Among the confusing topics in the knife world is blade steel.
The internet is full of never ending posts about the pros and cons of hundreds of specific steels. Adding to the confusing, knife manufacturers use an ever-changing lineup of steel materials, some exotic and unique, some nothing fancier than the butter knife at a chain restaurant.
In reality, you need only be familiar with a few of the basic knife steels for field dressing, skinning, boning, caping an animal.
Here’s a set of general guidelines regarding choosing the right knife steel for the hunting season.
When you’re choosing a knife the most important thing you can do is figure out the performance needs you have using edge retention, blade toughness, corrosion resistance and ease of sharpening as your guidelines.
On top of that, hunters should consider these factors when choosing a knife: the type of game being hunted, the duration knife will be used without proper maintenance, the environment in which hunting will take place and the budget set aside for a knife purchase.
What does that mean for steel? Generally, blade steel falls into one of two categories: high-carbon and stainless. Stainless resists rust and corrosion, but it doesn’t hold an edge long. High-carbon is susceptible to corrosion, but it’s easier to sharpen and keeps an edge.
A steel like AUS-8, which is pretty common in the knife industry, is a decent all-around choice for hunters. A smaller knife like our small Kiku folder is a great AUS-8 choice.
A step up from AUS-8 is D2 steel, one of the most ubiquitous steels in the knife industry. D2 holds an edge well and is easy to sharpen. It’s not super corrosion resistant, so it does require a bit more additional care, like adding oil after it’s cleaned. Our new Terminus XR with G10 handles proved to be a hunter’s hero on a recent trip to Alaska.
An even higher-end steel found in a number of well-known hunting knives is S30V or S35V. The steels in the S30 family are harder to sharpen, but hold their edges longer. And once the season is done and you'd like the sharpest edge available, you can always send your SOG knife back to us to be sharpened. (Details here).
