance to Nitro V, but generally a little easier to sharpen and even tougher overall. The tradeoff is that it is not stainless, so it will need a bit more care.

3V

A very tough steel with better edge retention than Nitro V. It offers an excellent balance of durability and wear resistance. It is close to stainless, but not quite, so it will still need some extra care to prevent corrosion.

CPM S110V

Excellent edge retention, but not particularly tough. It will hold an edge for a very long time, but it is slow and frustrating to sharpen. Diamond stones are strongly recommended.

CPM 20CV

Very good edge retention and strong corrosion resistance, but not particularly tough. Like S110V, it can be a chore to sharpen, so diamond sharpeners are recommended here too.