My TOP 10 Favorite Knife Steels for EDC

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***DISCLAIMER*** This channel's content is meant for educational purposes only, and encourages the proper/safe use, handling, and understanding of tools.

[Snek]

I can easily tell you what the best knife steel is hands down. It’s Adamantium. The only metals that can rival it are Beskar and Vibranium. I’m disappointed that neither made your list.

[knifeguy]

Just for the record this is my favorite knife channel besides Bird and Frankie! Keep up the great work brother! 🇺🇸🔪🤘🏻

[JR-]

I just loving knives in all different steels even if I can't tell much of a difference

[nuzzo]

Became a huge fan of 14c28n this year. Funny how it's on yours, mine and everyone else's new favorite edc steel list...hope to see it more

[matthuck]

The knife I abuse the most is 154cm. My Ontario Sk-5. It's for camping/bushcraft, not EDC...But I love it. It sharpens up easily, takes a beating, and hasn't rusted or chipped.

[ashmerch]

Slash ATS-34.... slash CTS-BD4 lol

My favorite is K390- it is incredibly tough for a steel thats routinely taken past 65HRC. Spyderco takes it to 64-65 HRC, but a custom maker will do 66-66.5HRC ... I have a fixed blade that Rockwelled @ 66.4 and it gives me noticeable improvement in edge holding over Spyderco's K390, which is fantastic anyways... but the main reason I LOVE K390 is that it seems to hold that ultra high sharpness longer than other steels, and it takes a killer edge at 400 grit and it takes a smoking edge at 8, 000 grit and anything in-between. Some steels are alot harder to get hair whittling sharp at certain grits then others... K390 has whittled hair off a fine DMT plate for me and it will whittle off an extra fine, medium extra fine and extra extra fine DMT plate... K390 has seriously impressed me with its performance, its feel and even its looks. (Looks meaning how well it polishes, i.e. mirrored bevel)

[therealfilthyanimal]

I’m such a steel nerd, one of the best vids yet!!! Thank you!!!

[jmuhr]

Gotta agree with the older cold steels In CTS-XHP. My recon 1 is a tank and once I started sharpening it I came to appreciate the ease and amazing edge I got on it. Of course I’m a sucker for Maxamet, M390, M4, 20CV and a few others.

[scottyh.]

I really like this list. 154 CM is one of my favorites because I have more experience with it than other steels, and I know what to expect when I use it.

[landontreinen]

Have you tried a key-bar or some kind of key organizer before?
Metal Complex: knife reviewer by day, high school janitor by night 😄

[marty]

Absolutely no way to argue with your picks. Anyone who has used your s tier picks would have to rate them the same.

I don’t put a lot of stock in the steel a knife is made of, however, unless it is from a manufacturer that really knows how to do it. For example, my Spyderco Tenacious in 8cr13mov just outperforms my Kershaw Link in 20cv in every single category including edge retention. It is also better than my Leek in CPM154. It is not even close to my para3 in S45VN however.

I know, tldr and weeds and all, but I think manufacturer is WAY more important than steel. Spyderco almost always gets it right :-)

[prenticegoodwin]

Magnacut might be the new best steel. I mean it should be the best balanced steel

[optimuscrime]

Cpm magnacut is going to prove to be the BEST knife steel you can get. It’s that good

[Kens_knives]

RWL-34. 14C28N. MagnaCut. My 3 favorites!

[MrNiceGuyx]

my cold steel ctsxhp is still my favorite steel. i work in a warehouse and cut cardboard/waffleboard all day and it held up for the better part of a tear till i had to sharpen it and i live near the beach in california and no rust issues. granted i never put it in water but when you live so close to the sea just the air will rust cars

[ggmanatee]

M4 is probably my favorite, just a shame few makers use it. M390, XHP, K390 also great. I also think Aus10a out of cold steel has shown to be a good budget option, performs similarly, but probably a little worse than my 154CM blades with edge retention.

[RandomFlares]

Mckenna Front Flipper 154CM Stonewashed Blade, Antique Brass Handles...Got it yesterday, an awesome little knife!

[pauldayton]

I needed this today ! Therapy to listen too while I work ! Thank you MC👍❤

[xawobrac]

You should try the budget brand, Harnds. They have a number of models, most, if not all, are made of 14C28N. At $30-$35, the Wind is a good one to try.

[whalehands]

For me,
1) cpm-m4
2) cpm-cruwear
3) maxamet

Also, my Leatherman Charge has 154cm. I mostly use my serrated edge, to save the straight edge for special extra sharpness uses. I always thought cpm-154 was supposed to be a little better than 154cm. I really know nothing about this steel but, your last two steels you mentioned, I'm going to try out, and use hard. Guess I'm going to Walmart to get a Blur. I've also always wanted to try any Buck knives with a Bos heat treat. Preferably a Spitfire in s35vn. Seems like Buck steels always get better numbers in "tests". I don't know what's so special about the Bos Heat treat though. Great video! Love learning about steels.