The 3 Best Knife Steels According To Science! || THE Knife Steel Nerd Guide To Knife Steels.
Learn everything about knife steel here: knifesteelnerds.com/
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We were recently up at Buck Knives and bummed into Larrin Thomas THE Knife Steel Nerd. Larrin is the inventor of Magnacut steel, has written text books just dedicated to the knife steel category, and has run the best website on the topic for years. Obviously I had to ask him what his favorite steels were and get to the root of the 'best' steels out there. You can't ask a guy so knowledgeable and passionate about his focus with out getting a great informative conversation!
0:01 Introducing Dr. Larrin Thomas and the three best knife steels!
1:25 The best High Toughness Knife Steels and Why They Matter
3:37 The Best Balanced Knife Steels and Their Best Uses
7:53 High Wear Resistance Knife Steels That Get The Job Done
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Thanks to bring him for this short masterclass. The moment he talked about geometry was a "FINALLY!" moment. Less material hype and more info about geometry applied to everyday life task, that's the only way to get what's truly worth
I agree fully. I’ve practiced this with my own knives. Sometimes changing the DPS will impact the performance/longevity considerably. I was glad to hear his comment on this also.👍
It's kind of vindicating to hear this when you're a guy who likes to do really acute regrinds on budget steels. Oh, I like my fancy steels too, but my wallet, not so much!
Larrin has been saying this for so long. There's a section about the "Importance of Edge Geometry" in his knife steel ratings that I'm sure most scrolled right past. People are gonna people.
No
Fun interview! It was great we had time to talk while visiting Buck.
Ok, you had me at better material and then closed the deal when explaining it and teased me by doing the video in front of a Buck sign, I go to see if I can order a Buck knife with your steel and nothing shows up? I have experienced a chipped / destroyed Buck knife blade exactly how you described. I was trying to cut through deer pelvic bone.
I came out of this really appreciating CPM-154 and 154CM
I'm embarrassed to say, but hopefully he's proud to hear, that I was under the assumption Dr. Thomas was a man in his 60s or 70s based on the 3rd party descriptions I've heard and read about his expertise, dedication to his craft and accomplishments. It's exciting to know he's a young man in the prime of his career and not some guy who finally completed Magnacut as the crowning achievement of his career.
He's a young super nerd - the Bill Gates of the knife industry
Imagine what he might create over the next decades
And from what I understand himself and BBB have helped on more heat treatments than 15v. Great time to be a steel junkie 😊
His father is Devin Thomas... One of the greatest if not THE greatest damascus makers of all time. A Pioneer.
@@Alphaknifesupply He sure is. A ocean of knowledge Dr.Larrin is.
My Dad was a carver/fisherman/tree man/ all around handy Guy. He walked me through the various edge geometries and uses for them as he trained me in the same fields of study... I have adopted his "Transitional edge" grind for most everything except my razor and my fillet knife. .It starts off Acute at the hilt, good for fine work, stripping wire, ect, and more obtuse as it heads to the point for good chopping and gouging without suffering much damage. I do touch it up nearly every day though. A few of my coworkers have been shocked at how well I can sharpen their knives.. I hook them up with a traditional working edge with a slight taper to the hilt. Not as acute aas my edc..They will say stuff like "I have had this knife for years and its never worked this well" or "I had no idea an edge could last so long.". Its true, geometry makes the knife usable.. I mean, When you can make a dollar store knife slice side walls out of car tires for two hours between stropping's, you know you are onto something. XD
Amazing information and I hope to never park anywhere near you when you are stropping/testing dollar store knives.
@@ShannonRamos LOL Recycle, repurpose and reuse man.. Why all the assumption? .. I use my EDC for cutting tires for Custom tree Swings. 8/ BTW, My EDC is a Custom Damascus RJ Martin with a fluted blade. I purchased it in 1999 for $180... The blade and frame was an experimental piece RJ made on the CNC machine and wrapped in Carbon fiber and Kydex. This design was then used for his Zing series #1739 by Kershaw in the late 2000's. Now those production pieces are $200 and up, if you can find one. In 2015 I sent it in to have the worn out blade replaced, He sent it back with a new blade and a new Zing.. and, per shipping requirement, an estimated value of $2500 was included. Personally, I think Life is too short to spend it with cheap steel in your pocket or on our hip. ; )
Doc Thomas is SUCH a huge asset to the knife community! Thanks for bringing him on. Such a lot of knowledge and wisdom packed onto such a short video.
Thank you Dr. Thomas for all your diligent work to bring this knowledge to all who are interested.
Oh man, anything doctor Thomas does is just pure gold. The man is a font of knowledge, and as a former scientist, I love that he'll get down and dirty with all the details of what's going on in steel. It's such an awesome material, and until recently I had no idea how much it can be played with.
“Font of knowledge”. Very promethean. 🤣 👏👏
Wouldn't it be "fount"?
@jaysgood10 @drakenkorin38 hahaha you two knock it off man! 😂
Video was clickbait tho, no top 3 steels. 😂
@@ZxAMobile wasn't it 14c27, magnacut and s110v, that's what I got out of the video.
Thanks for bringing Dr. Thomas into view. These are the kinds of guys who move the state of the art forward. Test, understand theory, re-test, do the homework, repeat.
Larrin Thomas is at another level .. he explains in an easy to understand manner for the regular user✅
Man I'd do anything to get to talk to this man and learn from him. His wealth of knowledge is so immense. Absolutely love this kind of technical videos. Well done!
If you'd do anything you could start by reading his book!
An Ares in Magnacut. Now that would be awesome.
Larrin! Stoked for this one. Y’all never miss
I love how honest he is. Never would have thought edge geometry matters more than the steel being used. Good stuff. Learn something new every day! 💚
I rarely encounter a KZhead video that is this enlightening. Thank you for making it, Zac and Larrin. It’s truly appreciated.
This man has turned me into a knife genius. I’m insufferable now.
Thank you Zac and Larrin! Great video. Dr. Thomas's influence on the knife world and steel science is profound. Awesome to witness scientific advancement in real time.
What a great interview. I can listen Dr. Larrin Thomas for hours and it's really fascinating what he knows.
Zac, since you're at Buck knives and they have some upcoming Magnacut knife projects, can we expect a future video on this?
I was having a hard time sharpening my d2 knife today, can't seem to get a good edge on it. Never even considered blade geometry! Today also happens to be my birthday, this video was the best present I could receive!
I sharpen and make knives professionally. I have honestly always felt the edge geometry was the most important, but I didn't have hard evidence to back up my thoughts. I am so happy i seen this! I must learn to trust my observations more. Thank you! I subscribed.
Do you have any guidelines for angles of sharpening?
I was a Slaughterman for over 30 years, where we liked knives in the 52-58 Rockwell, anything harder took too long to re-sharpen on the stone, as we had to sharpen in our smoko break, so time was important. You are right geometry is where it's at, with the knives we used anyway. When we did cattle, I would have one knife with a convex bevel for cutting the hocks off and cutting through the dirty hides, I also used it on sheep for everything, the other knife I used on cattle, had an extremely thin flat bevel for all the inside skinning, it was way sharper than the other one. For boning we always had a convex edge, on a boning knife, of course. I think I am stuck in my ways, as I think, if something isn't broke, don't fix it. People are always chasing the next best thing, and you will never satisfy their thirst. I can see why people like these modern steels, I think that's all I should say about that.
@@markcahoon2534Not just convex, but also blade thickness. Thin blades are where it’s at.
@@markcahoon2534 I found an old knife out in the high desert hills of Nevada years ago. It was rusty and the handles were rotted or chewed off. I cleaned up the rust and wrapped the tang with rawhide shoelace and some heat shrink and used it for a camping knife. When I entered the "computer age" I looked it up on google, and to my surprise it turns out it was made in England, probably between 1860 and 1890. I don't know what kind of steel it is, but I can sharpen it plenty sharp and it seems to hold an edge fairly well. Lately I'm researching options for re-handling it. There's a picture and a slideshow of it on my channel, if anyone can tell me more about it. It's marked "Marsh Bros. & Co. Celebrated Cutlery" and "American Hunting Knife".
I've gone to knife nerds when I have a specific question regarding a steel that I'm interested in for a knife purchase, it is very informative. Thank you, Dr. Thomas, for what you do.
DUDE! What a great compression of ridiculous amounts of knowledge! It's helped me immensely in just a few minutes. I have so many steels that I confuse myself, this put a very good perspective on questions I had no idea how to answer 😊
Thanks for featuring Dr. Thomas on this episode, Zac! I'm reminded that I should have taken a more materials science and metallurgy direction in my engineering education than I did (I went the thermodynamics/heat transfer/fluid mechanics route). When I was in school, for some reason I didn't make the connection between my interests in knives and choosing an academic and career path that complemented that interest.
Hello Zac. Thanks for this video. Many years ago, back in the late 1960's, I decided to make my own knife and went to a local Steel merchant. I told him what I was planning on making and he gave me a piece of steel that was the correct size for my intended knife; however, I was planning on making it on a workbench with just a hacksaw, files and grinding wheel, which is when I discovered that it was extremely difficult to file. As it was, I was able to cut it to size and shape easily enough, but after that, I just lost interest. Ironically, I still have that piece of steel, in it's unfinished state. Of most interest, is that after all this time, it only has the slightest amount of surface rust. Ten years later, whilst at an engineering training facility in the UK, one of the instructors was an ex- Royal Navy Artificer and he said the best steel for making a working knife - sheath knife - was steel from a lorry's rear suspension. i.e. Leaf Spring steel. Having managed to find a piece, I realised the effort and work which would be needed to turn it into a knife, would require the use of a Machine Shop, with all the relevant tooling, including a Mill. At that point, I realised that I was on a 'hiding-to-nothing'. There comes a time, when you just have to accept, that you've bitten off more than you can chew, so you just have to call it a day and quit. I'm now a Pensioner/Senior Citizen, so that's one project that's fallen by the wayside, never to be achieved... but, That's Life! Russ. Portsmouth, UK.
You are right , the Spanish bayonetts Toledo steel are leaf spring knife , buy yourself a old Spanish Toledo bayonet that is unsharpend and you use a sharp file and a weetstone and leather strop , you will get a razorsharp durable knife that lasts.
Zac thank you so much for your videos. Each one teaches and inspires me, making me more sure of my choice to enter the knife industry. I’ll definitely be reading that book!!!
I really enjoyed this one. I have read the first book multiple times and learn more every time I read it. I am an enthusiast sharpener that is addicted to the science of knives and always strive learn how a person uses the knife b4 sharpening it for them. I buy knives strictly to experience the difference in steels/geometry and locking mechanisms.
Amazing Zac! Thank you for getting this guy on to share his wealth of knowledge with us knife nerds! Great stuff!
I really like him bringing in an expert. I already gleaned a lot of metal knowledge I have on steels from personal research into the topic. Looking at knife tests online and just day to day experience with tools. This is very nice to hear some of the composition that makes the choice steels I use regularly with the knives I buy perform the way they do. I bought a Tops-Buck Csar-T because I saw how the BOS heat treat with 154 CM; cut open cans, stab it's way through a 2x4, survive spine thwacks, and stab into a steel drum and car hood with almost no damage. Yes, almost no damage to the knife tip and cutting edge. That's when I looked into heat treating. So far. 154CM and 154CPM are my favorite knife steels.
Great stuff! Loved hearing from someone who actually knows why a steel is better at its task, and how to make it better. Composition, heat treat, edge geometry all goes into it.
Fantastic! Larrin has been a leader in knife steels for a long time. His dad is a genius knifesmith, too!
Outstanding presentation. Zac you helped us all by opening our vision and understanding in this area. I joined the website and getting the book as well.
He helped me realize why and how I sharpen d2 vs s30v vs m4 and I love how he explains angle vs cut
Love this video. I could listen to Larrin for hours.
I watched this on a whim. Man what a great choice. I love this kid, so humble.
AMAZING!! Absolutely loved this video!! Thank you both
I've been collecting knives for over 40 years, only have 2 magnacut knives so far and love them. One is a very slicey full flat grind with a 17 degree edge and one is a tougher tanto style with a 20 degree edge. Both exceed expectations. After using them for 9 months or so my first question when looking at new knives is 'Does it come in magnacut?'. I've heard that a few companies haven't figured out their heat treatment yet, so watch and wait on those but the ones who've figured it out are making superior blades. Haven't had any issues with maintaining them, a KME sharpener with diamond plates makes short work of them. I put a nice edge on them when I got them and have only needed to strop them once so far after months of daily use. Don't have his book, but I've watched his vids and website for some time. Good info and insights for us amateurs.
I barely got into the video before hitting Amazon and ordering this book. I’ll have it Monday. I’m very excited to have the information condensed as described in the book’s details. Thanks!
Im such a steel nerd and love Larin's work.
You brought the Legendary metallurgist, Larrin Thomas, master of knife steel! This is the collab I didn't know I needed in my life.
Awesome video! Nice to hear it explained in such a simple to understand way. Thanks Zac!
Great guest! Really enjoyed it! Thank you, J
Thanks! This was very informative. Enjoying some of Dr. Larrin's magnacut in a new blade I just picked up.
I like d2 steel because it's tough but when its sharp it stays sharp.
I love it too.... currently, "out of fashion" but kinda funny to go watch videos from 10+ years ago where they are talking about it as a supersteel in same breath as s30v
I've tried several steels and have settled on D2. It's relatively cheap and easy to sharpen. It holds an edge well, too. Maybe corrosion resistance isn't as great as some of the higher end steels, but for a pocket knife, it works well. Things like 154cm or s30v, I found to be overrated. They're difficult to sharpen and don't really hold an edge that much longer in my experience.
D2 steel, is one of the least tough steels out there, only the rest you mention, are true.
@greekveteran2715 I think toughness is more related to hardness. The harder the steel, the more brittle it will be. The type of steel is related to how hard you can forge it and its corrosion resistance. It's a trade-off. There's no reason why you can't make d2 softer/tougher from what I know of the blade making process/heat treatment.
@@anonanonymous1988 That's only true, for each steel independently. You can't make a D2 tough,it also usually never is lower than 60hrc which is still on the brittle side of steels. Rocwell hardness, hasn't to do with toughness as much as the quality and the type of the Steel. (D2, compared to Vanadis 4 Extra, or even CPM 3V all heat treated equaly to 60 hrc), D2 will still be WAY less tough than any of the 2 and both will also hold their edge way longer.It's the edge geometry, the type of steel and lastly the hrc, tha tdetermine, the toughness and edge stability. Even the way the knife was sharpened, will determine higher edge stability and edge retention.The reason most people complain about knives that their edge chips or rolls, is not the knives fault, but the users. All new (factory made knives) should be sharpened at least 2 to 3 times, and properly reprofiled, to a slight convex edge bevel,to avoid any chips or rolls,which also doesn't improve the edge stability 3 times more, but also improves the same ammount on edge retention and cutting performance.(Just some extra tips)
Every time I get to hear Dr T, I learn a little more!
Geometry matters! Truth from knife knerds!
The man, the myth, the legend! Dr. Larrin Thomas himself! ❤
And just like that Larrin dumps on 98% of knife reviewers and knife makers marketing hype bs with facts. Absolutely savage and on the money. Larrin is a national treasure.
This guy is a gem, and Magnacut is a huge success. What I liked the most is the fact that Magnacut kind of came out of nowhere. It's not just a marketing product like a new Iphone... Great time to be alive!
It’s so great that he has a day job, so that he can be honest like this, even about his own product. “Edge geometry is more important that steel or heat treatment.“ mind blown.
Thanks for a great video Zac and Dr. Thomas. Like they say," You learn something new everyday."
incredibly efficient vid, tons of valuable info summarized and explained
This is the best video on knives that I have ever seen. Of course one has to become very skilled at sharpening. But learn it once and use for a lifetime. Thanks so much.
Thanks for this video. HUGELY informative!! Larrin, you're a knife God!
That video was absolutely awesome! So much information packed into such a short time! Plus, now I know to keep an eye on Buck for future Magnacut products. I cant wait. It was so good, I went back and watched it a 2nd time.
What an awesome interview, great information, specially for novices people like myself. Keep it going, we need more of these informative knowledge, particularly from people with credentials in metallurgy
Excellent video from a genuine expert. thx
One of the Greatest single pieces of advice that one of my Mentors gave me when I was in my teens that become one of my "Immutable Life Laws" was.... ALWAYS under promise & over deliver!! Superb Vid Gents👊 Continued Success🍻 RP
I remember when the meat packing company that I work for changed from steel knifes to stainless steel knives. Everyone had a lot of problems getting a stainless steel knife sharp, and the company line was once they were sharp. They’ll stay sharp longer. I always preferred the steel knife, faster to get sharp and easier to put a bevel on with the sharpening wheel. When you’re working eight hours with a knife, you want to be able to have it sharp, and the ability to get it sharp quick again.
this is great one, again. killing it guys.
Thanks for sharing such good knowledge this video will benefit many people
Love your videos, Zac, and loved your videos on Knife HQ. I learned so much from you when I was just starting to get into knives. My first real knife was a Buck 110 that I got in the mid seventies. Keep making the great videos!!
Thanks for the engineering based truth about metals, edge geometry, tooling/manufacturing, and categories of steel being what makes blade characteristics.
This gave me tips and tricks to look out for when I'm starting to shop for real serious knives that I plan to keep for a while, thank you.
The legend himself!
I recently ordered a Protech Malibu in Magnacut. Can't wait for it to arrive.
This video reminds me of an old friend who passed 10 or so years ago. He would drag me along to a knife show every year in STL. He would spend hours looking at different supplies and talking to different vendors about steel and knives. I didn’t have a clue what he was talking about but would do just about anything to talk knives and steel with him today. He was a very good folding knife maker! I do get a chance to talk with his nephew who was a fixed blade knife maker. Unfortunately he stopped making knives after. his uncle passed.
Thanks for this great informative Video. A true masterclasses.
Thanks for the info. Great guest and topic
As usual completely absorbing and thoroughly interesting Zac your stuff is the best I sent the Bowie video to a friend who is not a knife guy but is a history guy and he loved it so much he shared it with a friend who is starting to make his own knives See what you started lol
Outstanding understanding of knife use/steels/sharpening.
A+ content sir. Love this!
Fascinating! Simply fascinating. Thanks!
Probably one of the best knife blade videos I've seen.
I feel like recommending your own product is 100% acceptable when you disclose that it’s your product, which he does. 👍
Many thanks for this video. We are fortunate to have a chance to receive the insights that only a true expert can offer. Much has been made clear.
This was an amazing interview and gave us some useful information. Thanks and God bless.
Good information for sure. It's true what he says about the geometry. I was doing 15* while sharpening and the edges wouldn't last too long so now I do 15* to start and finish the edge with 20* and man do the edges stay sharper longer.
Great video! Wow. I liked the steel breakdown by category. The edge geometry comment was something I had not heard put that way before.
As a degreed metallurgist, Larrin Thomas absolutely knows what he’s talking about, has done the study, has done the work characterizing knife steels, knows how to get performance out of them and explains it all in simple terms. His book will become the bible for knife makers and manufacturers. It is jam packed with knowledge. Magnacut is a superior knife steel. It is balanced to provide good edge retention, wear resistance,and corrosion resistance. Once you try it, it will be difficult to turn back to other steels. The addition of extremely hard niobium carbides makes it somewhat difficult to sharpen, but investment in a good set of diamond hones in a variety of grits overcomes much of the problem. You will need to sharpen far less frequently and for knives, a quick tuneup on a steel will restore the edge to factory sharpness.
It's nice to see the Knife Steel Nerd on here. I've been following him for several years now.
Fantastic information!!
My favorite combination is the Scandandavian Grind and the carbon steel in the morakniv. Cut through tons of grapevines like butter and even a plastic barrel, it was hot to the touch! Why isnt this combination more common? For me the grind is also dead simple to sharpen, just put it flat against the sharpening stone. Thanks for the interview, it was so interesting to learn about the best blade steels out there!
This was so good!
Awesome talk. I’m going to get his book.
Zac keeps bringing the goods. Thanks
Definitely love my large Sebenza 31 in magnacut. I carry it every day
I was taught to try to create an "appleseed" edge geometry on my blades, of all sizes, to achieve a sharp, strong edge that resists chipping, rolling, and wear when cutting organic materials.
Dr Thomas’ website is my go to for making knives when I’ve got questions
His book on the history of steel is great too. Get both!
Great interview & very informative video.
Love it... keep up learning about the secret sauce of making knives....great tip about geometry of blades....
Enjoyed it brother-man. Stay well.
Two of my favorite personalities in the 'knife world'.
Eye opener there man. Thanks
Wow, what a great interview!
What a stud. Love that guy.
....so glad I stumbled across this vid , spent an hour last night reading stuff on his site
Edge geometry does make a huge difference. I would rate what you are doing with it as being equally important. I work mostly with wood shop tool steel, but do like a good sharp kitchen knife.
Really cool and informative!
Thank you! I enjoyed this interview. Just purchased Dr. Thomas's books on "Knife Engineering" and "The Story of Knife Steel." Appreciate you guys!