Here's a post I save that helped me understand the different types of steel.
"This is about as big a topic as a single question could open. Basically there are
two types of common steels, carbon and stainless types. I generally prefer
carbon, many others will disagree and go with the stainless steels. Carbon has
the ability to take an extremely fine, hiar popping, scary sharp, razor type edge,
and hold it. For the most part carbon seems easier to sharpen. These steels are
not a stainless, so a bit more care might be called for maintenance wise, but it's
good stuff. Good carbon steels would be stuff such as 52100, 1095, 1084, A2,
M2, my favorite is D2, and there are many others.
This doesn't mean that stainless steels aren't good, because they are. ATS-34,
154CM, VG-10, BG42, are probably the best of the more common stainless
steels. Easy enough to sharpen and also able to get real, real, sharp, these
steels can take and hold an edge very well too. An old favorite would be 440C
(be careful of 440A & B versions). AUS8A and AUS10A would be lower rung
acceptable to my thinking. Any of those mentioned from a reputable maker
would be good stuff. The real secret is the heat treatment, and companies or
custom makers that have built a following and been in business for many years
must produce good products or people would leave them. I know that I've left
out many good steels, both older carbons, and newer space age stuff. The
steels I mentioned are pretty commonly available and offer excellent
performance. Hopefully some of the other guys can jog my memory or offer
some other insight. This is a big topic with lots of favorites, sort of a
Ford-Chevy-Dodge type question."

Phil,



Here is some information from a manufacturer of steel, perhaps you will find some of it interesting.



420HC and 440C Stainless Compared



Several Knife Steels Compared



Hopefully it will be of some interest.



ASS_CLOWN



EDIT -

Got the darned links working!!

I have knives made of about most available steels but the one I'm most fond of is Chris Reeve's Ubejane in A2. I can field dress up to 7 deers and the knife still shaves !!! It's a little heavy and the steel, while coated, may rust if not attended to (but so do my rifles...). Positively the best I ever met. The usual reaction of a bystander, having watched my field dressing and after feeling the edge, is to ask where he can buy the same...

Have any of ya'll (hey I'm from Alabama USA, bear with me!)actually used all of the various available knife steels, and noticed any REAL difference between them? I would really like to hear some opinions from people with real experience actually using these various steels, not just opinions from reading about it. What are any advantages or disadvantages of 420HC, 440C, 440A, ATS 34, S30V, D2, A2, etc, etc? I keep reading how one is better at edge holding, one is better at side loading flexibility, one is harder, one is tougher, but aside from tests cutting webbing, rope and cardboard, little real subjective information available. If you were to use a knife in any of these materials in the field and couldn't clean it immediately, how bad is corrosion? Just stains, pitting, edge rusting or what? Which blades retain more cutting ability in real meat and hide, especially after hitting bone a few times? Is it really worth buying exotic steels for knives not used heavily, how about for the occaisonal hunter or small gamer? Buy for blade geometry and ignore premium steel and sharpen more often, or what??? I'd sure like to see some information from hunters and not just knife collectors who case 'em up and dust 'em once in a while.

I've used some of the steels that you have mentioned: ATS 34, 440A, 440C and D2 (and VG-10 which you didn't mention).



Of the ones you mentioned, ATS 34 was better at holding an edge than 440C, 440A, or D2.



However, VG10 was best (and by a large margin).



See VG-10 knive tests





and for a pretty comprehensive quantitative test of quite a few knife steels (done by a scientist it appears: one of the few objective and quantitative tests I've seen) is Quantitative knive steel reviews. Makse sure that you scroll down to "comparative work".



I bought my VG-10 knife (a Bill Moran) based on this review, and I'm glad I did. Best knife steel I've ever used!



However, note that I prefer an extremely hard knife that stays sharp (I always use a diamond stone and guide for sharpening so "ease of sharpening" I ignore).



To avoid chipping, I have a cheaper knife that I use for "abusive duties" which could make such a hard steel chip a bit on an edge. Having said that, I have still abused the Bill Moran with its VG10 steel quite a bit and have seen no edge chipping at all even under 20x magnification.



The knife test site that I cite documented a tiny bit of edge chipping on the Bill Moran under some conditions, but as noted above, I have seen none at all with long hard use. Perhaps my copy of the knife was hardened a couple of points lower than the copy tested?



jpb

One of the most important aspects to consider is if the maker knows what he is doing when he does his heat treat process!!!! This will make or break a knife with respect to its ability to hold an edge!!! I have a few in Stellite (does not require HT) that are yet to get dull! My favorite steel for a working knife is Vasco Wear! Tough Stuff but most makes stay away from it because it is tough to work.

Phil I agree with JPB, I have used knives extensively in the field in most of the steels you mentioned. I have two knives in VG10 and they are great. I feel they hold and edge better than my previous favorite steel, ATS 34, which is buy the way very very close to 154cm, (I think it has a hair more or less chromium). I first learned of vg10 12 or so years ago, a friend of mine discovered that it was the steel that was used at perdue poultry for their industrial cutlery. I have one knife being made right now in vg10 and it won't be my last! I have found that both of these steels are very resistant to staining, saturated in blood etc. after skinning deer and not able to give a full cleaning for many hours often, I haven't had any issues with corrosion at all. My favorite ats34 knife will skin 6 or 7 whitetails before it needs a touch up, and my vg10's will do a couple more.
Hope this helps--Good cutting--Don.