I'm looking to do another pair of knives, a "camp" blade about a 10" clip point, and a smaller 2.5-3" drop point for general use.
I've made a number of knives from O-1, and have actually been very happy with the perfomance they have given. Have another in M2 that just takes a scary sharp edge like no other I have. I'd really like to get into a steel that will do the same, but bit a bit more corosion resistant, and possibly a bit tougher. I've got another knife in D2 that absolutely sucks other than design. I have to put a lot steeper angles on the blade than I would like to keep it from microchipping and going dull in a hurry. I've got a couple blanks in S60V that I just haven't completed yet so I'm not sure how they will turn out.

I'm considering the following steels.

O-1 - I'm familiar with it and have gotten good results in the past

M2 - like what I've seen of it but would like better corosion resistance, and don't know that it would be suitable for the larger blade.

52100- Just don't know how it actually compares to the others

BG-42 - biggest reservation is that I hear the toughness isn't really great

1095 - Just a good standby carbon steel.

S30v or S90v - These just seem to be touted as the ultimate in blade steel.

Any input or thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

Rhys,

You like the S60V (440V) blade ... just have it HTd at RC59 and no harder. It can get brittle. Sadly is not widely available anymore. Has terrific corrosion resistance. Used to make dive knives from it.

S30V is a fine steel but not quite S60V. Makes a very, very sharp knife!

52100 is perhaps the best carbon steel available.

BG42 is also a good steel ... but I find it odd. Is just a little gummy to grind. HTs well but is not particularly wear resistant.

If you like M2 you might try CruWear ... but let me warn you ... you have to do EVERYTHING you're going to do to it before it is HTd. Hard to get it softer than RC63. Fairly corrosion resistant. Hard to sharpen. Is Very, very wear resistant.

Alloys I was familiar with for building injection molds for plastics I have found make excellent blades. Or so say a handful of knife makers I have come across. S7 for its resistance to abrasion. Easy to HT holds a good edge. 420 stainless. I made a couple of crude blades for the garden from bearing races. Have you tried Stellite? It is a bitch to machine and you will probably have to mostly grind it, but it will hold up very well. I am not a knife maker. I am a machinist and have worked in mold and tool making for a few years. I am currently working for the Govt as an electroplater.

Andy

One of the best for both maker and users is CPM154 .S30V is great , more wear resistant than CPM154. Another nice steel though not stainless is A-2.

The more I have looked at the composition and characteristics of some of the different steels, and considering the eas of availability, I may just stay with O-1, 1095, and M2

I had almost the same set made by David Winston in S30V. Great steel and is relatively easy to sharpen. I say the same set, but my small blade was not a drop point. I've used and skinned with knives for over 50 years now and cannot for the life of me see what advantage that a drop point has and it has a distinct disadvantage (no sharp point)to my way of thinking. To each his own.

My daily carry for 4 years is S30V and I am a knife snob who has carried many diff designer steels. I think S30V to be the best in all around catagory stainless knife metal. If you need a specialized use then one might be better than the next but it is hard to beat S30V for general purpose. That said for your 3.5" I would use that but for a 10" clip point that might get some abuse and frequent sharpening May I suggest a hand forged knife of different hardness of edge and spine.