Knife And Outdoors Magazine
Here’s where you’ll find helpful articles on all things KNIFE!
K390 is a high-end premium high-alloy steel with extremely high performance. This cold work steel has high hardness and is a popular reliable choice. The K390 is also used as a Police weapon in the United States. Let’s find out how K390 is made, its chemical composition, and how it compares to other competitive steels…
80CrV2 is by no means a recent steel — even though many seem to think that 80CrV2 is a new steel, it has actually been in the market by a completely different name. 80CrV2 was known as a ‘Swedish saw steel’ since it has incredible toughness. As a high-carbon, low-alloy steel, 80CrV2 is different from…
AEB-L is an old stainless steel that old-timer knife enthusiasts have heard of for years. It’s one of the go-to options for a budget knife that’s corrosion-resistant, wear-resistant with decent hardness and toughness. It’s always a risk to opt for new knife steel since you may not know about its performance in the long run,…
CTS 204p is one of the best steels in the market for premium high-end knives. It’s earned itself the reputation as a premium knife steel thanks to its incredible wear resistance. CTS 204p steel also has exceptional corrosion resistance as well as a number of other properties. In this article, we’re going to dive deep…
A2 is in the hall of fame for high-carbon steels. This might be because A2 is arguably one of the first tool steels to come into existence. A2 dates back to the 1960s and has been used over the years for multiple applications. Even with the rise in multiple budget imported steels, A2 proudly stands…
It’s impossible to talk about great high-carbon steels without mentioning W2 steels at least once. Not only is W2 Steel exceptionally hard and durable, it’s also the perfect steel to make custom knives. This unintimidating high-carbon steel is almost fail-proof (almost!) and is very forgiving for knife steel nerds looking to make their own perfect…
Damascus knife fan? Ever wondered what the other steel is, the one forged together with Damascus steel? Chances are, it’s 15n20. 15n20 is a great steel for Damascus knives and for regular knives. As a very affordable steel, this one has high amounts of Nickel and moderate amounts of carbon. As far as steel performance…
5160 is something of famous steel — many people who don’t know much of knives would have heard of 5160. That’s because 5160 is actually not a “knife steel†per se, it’s most commonly used in the construction of swords, daggers, and bigger tools. The reason for this is that 5160’s best capability is being…
If you’re in the market for a great beginner knife, you’ve almost certainly come across 1084 Steel. Often hailed as the perfect beginner-steel, 1084 offers lots of impressive capabilities at a reasonable budget price. But 1084 isn’t the only great beginner steel in the market, there are plenty others offering competitive features. In this article…
CPM M4 steel, or just M4 steel is a steel that is recently catching on in popularity. This high-alloy steel is quickly gaining traction because of how versatile it is. Many call M4 a high-speed steel. M4 is high-alloy steel as well, fortified with high amounts of vanadium and molybdenum. In this article, we’ll get…