No matter how good the blade steel, there are always trade-offs. Corrosion-resistance vs. edge-retention. Edge-retention vs. sharpening ability.Take S30V Steel. It provides the very best in edge retention and tensile strength, but is more difficult to re-sharpen and needs proper care. 17-7PH Steel resists extreme corrosion like salt water, but can’t match the edge retention of harder steels.

S30V
This is the absolute best blade steel available and its made in America. S30V contains carbon as well as high amounts of chromium, molybdenum and vanadium. Double-tempered – it can be hardened to a Rockwell hardness of RC 59.5-61.

BG-42 Steel
An extremely high-performance, bearing grade, martensitic stainless steel with significantly more carbon and molybdenum plus vanadium for improved edge retention and strength – it can be hardened to Rockwell hardness of Rc 61-62.

ATS-34 Steel
A very high carbon, chromium martensitic stainless steel, with additional amounts of carbon and molybdenum that add significant edge-holding properties and corrosion resistance. This steel can be hardened to Rockwell hardness of Rc 60-61.

420HC Steel
This is Buck’s standard blade material because it combines the excellent wear resistance of high carbon alloys with the corrosion resistance of chromium stainless steels. Add our exclusive heat-treat process for superior corrosion resistance and you have excellent tensile strength, hardness and wear resistance. 420HC Steel is a High Carbon (HC) version of standard 420 martensitic stainless steels – they can be can be hardened to a Rockwell hardness of Rc 58.

17-7PH Steel
This steel is excellent for water sports applications. It has high saltwater corrosion resistance and better edge retention than austenitic stainless steel. 17-7PH is defined as a chromium-nickel-aluminum precipitation hardening stainless steel, a process that develops hardness at relatively low temperatures, allowing hardening with very little distortion. It can be hardened to a Rockwell hardness of Rc 54-56.