What each steel is good at — knife and axe grades alike — so you can choose the right one for the job.
A modern Swedish stainless steel, used in The Vigil. Holds a sharp edge well, resists rust, and is easy to touch back up at home — a great all-round everyday steel.
55–62 HRC StainlessA traditional carbon steel that hardens cleanly and evenly. Forgiving to sharpen and maintain, a favourite for hand-forged blades.
58–61 HRC CarbonA premium carbon steel prized for an exceptionally fine, clean edge and real toughness. Needs a little rust care, but rewards it with outstanding cutting performance.
60–65 HRC CarbonTakes an extremely sharp edge and is simple to re-sharpen in the field. Needs oiling to prevent rust.
57–60 HRC CarbonTough spring steel with excellent edge retention and shock resistance for batoning. Needs a light oiling to stay rust-free.
58–60 HRC CarbonAn Austrian steel that balances hardness and toughness well. Easy to touch up in the field, a favourite for bushcraft blades.
58–63 HRC CarbonSwedish nickel carbon steel, very tough and flexible. Takes a fine edge, sharpens easily and needs a light coat of oil against rust.
58–61 HRC CarbonA tougher, softer steel used specifically for axe heads rather than knife blades — built to absorb repeated impact without chipping or cracking.
53–56 HRC Axe steel