I've been looking for lots of info on this steel. Cold Steel uses it now in their knives replacing the AUS-8 steel. I was hoping somebody had a knife with this steel who could give me some real first hand knowledge not just numbers. Thanks!
I carry a french knife that has been made the same way for 400 years , the manufacturer is called Opinel,...they fold up and are carbon steel and for what I do are very period correct for anything from 1700's through 1800's...any way they are very good and come in like 5 different sizes.... check and see if they have a web site....
Before I answer I must let you know that I have been a knife collector for 17 years, and have a great assortment of specialty and antique folding knives. As for your question, I wouldn't worry too much about it. The first answerer is very knowledgeable in this category. But in the real world, the steel chemistry of folding knives will never be as important as that of fixed blades or kitchen knives. The fact that manufacturures go through great lengths to advertise their superior steel is just for sales and bragging rights. When it comes down to it, a pocketknife might be useful, but it is never the best tool for the job. It is a compomised design from the beginning. If you need to cut a steak, a steak knife will do. A box cutter works best on cardboard. A razor works best for shaving, wire cutters best for cutting wire, an axe for chopping wood...I could go on. A pocket knife is never going to perform better than the real thing ( although I do prefer the can openers on Swiss army knives than real can openers). As for self defense, minus the concealability factor, a folding knife sucks compared to a fixed blade. But if you were to pull one out during an extreme circumstance, I doubt anyone is going to be effected by the Rockwell hardness.
