Ive carried a knife most of my. From Old timer, Buck, Gerber, spdyderco, to finally Benchmade.
In D2, ats34, 154cm, 440a, 420....
My current knife is a Benchmade 522 in 440c. I ran across one at a flea market for $40 bucks. The first knife Ive had, ive known was in 440c. Even though it's not some of the super steel thats being put out. It's not bad at all. Good size handle. Easy to flick open and close. Its quicker then the same knife in auto to open. Plus you can flick it closed unlike the auto. (styker).
Easy to sharpen. It takes a scary edge and keeps its edge a good while. The only damage to the blade was when I tried to saw a pelvis bone with the serrations. That kinda wore down the outer edges of the serrations. But they were still damn sharp.
That $40 knife disappeared one day. After the heartbreak of losing a damn good knife(which is close to losing your best dog)...I ordered another from Benchmade. In the same 440c
Ive carried 154cm the most. It's a damn good steel. But it's stubborn to sharpen on a diamond stone out in the woods. Ive had 154 chip on the edge. Which was a pain to get out. 440c takes an edge and runs. It still passes my personal test of a good knife. The ability to open a can of beans and still hold a good edge to skin a animal.
440c deserves more hype then it gets. It's still an outstanding metal for blades. Plus its $65 dollars less when on the same knife with 154cm from Benchmade.
IMHO:
D2, is best used as a lawn mover blade for johnson grass.
ATS34, is snooty jap steel on a jap knife with a big hole in the blade. Good stuff but I like American anyhow.
440a .... the kids can safely dig holes in the yard with it. And not be cut. I don't scuba dive either.
420cm, the army made me use it. A Buck 110 will snap in half easy. But wow....it gets sharp.
154CM tough as hell. It will get tiny rust spots kept in a sweaty pocket over time. Sharpening is like arguing with a woman.
440c, doesn't hold an edge like 154. But the ease of resharpen makes you not care much. I haven't had the edge chip like 154 either.
In D2, ats34, 154cm, 440a, 420....
My current knife is a Benchmade 522 in 440c. I ran across one at a flea market for $40 bucks. The first knife Ive had, ive known was in 440c. Even though it's not some of the super steel thats being put out. It's not bad at all. Good size handle. Easy to flick open and close. Its quicker then the same knife in auto to open. Plus you can flick it closed unlike the auto. (styker).
Easy to sharpen. It takes a scary edge and keeps its edge a good while. The only damage to the blade was when I tried to saw a pelvis bone with the serrations. That kinda wore down the outer edges of the serrations. But they were still damn sharp.
That $40 knife disappeared one day. After the heartbreak of losing a damn good knife(which is close to losing your best dog)...I ordered another from Benchmade. In the same 440c
Ive carried 154cm the most. It's a damn good steel. But it's stubborn to sharpen on a diamond stone out in the woods. Ive had 154 chip on the edge. Which was a pain to get out. 440c takes an edge and runs. It still passes my personal test of a good knife. The ability to open a can of beans and still hold a good edge to skin a animal.
440c deserves more hype then it gets. It's still an outstanding metal for blades. Plus its $65 dollars less when on the same knife with 154cm from Benchmade.
IMHO:
D2, is best used as a lawn mover blade for johnson grass.
ATS34, is snooty jap steel on a jap knife with a big hole in the blade. Good stuff but I like American anyhow.
440a .... the kids can safely dig holes in the yard with it. And not be cut. I don't scuba dive either.
420cm, the army made me use it. A Buck 110 will snap in half easy. But wow....it gets sharp.
154CM tough as hell. It will get tiny rust spots kept in a sweaty pocket over time. Sharpening is like arguing with a woman.
440c, doesn't hold an edge like 154. But the ease of resharpen makes you not care much. I haven't had the edge chip like 154 either.