Carbon Steel vs Stainless vs Corrosion resistant

[Thecarotidpulse]

For a "survival knife" i'm throwing this out there, what do you guys think.

[eatingmuchface]

it just depends.
:D
I would never sacrifice performance for more corrosion resistence.
if I wanted a steel because of the way it performed and it happened to be stainless, w/e.
there are so many different performing stainlesses it's not right that some people characterize them as "hard to sharpen" and "not as tough" and so on. :D

[Noss]

I guess I prefer carbon steel if I had the choice. However I would not hesitate to fully rely on my stainless steel A1. All my folders are stainless steel an I carry at least 2 all the time. So in an uncertain heat of the moment event it would be more then likely what I would use. I'm not two worried about corrosion resistance myself since all carbon stainless steels will rust also. if not cared for.

[G. Scott H.]

I could go either way. Deep down, I'm a carbon steel lover, but most of the modern stainlesses are pretty damn good. I like simple carbon (like the upper 10XX steels) for their ease of sharpening and supreme toughness. They also look really cool with a good dark patina (though that's purely personal taste). Really the only possible advantage of stainless is additional corrosion resistance, but I don't really care about that. Hell, they still dig carbon steel swords out of medieval battlefields (and even rivers) in Europe to this day, and they are pretty well rusted in most cases, but they are STILL there. I mean, if a carbon steel blade won't totally dissolve after 600 or 800 years at the bottom of a river, I figure one will last me a lifetime with even rudimentary care. :D I own a lot of knives in both carbon and stainless, but I always take carbon if the choice is available. :thumb:

[sharpshooter996]

Hey Noss thanks for getting these new threads up super fast. I can think of a lot to talk about here. Good times to come :thumb: Talking about Carbon vs. Stainless steel and which one to prefer. I really dont prefer either over the other. Both have served me well and I own a number of them. There are some occasions where i like to use a stainless blade over carbon. one example would be when i go on an extended winter backpacking trip. I prefer to carry a stainless blade, to carbon. on day to day carry for me a stainless blade is not required. it is only when you are introduced to long term wet or salty cond where i would see a real advantage. When I choose a new knife this is seldom on my make or break list.

[miro44one]

For a survival knife I would pick stainless, simply because it requires less maintenace than a Carbon steel.However generally speaking, Carbon steels are a bit tougher, but if you get something like a Fallkniven with Laminated VG10(stainless), that seems to be alot tougher than most Stainless Steels.

I don' t really care for the truely Corrosion resistant steels, because almost all stainless steels will not rust if you dry them off after use, and don' t subject them to saltwater.

Conclusion: Take INFI :D

[culpeper]

I like good old fashioned 1095 and its cousins. I don't like the SS AUS-8 that SOG uses. I think the carbon particles in it are too large and creates a bad edge that won't hold. Sort of like cheap 440C. My favorite stainless is the proprietary Sheffield SF100. For knives, this is used for salt water mariner blades and so forth.

[ktomes_340]

i guess i like carbon also. i have learned from experience that carbon does rust easier, but it is also easier to keep sharp. i can keep all of my carbon steel knives(cold steel srk,gi tanto, and frost knives) sharp with a samurai shark sharpener. yes they actually do work. they work easier on pocket knives also
ktomes_340

[kurodrago]

10 to 1 Carbon steel, why? Because carbon steel serves me very well, easier to sharp,gives me very good edge, and stronger than stainless....etc etc
On the rust issue that everyone fears(you take care of your knife and your knife takes care of you).
Recently I sharpened two gi tanto, they should rust quickly if it's not looked after.
You know what I believe it is true, because simplicity of the carbon stell.
What I did to tackle the problem..
with the gi tanto, the first thing that I cut was a peach, which gave the gi tanto beautiful patina that protects the blade(edge) against rust.
After a week of using in the kitchen.. rust free!
It depends on the environment in which you use, any kind of knife(carbon steel) that automatically reproduce its on patina: That protects the edge form rust.
GI tanto 1055 carbon steel,,,I love the 10xx series!
I don't know if I can but I try to take few pic of gi tanto edge(patina)soon.

Since no one has posted here I am editing my post______________________________________________ ______________________________________________

Few pics ....
Has been very difficult to make good photos with a good angle and over the problem of light!
I tried different background for better view but still shit..... anyway I tried.
Even if the photos are terrible, you can see the different brightness of the blade;
The darkest one has the patina form peach jeuce on it:rockon:

http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s307/kurodrago/IMG_1862.jpg
http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s307/kurodrago/IMG_1885.jpg
http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s307/kurodrago/IMG_1885.jpg
http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s307/kurodrago/IMG_1890.jpg
http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s307/kurodrago/IMG_1894.jpg
http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s307/kurodrago/IMG_1891.jpg

[Man of Iron]

I just started to really use a carbon steel blade, RAT RC3. Good ole' 1095. Needs a lot of maintainance, butcher steel and leather strop to keep it sharp after every use. Uncoated part has already got rust on it, doesn't bother me though. Damn 1095 is easy to work with.

[fulltang]

I much prefer carbon steel. I just treat exposed areas with paste car wax or Eezox. As far as the edge goes, if it starts to get a little rust on it while I am out, I just touch it on the sharpener. If I am using it, it doesn't rust anyway.

[me2]

I prefer stainless of some variety for kitchen use. The corrosion can dull the edge pretty quickly, depending on what food is cut and how long the knives go without washing.

For a rough use outdoors blade, I'm inclined to go with a carbon steel in the 5160/9260/S7 range. Perhaps, however, I could get good performance from 12c27M or 12c27. I haven't seen anything done like this.

For all other properties, the carbon vs. stainless debate is meaningless. The properties overlap each other and will depend on the specific alloys used. The definitions are a little simplistic. For most, M2 is a carbon steel. I submit that you haven't experienced difficult to sharpen until you've tried to maintain the zero edge on a Puukko style blade made of M2. Of course, there are more issues at work than just steel choice here, but you get the idea. What knives in what stainless steels give you all such a tough time sharpening?

[kurodrago]

I prefer Carbon Steel all the way....in the kitchen and camping.
Although I have variation on this golden rule...
440C
4116 Krupp
N690 knows as colbat!

[darkwhispers]

Aus-8A, 420-HC, & 1095 Cro-Van. :D

Aus-8A, in my experience, has taken all I've been able to throw at it & came back for more.
420-HC--Same as above.
1095--Inexpensive. Can't hone the edge very well, though.:(
12c27--Was pretty good on my Gerber Prodigy

Darkwhispers..

You share your skills, I'll share mine..

[The_Price_Is_Right]

If I had to pick a stainless steel survival it would be a laminated VG-10 knife made from Fallkniven. Other than that you can't go wrong with gold old 1095 with a good heat treat and very easy to sharpen compared to most stainless steels. But if you want a knife that will outlast you go with carbon steel 52100 (SR-101) and INFI steel.

[wildjim]

Bear Grylls new Gerber line of knives are stainless; end of story ; )

As for me its Victorinox stainless in the kitchen and usually Cold Steel 1055 and a swiss army knife or rough rider stainless while camping.

[fartingbadass]

I have had good luck with stainless in knives. The Buck 119 is a good survival knife with a stainless blade. I have a couple of the KaBar knives in 1446, and those have served me well. The KaBar "bowie" I have is a tough knife, one I have abused. That being said, I think the fear of rust in the carbon steels is overstated, and carbon steel is a lot tougher and easier to sharpen. It all depends on what you are going to do with the knife, and where.

[paulie]

Say Heah Guys,,,the harder the more. Brittle,,,although my 1980 Trailmaster is laminated much better than my newer laminated blades by Cold Steel,,,on that thought,,,San Mai VG1 is not as brittle,,,Paulie

[paulie]

Say Heah Guys,,,Again,,,my pukko knife is San Mai VG-1,,,No Prablemo,,,Paulie

[dingyu1980]

I could go either way. Deep down, I'm a carbon steel lover, but most of the modern stainlesses are pretty damn good. I like simple carbon (like the upper 10XX steels) for their ease of sharpening and supreme toughness. They also look really cool with a good dark patina (though that's purely personal taste). Really the only possible advantage of stainless is additional corrosion resistance, but I don't really care about that. Hell, they still dig carbon steel swords out of medieval battlefields (and even rivers) in Europe to this day, and they are pretty well rusted in most cases, but they are STILL there. I mean, if a carbon steel blade won't totally dissolve after 600 or 800 years at the bottom of a river, I figure one will last me a lifetime with even rudimentary care. :D I own a lot of knives in both carbon and stainless, but I always take carbon if the choice is available. :thumb:

i am with you , i like the presence of rusting blades , very cool to look at .:thumb:

[dingyu1980]

For a survival knife I would pick stainless, simply because it requires less maintenace than a Carbon steel.However generally speaking, Carbon steels are a bit tougher, but if you get something like a Fallkniven with Laminated VG10(stainless), that seems to be alot tougher than most Stainless Steels.

I don' t really care for the truely Corrosion resistant steels, because almost all stainless steels will not rust if you dry them off after use, and don' t subject them to saltwater.

Conclusion: Take INFI :D


i barely do not make any maintenace , even i live in the most moisture area of south west china now . rusting is soooo cool i love my blades with spots of rusting , no big pro here .
rusting blades do not harm sharpness, if you often use your blade. :rockon:

[MarcoMontana]

I dont know, as I said in another thread stainless , rust resistant knives are weaker, dont take an edge well and lose and edge quickly. I'd rather a carbon blade that I dont have to worry about sharpening every 2 days wasting energy and time.

Also their are so many natural saps, oils, animal fats to preserve blade from rusting.

[sixgun_symphony]

Why buy inferior steel when simple maintenance will keep away the rust monster?

It's not hard folks, just wipe your knife down with an oily rag.