1. 440C

Once thought to be an all-around good steel, American-made 440C knife steel has been dwarfed by many newer steels on the market. This is a stainless steel that is used in many 

mass-produced pocket knives, making it a reliable, affordable, and quality choice. It is fairly tough, wear-resistant, and corrosion-resistant. 440C blades are relatively easy to sharpen. It has the 

highest carbon and chromium content of the group.

2. AUS-8

AUS-8 steel is made in Japan and is very similar to 440B steel. It is slightly more rust-resistant and corrosion-resistant than 440C, but a little less hard. It is also similarly tough, but does not 

hold an edge as well as some of the more expensive steels with higher carbon content. Remember, the higher the carbon content, the harder the steel and the better it will hold an edge. Very 

easy to sharpen and keep an edge.

3. CTS-BD1

Made to order by Cold Steel, CTS-BD1 is a vacuum-melted stainless steel from the United States, based at Carpenter. It is often compared to AUS-8 and 8Cr13MoV, with many placing it ahead 

of the other two due to its superior edge holding. It is more corrosion resistant due to the slightly higher chromium content. As a fine-grained, low-carbon steel, it holds an edge relatively 

easily, but not as long as higher carbon steels like VG-10.

4. 8Cr13MoV

The MoV series of steels made in China are comparable to AUS-8, but with slightly higher carbon content and a lower price. Manufacturers like Spydecro use this steel in their cheaper folding 

knives.

5. 14C28N

14C28N stainless steel is made by Swedish company Sandvik and is an upgrade to their 13C26. In fact, Kershaw asked Sandvik to optimize 13C26 steel to make it more corrosion resistant, and 

the result is 14C28N. In the lab you can see that 14C28N has more nitrogen and less carbon, but the real secret is that the nitrogen improves corrosion resistance. Overall, a shockingly heavy 

grade of steel should make for a very sharp knife. Chances are you're getting a knife with the best steel for less than $30.