Stainless Steel Recommendation

Randy Lucius

Randy Lucius

Well-Known Member
Nearly all of knives this far have been high carbon. Made a few with AEB-L that I had to send off for heat treating. Might be getting a heat treat oven for Christmas and looking to do alot more work in stainless. Which stainless do you like and why? Thanks!!!
 
AEBL is a great steel and is at a reasonable price. It's my go to SS now. I've tried a couple others, but most cost a lot more and I really can't tell a huge difference. Some of the "super" steel flavors are tougher but you will also find they are tougher on you. Hand sanding is harder, abrasives go faster, etc.
 
Another vote for AEB-L. The first knife I made with this steel was a gut hook knife for myself. I heat treated it using Devin Thomas' double quench method and dry ice. I have since gone to using liquid nitrogen.

I used it to skin, gut and de-bone my buck last year. I then sliced 39 lbs of jerky and cut up 43 lbs of meat for summer sausage and never had to sharpen the knife. About a month later we butchered and cut up 3 hogs. During the middle of the hogs, I used a diamond steel to touch it up, 3 swipes on each side and when finished cutting them up, it would still shave hair on my arm. I don't know that I can ask much more from a steel.
 
Gene Kimmi said:
Another vote for AEB-L. The first knife I made with this steel was a gut hook knife for myself. I heat treated it using Devin Thomas' double quench method and dry ice. I have since gone to using liquid nitrogen.

I used it to skin, gut and de-bone my buck last year. I then sliced 39 lbs of jerky and cut up 43 lbs of meat for summer sausage and never had to sharpen the knife. About a month later we butchered and cut up 3 hogs. During the middle of the hogs, I used a diamond steel to touch it up, 3 swipes on each side and when finished cutting them up, it would still shave hair on my arm. I don't know that I can ask much more from a steel.
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Thanks Gene. The limited experience I've had with AEB-L (8 knives, 2 hunters and a set of 6 steak knives) has been fine. Got a little time to do some research before I get my oven. Devin Thomas' double quench sounds very interesting.
 
CPM154 gets the same heat treat as AEBL. It takes more work to hand sand, but you get a slightly better finish than with AEBL. CPM154 and AEBL perform just about identically in the kitchen. CPM154 has slightly better corrosion resistance.

If I had to rate the two, CPM154 is very slightly better in most regards but harder to sharpen. The cost difference is significant, more so than the advantages warrant in my opinion. The only reason I would choose CPM154 as a practical matter is if I was after extreme corrosion resistance. And if that was the case I'd probably just use 440C.
 
1. Bohler M390 or Crucible 20cv is the same thing. It’s expensive. It also outperforms most others overall. Works best at around 62RC. Takes a very thin edge and is very tough.
2. Bohler Elmax or Crucible CPMs35vn. Very tough, above average edge holding. Elmax is more expensive but shines up to a mirror easier. XHP is also right there with these two but is very difficult to get as Carpenter must really hate the cutlery sales channel.
3. Crucible CPM154. Shines up to liquid mercury. Cheaper than the above for very good all around performance.

440c is amazing for the price and performance and is pretty much what every other stainless compares itself to.
I have not tried AEBL myself yet and I better get on that.
 
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