I agree with David and Tracy, 440c is hard to beat,both in quality and price. The steel "flavor of the month" is always changing, yet 440c holds an edge well and takes a great polish.
I like to go to flea markets and junk vendors and dig through old pocket knives. Even the old Imperials work very well as far as walk and talk and fit. You can get one for $ 4 or $ 5 and tear it apart for a pattern.
I try to fix them, sometimes they get a design change. An old maker once told me,if you can't "fix your screw ups you'll end up with a large knife collection... of your own knives".
Tracy, You're absolutely right, about the wear and tear. I've seen this discussion many times in various media, and they always leave out the wear and tear on machinery.