Ideal Steel for a Survival Knife

P

Palacio

Guest
Hi Guys, I'am gong to make my first survival knife ( around 12inches overall ) and I need your opinion on which steel would do good for the job ( cutting, chopping and not so expensive material ). I was thinking of using D2 ( which I have experience working with ), but maybe you folks have better suggestions :les:
 
D-2 is a tough steel. If you are experienced working with it and like its performance, go for it. As we all know, steel preferenes are like....... well, you know. (We all have one). Work with what you are comfortable with and that you know you can produce a quality blade from.

For what it's worth, I like 5160 for larger blades I'm going to be chopping with.
 
murphda2 said:
D-2 is a tough steel.
Click to expand...

Well, sort of. D2 is great for small and medium blades that need to hold an edge a good long time, but nearly every other tool steel commonly used for knives (O1, A2, etc) as well as most lower-alloy steels (1080, 5160, etc) are much tougher and far easier to sharpen in the field.

If your heart is set on D2 try to get the CPM-D2 version. But I really don't think it's the best choice for a 12" heavy-duty all-around knife.
 
Ok, first of all, list what you want your knife to do in the invironment that it is expected to perform in. D2 is near stainless and like stainless is more demanding to heat treat. Also, if you are a smith, it is difficult and demanding to forge. It would probably be a little less brittle at a give hardness than the stainless steels but less tough than the tool or spring steels. However, toughness is one to the things that is very dependent on heat treating. Simpler steels will also be more effected by corrosion but they have been used in corrosive enviornments for centuries successfully when properly cared for. Not to get ethnic on anyone but you're heard the old saying that if you get two Jews together you'll find three opinions; knife makers are worse.

Doug Lester
 
I would use 1084 for that size knife and not worry about it

Tuff and holds a good edge

or

5160 is a really good choice for slightly larger blades
 
James Terrio said:
Well, sort of. D2 is great for small and medium blades that need to hold an edge a good long time, but nearly every other tool steel commonly used for knives (O1, A2, etc) as well as most lower-alloy steels (1080, 5160, etc) are much tougher and far easier to sharpen in the field.

If your heart is set on D2 try to get the CPM-D2 version. But I really don't think it's the best choice for a 12" heavy-duty all-around knife.
Click to expand...

I agree.
If it were me I would consider several factors about how the knife is going to be used.
1. How often and for what durations will it be exposed to moisture? For instance, If you are going to be in the water you want to use something very corrosion resistant say 440c
2. Is it going to be mainly a chopper like a camp knife cutting tent stakes chopping kindling? Then I would want 5160
3. Is it going to be a medium size all around needing to slice and some light chopping around camp? Then if you are comfortable with D2, I would use it.
The only drawback is sharpening in the field.
Personally for my camping I have three main cutting tools, a small hatchet that I keep on my pack, a 12" 5160 camp knife in my pack, and the knife I carry on belt which is a 4" drop point that is 1084. It gets the most use I can put a good working edge back on it in the field by hitting a small stone then stropping on my boots. When Im on the water I use a wharnie made from ATS34, (that is for now, Im saving for one of Brian's ECS what a great looking knife!)

Hope this helps, like Murph said everyone has a pet steel.
 
Small carbide stainless steels like 12c27 are a nice compromise between the toughness of carbon steels and the corrosion resistance of stainless steels. Ideal for knives you would want to abuse and put in an abusive environment.
 
As stated above, you really need to define "survival knife"
I'll give you some examples of what I mean.
My first thought when you say survival knife is that a survival knife is the one you have with you.
Or maybe you are thinking of Jimmy Liles "Rambo" knife
If you are in the tropics, my first thought is a machete.
If you are in temperate zones you might want a blade thats a bit thicker.
If you are in an urban area you may want more of a tool-oriented knife.
All of these choices have possible steel choices and or steel tempers.
Thanks,
 
c-9 said:
Small carbide stainless steels like 12c27 are a nice compromise between the toughness of carbon steels and the corrosion resistance of stainless steels. Ideal for knives you would want to abuse and put in an abusive environment.
Click to expand...

I agree, if i wanted a stainlessteel i would use 12c27 or AEB-L. If i wanted carbonsteel i would use O1 or A2. I will make a simular knife, a long version of my survivalknife, and he want RWL34. Its a version of CPM154CM and thats a good steel for it i think.

Seved
 
seved said:
I agree, if i wanted a stainlessteel i would use 12c27 or AEB-L. If i wanted carbonsteel i would use O1 or A2. I will make a simular knife, a long version of my survivalknife, and he want RWL34. Its a version of CPM154CM and thats a good steel for it i think.

Seved
Click to expand...

Seved 19c27 is also a good option it has more carbon that 12c27 and therefor a slightly higher hardnes. To work the steel is the same as 12c27 .
 
If you want higher hardness you use 13c26, not 19c27. 13c26 with decent heat treat can be hardened to over 60 HRC, and most "survival knives" seem to be tempered lower than that.
 
Pieter said:
Seved 19c27 is also a good option it has more carbon that 12c27 and therefor a slightly higher hardnes. To work the steel is the same as 12c27 .
Click to expand...

Yes i have seen it on Admiralsteel. But never here in Sweden, very strange.

Seved
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top