Knife Steels and Resources

When it comes to choosing the right knife steel, there’s no shortage of strong opinions. Each type of steel brings its own balance of hardness, toughness, corrosion resistance, and ease of sharpening. Some, like so-called “super steels,” offer incredible edge retention but can be a challenge to sharpen. Others are softer, making them easier to touch up but requiring more frequent maintenance.

As you explore the world of knife steels, you’ll start to develop preferences—whether it’s for high-performance alloys like S90V or more forgiving options like VG-10. Below are some of our favorite resources for learning more about different types of steel and their properties.

Knife Steel Comparison and Learning Tools

Interactive Knife Steel Composition Chart – ZKnives

This powerful tool lets you dive deep into steel chemistry. You can compare the percentage of individual elements—like carbon, chromium, or vanadium—across dozens of knife steels. It’s especially useful if you’re looking for steels with a particular performance trait. ZKnives also offers a mobile app for both Android and iOS users.

A.G. Russell Steel Guide

A.G. Russell’s guide offers a straightforward, easy-to-browse chart that organizes steels into stainless and non-stainless categories. It includes chemical compositions and short notes on performance, making it a great quick-reference tool for new and experienced knife users alike.

Blade HQ Knife Steel Guide

If you're curious about how specific steels stack up in terms of edge retention, toughness, corrosion resistance, and ease of sharpening, Blade HQ's guide provides visual charts and real-world context for many popular steels. It’s a helpful resource when choosing your next blade or evaluating the one you have.

Sharpening Knife Steels with Wicked Edge

No matter which steel you prefer—whether it’s tough as nails or easy to refine—you can always achieve a razor-sharp edge with a Wicked Edge precision sharpener. With guided angle control and an intuitive system for grit progression, Wicked Edge makes sharpening any steel a smooth and repeatable process.

Learn more about our Wicked Edge precision sharpeners here.

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