It should be obvious that a knife can only be as good as the steel that is used to make it. At M.G. Muhlhauser and Sohne, we only use top quality steels and make certain to heat treat them properly to ensure maximum performance. Correct heat treat is actually just as important if not more important than the actual steel used.

 

First, we are often asked, "What is the best knife steel?"

 

Our answer is always the same. We feel there is no "best" knife steel. Different steels have different properties and some are better suited to certain functions than others. So it really matters what the intended purpose of the knife will be. Also, different knife users may like the attributes of one knife steel over another. For instance, someone may hold the ability to easily sharpen the knife as a top priority, while others may put that behind toughness, or edge retention.

 

Now, knife makers and knife owners tend to be exceptionally opinionated when it comes to the steels they prefer. We would venture to say that we are no different! The steels we use are selected not only as a result of research and testing, but also through years of experience in building and using knives. It also comes from the requests we get from our customers regarding their favorite steels.

 

So, let's recap a few of the steels we use and give you some information (and opinions!) on them.

 

CPM 154

CPM 154, also known as CPM 154 CM, is a great performing stainless steel. We put it first on our list simply because we make more knifes with this steel than any other. A majority of the knives we make are used in hunting and outdoor use, so they not only have to look good, but must also be tough and hold an edge.

 

This steel has exceptional all-around characteristics. First, it is a stainless steel, which is preferred by many for outdoor use. Now, when you hear the term "stainless", that does not mean there is no way for the steel to stain. In fact, all steels do stain if put in the wrong environments for prolonged periods. So like anything, proper care is required. Stainless steel, however, is much more resistant to staining than their non-stainless counterparts. Some stainless steels more so than others.

 

Back to CPM 154CM attributes… CPM 154 is manufactured in the U.S.A. by Crucible Industries. It is nice to know that exceptional knife steels are manufactured in the U.S. . The title of the finest knife steels belonged to European and Japanese makers for decades, but the tides have changed with technology and the U.S. is now leading the way.

 

One of the interesting things is about CPM 154 is that it is a powdered steel. This gives it exceptionally uniform grain structure as it has a very fine microstructure. This microstructure and lack of large carbides, make the edge of the blade very tough.

 

It should be noted that 154 CM is not the same as CPM 154 CM. While the two have the same chemical composition, 154CM is not a powdered steel and is manufactured by a number of companies. CPM 154 is only made by Crucible and is a powdered steel.

 

We generally heat treat CPM 154 to a Rockwell Hardness of 59-61 (C scale). Usually we prefer to go on the higher end of this spectrum at 60-61 Rc.

In our opinion the three great attributes of CPM 154 are excellent toughness, excellent edge retention and the ease of sharpening. Most users who have never owned a top quality knife usually find that a knife made properly of CPM 154 has better edge retention than anything else they have ever owned. It is fairly easy to sharpen as well. To make sharpening any of our knives easier for our customers, we generally ask what their sharpening method is prior to us putting the edge on the blade. By doing so, we lessen the need for the customer to perform additional work just to keep the blade sharp.

Anyway, these attributes are likely why so many of our customers ask for CPM 154 steel, and why it is our most popular steel.

 

440C

440C is a stainless steel as well, and is just a hair less popular with our customers than CPM 154. 440C has been around a long time, and has proven itself over and over as an awesome "all-around" knife steel.

 

While many folks want the latest greatest steels, others like to stand with a proven performer. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that at all! 440C has truly earned the reputation as a winner.

 

M.G. Muhlhauser and Sohne only uses 440C steel manufactured in the U.S.A..

440C has very good characteristics. It is tough, and holds an edge well – just not quite as well as CPM 154. However, it is very stain resistant and is also very easy to sharpen.

 

We normally heat treat our 440C blades to a hardness of 57 to 58 Rc. As with all our stainless steels, we cryogenically treat our 440C knives with liquid nitrogen and then double temper them.

 

At the end of the day, it is really hard to go wrong with a knife properly made with 440C.

 

D-2 Tool Steel

D2 is a very good steel and is exceptionally tough. It is not considered a "stainless" steel as its chrome content is lower than stainless steels. However, some refer to it as a "semi-stainless" steel.

 

Because of these attributes, many knife makers will coat their D2 blades. We occasionally do this as well. However, the user must be prepared that the coatings will become scratched and marred over time.

D2 sports outstanding wear resistance and will hold an edge for quite some time. It is not quite as tough as some of the other carbon steels, however, it does have greater stain resistance.

 

With good care, a proper D2 knife will last you lifetime… and probably then someone elses.

 

Other Common Steels

Do we make knives with other steels, however, it is usually on a custom basis when requested by a customer. We have used steels such as 15N20, ATS 34, L6, 1084…etc. A common request is ATS-34 stainless steel. It is similar to 154CM, but made in Japan. While a good steel, it has lost fans to CPM 154.

 

Damascus Steels

M.G. Muhlhauser and Sohne offers knives made with Damascus steel. We use both stainless Damascus and carbon Damascus steels.

 

What is Damascus knife steel? Damascus steel is made up of layers of two or more different types of steel. Usually two or more steels with different finish shades are selected.

 

The layers are compressed together under high heat and pressure welding them together as one piece of steel. This pressure (usually generated by a large air hammer or a press) draws the steel out into a longer and thinner dimension. Once drawn out and flat, the layers are then cut and stacked back onto each other (or folded back onto each other as a baker might do). The process is repeated and repeated until the desired number of final layers is achieved. This can be anywhere from a few, to a few hundred, depending on the desired use and design.

 

By pressing and folding the steel in various ways, Damascus steel artists can create wonderful patterns in their steels. These patterns are what make Damascus steel knives so visually appealing.

 

Interestingly, the pattern of the steel itself is not readily visible while the knife steel is being ground into the shapes we want. Unless one looks very carefully, it has the same look as normal steel. So once we have the blade ground to our specifications, we then etch the Damascus steel in an acid solution that eats away at the different steel layers at different rates based on the various types of steel. Once etched the magnificent patterns appear.

 

We have made our own Damascus at times in the past, and sometimes in conjunction with other makers. However, we do not currently produce any in our smaller home shop.  We rely on true experts who make the finest quality Damascus steels to provide the steels we use on our custom Damascus blades. We use makers such as Devin Thomas and Chad Nichols to keep us supplied with the stock needed to create our artwork. Partnering with different quality makers allows us to offer a wider variety of options to our customers, and ensures the highest levels of quality. In fact, we generally stock thousands of dollars of Damascus steel- just so we have options.

 

There are many makers of carbon steel Damascus. This can be good knife steel, however, it is not stainless. Carbon steel Damascus is often less expensive than stainless Damascus, but the user must be committed to consistent and proper care of their knife. For that reason, we build more stainless Damascus steel knives than we do carbon Damascus. The biggest drawback is that there are only a few stainless Damascus manufacturers who have mastered making this steel. And we use the best of them.

 

There are certain drawbacks to Damascus knife steel. The foremost is price. While carbon Damascus may be less expensive, some of the more intricate top-quality stainless steel patterns simply cost a lot. We regularly pay hundreds of dollars for pieces of steel large enough to make only one knife. The type of clientele we have supports this, but it does certainly add significant dollars to the final price of the knife.

 

Some wonder if a Damascus blade is good steel. Our answer is that if it is from a reputable source and handled correctly throughout the process (ie, heat treat, etching …etc.), then absolutely "yes". Are these steels as uniform as their high tech single steel counterparts? No. Are there many owners who rely on their Damascus blades day in and day out with no problems whatsoever? You bet.

 

Just a quick note on our use of Damascus steel….It is fairly common practice among knife makers to utilize expensive Damascus steel for the blade portion of the knife, and then weld this steel to less expensive stock. The less expensive stock is then what is used behind the blade (ie. from the bolster back through the handle.). We are in no way judging those makers who do this practice. It is common and acceptable to many. However, we would like to be clear that when you purchase a Damascus steel knife from M.G. Muhlhauser & Sohne, you can be sure we always utilize a single piece of Damascus steel for the entire length of the knife so that the full tang is completely made up of the material used on the blade, without welds. It's just our way of doing things.

 

Some of our customers love the unique patterns of our Damascus steel knives. While many are drawn to the artful simplicity of our singular steels when combined with beautiful file work and unique handles. The choice is yours.