Who here likes AUS-8?

[MANIXWORLD]

I would say for an average every day, no holds barred user blade,alot of AUS-8 bladesteels get two thumbs up in my book. just thinking on my Boker Subcom and Spydie Dragonfly,they are excellent little knives for the price and sharpens up easy and keeps an adequate edge. corrosion resistancy is real good,so maintenance is minimal.any other AUS-8 fans outthere?

[WhiteWillie]

I have a few Cold Steel knives in AUS-8. They take an excellent edge but don't seem to hold it very long.

[MANIXWORLD]

I have a few Cold Steel knives in AUS-8. They take an excellent edge but don't seem to hold it very long.

Well,maybe not Coldsteel AUS-8:-)

[spydutch]

I must say I was rather impressed with the edge holding of my Delica 1/SE in AUS8:cool:

My Black Trance/CE holds up pretty good as well;)

So I guess AUS8 isn't too bad after all:)

[JD Spydo]

That's really coincidental that you would start this thread because at this time I have also started a thread on many of Spyderco's older blade steels.

I have had my share of Spyderco blades made with AUS-8. I currently have one Spyder that I use frequently made with AUS-8 and it is one of the very rare fully serrated Catcherman models. As good as that blade is I can't for the life of me understand why the SE CAtcherman never caught on. I would love to have an extra one to go with it.

For SE blades I don't see anything wrong with the steel. But I will say that the PE blades I've had made with AUS-8 weren't the best PE blades I ever had>> but they weren't all that bad either. Now the AUS-10 blade steel I found to be a really nice performing blade steel.

About all I can say is that it was a good one in it's hay-day but it's been replaced by some very good steels and I can't say that I miss it much at all.

There is one positive comment I can make about it>> if you are collecting old Spyders I would try to get my hands on as many AUS-8 NIB Spyders that I can get my hands on because they are quickly becoming extinct.

On a 1 thru 10 scale I would rate AUS-8 at about 6.2 compared to some of the newer super steels we have now.

[MANIXWORLD]

That's really coincidental that you would start this thread because at this time I have also started a thread on many of Spyderco's older blade steels.

I have had my share of Spyderco blades made with AUS-8. I currently have one Spyder that I use frequently made with AUS-8 and it is one of the very rare fully serrated Catcherman models. As good as that blade is I can't for the life of me understand why the SE CAtcherman never caught on. I would love to have an extra one to go with it.

For SE blades I don't see anything wrong with the steel. But I will say that the PE blades I've had made with AUS-8 weren't the best PE blades I ever had>> but they weren't all that bad either. Now the AUS-10 blade steel I found to be a really nice performing blade steel.

About all I can say is that it was a good one in it's hay-day but it's been replaced by some very good steels and I can't say that I miss it much at all.

There is one positive comment I can make about it>> if you are collecting old Spyders I would try to get my hands on as many AUS-8 NIB Spyders that I can get my hands on because they are quickly becoming extinct.

On a 1 thru 10 scale I would rate AUS-8 at about 6.2 compared to some of the newer super steels we have now.

Ofcourse taking AUS-8 bladesteel in general,not just Spydies.there are ofcourse different heattreatment methods,which could differentiate edgeholding of the same bladesteel between different companies. thing is,there are so many well designed and constructed knives in AUS-8,that its hard to ignore..

[JD Spydo]

Ofcourse taking AUS-8 bladesteel in general,not just Spydies.there are ofcourse different heattreatment methods,which could differentiate edgeholding of the same bladesteel between different companies. thing is,there are so many well designed and constructed knives in AUS-8,that its hard to ignore..

Manixworld I won't argue that point for one second. But I've always considered Spyderco's heat treatments to be among the best out there. The Cold STeel blades with AUS-8 that the one brother mentioned truly do have a lot to be desired. Cold Steel's Carbon V I always liked and I still have a few of those around but their 440 & AUS-8 I thought were not very good quality compared to many other AUS-8 blades on the market.

I have no doubt that you could have a custom knifemaker take and cryo-quench and do all kinds of heat treating tricks and make it a better steel. But my response to that is is this>>> If you're going to go through all that trouble why not just do it with one of the top notch CPM steels or ZDP-189 or VG-10 or one of the Timken steels or any of the newer/better steels that have passed it's performance long ago.

My point being that we are already in a new era with really super performing steels so why go backward? Unless there is a new type of process that could make it better than what it already is. I'll take a CPM steel or ZDP-189 any day of the week. I even consider CPM's older 440V head & Shoulders above AUS-8.

But hey if you like it and it does what you need it to then more power to you ;)

[MCM]

Agree, I do not miss AUS-8 too much at all........

But would still buy ATS34, S30v, 154cm, BG42 in a heart beat.
As long as it has a good heat treat. :D

[JD Spydo]

Agree, I do not miss AUS-8 too much at all........

But would still buy ATS34, S30v, 154cm, BG42 in a heart beat.
As long as it has a good heat treat. :D

Hey MCM, Manixworld and the rest of you guys go over to the thread I started yesterday on the General Discussion part of the Forum. The thread is entitled "Older Spyderco Blade Steels That Deserve Respect".

There is some information on a couple of those steels you've mentioned if you all are interested.

All of the AUS steels were good in their day. and like I said the AUS-10 I still regard as being pretty decent for folders. Of all of the blade steels out of that era I would have to say that ATS-34 & 440V are 2 that I still highly respect.

I'm not at all trying to hi-jack your thread there Manixworld :) Just thought you all might be interested in the other discussion at the same time.

I would be interested to know what all brands of production knives and Custom knives you own with AUS-8 :)

[MountainManJim]

Funny I should read this thread today ... I just finished sharpening an AUS-8 knife (Kershaw 2415). I like AUS-8. It sharpens fast and to a very sharp edge. I sharpen AUS-8 at a 20/30 angle which help make them the sharpest knives in my stable. I sharpen the VG-10, S30V and harder at 30/40 angles which doesn't seem to be as sharp as an edge as the 20/30 angle edge, but I am worried about carbide breakout, yaddy yada, blah, blah, blah ...

I have compared AUS-8 against S30V. I was whittling with both. The S30V stayed at a reasonable level of sharpness longer, but the AUS-8 seemed to have a higher initial sharpness.

Hence, I like AUS-8 for pocket razors ;)

Jim

[MANIXWORLD]

Hey MCM, Manixworld and the rest of you guys go over to the thread I started yesterday on the General Discussion part of the Forum. The thread is entitled "Older Spyderco Blade Steels That Deserve Respect".

There is some information on a couple of those steels you've mentioned if you all are interested.

All of the AUS steels were good in their day. and like I said the AUS-10 I still regard as being pretty decent for folders. Of all of the blade steels out of that era I would have to say that ATS-34 & 440V are 2 that I still highly respect.

I'm not at all trying to hi-jack your thread there Manixworld :) Just thought you all might be interested in the other discussion at the same time.

I would be interested to know what all brands of production knives and Custom knives you own with AUS-8 :)

Boker Subcom's in AUS-8 and they are superb lil knives..

[Woz]

I like AUS-8. It provides great sharpness, good edge retention and is easy to sharpen. I own some AUS8 knives (SOG, Blade Tech) and can not complain about the steel.

Ok, there are better steels, I prefer S30V or VG10 (but have to say that some companies heat treat VG10 a little better than Spyderco - room for improvement), but AUS 8 is a good blade steel for cheaper, but good, knives.

[fret]

My old Delica has AUS-8A blade steel. I like it. I use it everyday for something. I don't have to resharpen it much at all. I can shave the hair off my arm with it.

[clovisc]

i totally dig the aus-8 on my bokers. on spydies, it has also been pretty good... although i'd rather have a spydie with "byrdsteel."

ATS-34, ATS-55... also underrated steels. although if i had the option of VG-10 at the same price, i'd probably opt for that... :D

[David Lowry]

It depends who does it.

I have had AUS-8 Spydies and had no problem with them. I still have an AUS-8 Dragonfly and it rocks. Holds and edge a while and sharpens up nicely.

Personally the AUS-8 in some of the Bokers I've had has sucked. It didn't hold an edge that well. It has to be in the heat treat I think.

Same with CRKT. Their AUS-8 sucks.

In "Cheap" knives I think Sandvik is the way to go.

[araneae]

I have many AUS-8 Spydies including a handful of D'flies, some old D1s, a Walker and some I'm forgetting. Edge holding is decent. They are perfectly serviceable and I carry them regularly, but VG-10/s30v has spoiled me. ;)

[Shagnasty]

Heres a couple pics of one (little over 6" OAL) that I finished before x-mas. Maple burl with hidden pins, red liners, 7-8 oz dyed hand stitched sheath. Steel is AUS8 -Larry