Copied this chart from the 2014 Cabela's Cutlery catalog. Sure wish they would have labeled the Y-axis and explained how they measured the values. Pretty much worthless without test description and values. I wonder how many people choose new knives from this data?

I'm hoping this leads to some comments.

Well right off the bat they have S30V labeled as easier to sharpen than ATS-34.
In my world that's not the way it is,but hey,wtheck do I know ?

Rick
-I would bet that the "bottom" of the Y axis is not at zero value for most if any of the categories. ie: if you crop off the bottom, the ratings "appear" to have a greater separation of values.
-Amazing to see that with the lower Rc on the left side, the blades are easier to sharpen.
-Also amazing that with the higher Rc values on the right side, the blades are harder and hold and edge better.
Who wooda thunk????

I wonder if they have a maker/vendor focused on one/some of the steels to the right side.

As Vince noted, I really don't see CPM S30V at 60Rc as same as 440(C?) at 56Rc for sharpenability.

I am thinking they are pushing filet knives in 440 and hunting knives in S30V. Any body know if this might be the case????

Not saying they don't see plenty of good knives, just that they may be putting a little "spin" on the ratings.

jmho
Tim

they did not even list a lot of the steels that I like.

There are so many discrepancies on that chart compared to catra results for edge retention as to make it less than useless. Not to mention they apparently decided to lump all 440 steels together. As for sharpenability (is that a word?) same story, total joke. BG42 ain't a big challenge to sharpen.

They sure do over-rate 8cr13mov, IMO.....

I figured a BG42 fan would speak up. Wonder what 1095 would look like? I'm in a deer stand at this very moment 1095 folder and a D2 fixed blade. Guess they would put me in the unlightened bucket.

+1 on what you said. Unless it is described how the steel was tempered, hardened, and heat treated, the chart is meaningless IMO.

The August 2014 issue of Outdoor Life had a story on knife steel types.

Anyone see it ?

Any comments ?

Agreed, where are the carbon steels? 1095, 5160 and 52100 are some of my favorites.

How did they arrive at the chart > Sales figures and follow-up questionnaires after the sale ? Way to much info missing for me to change my steel choices based on retail consumer grade knife purchases for big box store customers. Not putting down guys who can't afford customs, but I thing they (customers) might have very different opinions once they got a taste of a good custom blade that was heat treated correctly, tempered, ground correctly using steels that don't seem to nave great popularity on that consumer grade knife list.

I've had bad luck with Pakistan built knives. Poor steel quality which is difficult to sharpen and edge retention is equally bad.

Some of the Chinese knives are quite good such as Marble's, Rough Rider, and BOKER Magnum series.

Sherwood

The first four dark handled knives are 1095, a big Dexter and three Chicago cutlery. Not sure about the little one. The big light handle is a saw blade and the boner looks like a Russell but not marked.

I also like the 1095 steel, these are my elk/deer butcher knives and have some others for fish.

Kent

My SOG spec elite mini in my pocket is made with VG-10, something not on the chart.


It never rusts, but it gets dull in a hurry when cutting deer or antelope hair. I try not to cut the hair.

Agreed. Chart is likely more marketing than data since so many knives sold by Cabelas are Chinese made of that steel. That said, Enlan/Bee brand folders are very usable folders. Especially for under 10 bucks shipped. I buy them 1/2 doz at a time for every day use around the farm. Lost a few while mucking manure. Expect to find them in the vegetable garden at some point.

steels are often rated by factory heattreats which are far from true performances when heatteated by a great custom maker such as menefee. cranky72