5 Best Knife Making Steels for Beginners (Updated for 2023)

When it comes to knife-making, beginners often make the mistake of choosing overly complex steels that require a much higher skill level than they possess.

In order to hone their skills without becoming too overwhelmed, it is important for new knife makers to choose steel types that are simple yet reliable.

In this article, I will go over 5 of the best knife-making steels for beginners: 1080/1084, 1095, 1075, W2, and 15N20. These are the perfect steel types for anyone just starting with knife-making and bladesmithing.

5 Best Knife Making Steel for Beginners

The following steels can help you learn and practice specific knife-making skills:

  1. 1080/1084 Best for Hardening and Tempering
  2. 1095 Best for Sharpening
  3. 1075 Best for Shaping Blades
  4. W2 Best for Grinding and Finishing Knives
  5. 15N20 Best for Creating Damascus Patterns

Below is an in-depth look at the benefits of each steel and what to expect to learn from each one.

1. 1080/1084- Best for Hardening and Tempering

1080/1084 are high-carbon steels that contain .75%-.88% carbon. They are the best choice for beginners as they are relatively soft and easy to work with. Making them perfect for practicing various hardening and tempering techniques.

1080/1084 also has superior heat retention and uniform distribution when heated in a forge. Allowing beginner knife makers to achieve consistent results without having to worry too much about heat management.

They are also reasonably inexpensive and can be heat-treated to a hardness of around 58-60 HRC.

2. 1095- Best for Sharpening

1095 steel is considered one of the most popular choices for knife makers that are looking to learn and practice sharpening techniques. The steel contains .90%-1.03% carbon and can be sharpened to a razor-sharp edge with relative ease.

The steel also has excellent wear and abrasion resistance, which makes it perfect for learning how to properly care for a knife’s edge. 1095 can be hardened to between 56-60 HRC and is fairly inexpensive compared to other steels.

3. 1075- Best For Shaping Blades

Shaping a knife is an essential skill, and 1075 is a great steel to use to learn this skill. 1075 sheets are pretty cheap you should consider buying it in bulk if you can.

You’ll end up tossing a lot of the “practice” blades when starting out. You can also use 1075 to practice several other knife-making techniques. So, you’ll end up going through a lot of it!

1075 is a great steel for beginners because it has a low carbon content (0.70-0.80%). It is one of the easiest to shape with even the most basic of tools.

It won’t hold an edge as well as other steels. However, it provides a good balance between learning how to shape different blade profiles and working with different style tangs.

4. W2- Best For Grinding and Finishing Knives

W2 is the best steel for beginners that are looking to learn and practice grinding and finishing techniques. It can be hardened up to 65HRC and is very forgiving when it comes to grinding mistakes.

This steel is perfect for practicing bevels, cutting angles, and using different grinding tools while also learning how to properly apply a finish.

W2 is relatively inexpensive and widely available, making it an ideal choice for beginner knife makers.

5. 15N20- Best For Creating Damascus Patterns

Creating Damascus patterns with steel can be a very rewarding and challenging skill to learn. Not only does it require a lot of practice and patience, but also great attention to detail.

15N20 is an excellent steel for beginner Damascus makers because it has a mild carbon content (0.80-1.00%) and can be easily forged and worked with basic tools. It also holds heat well, which helps create more intricate patterns with ease.

Overall, 15N20 is great for knife makers that are just getting into Damascus work and want to learn the basics before trying more complicated patterns.

What Beginner Knife Makers Should Look for in a Steel

After deciding on the type of steel you’ll be using to practice and hone your knife-making skills, you’ll also want to consider the following factors:

  • Hardness
  • Heat-Treatment
  • Durability
  • Edge Retention
  • Corrosion Resistance
  • Cost

Hardness:

As a beginner, you want to start with a steel that is relatively soft and easy to work with. This will ensure that you are able to practice more techniques without having to worry about getting frustrated and starting all over after each mistake.

Heat-Treatment:

Certain steels will require different heat-treatment techniques and tools. So as a beginner, you probably won’t have many of the tools or a big enough forge to heat-treat more complex steels. Start with steels that you can easily heat-treat with any basic forge and the tools you already have.

Durability:

When starting out, you won’t have the skills to make the most durable blades, but practice is what will help you get better and eventually start making more durable knives.

That being said, try to look for steels that have good wear and abrasion resistance as these will help you learn more about blade care and maintenance.

Edge Retention:

Although edge retention isn’t something to worry about when just starting out, it is still something to consider.

Look for steels that can be sharpened easily and hold an edge relatively well to make it easier to fix any indentations or damage that may occur.

Corrosion Resistance:

When learning and practicing the basics of knife-making, you should expect to have a lot of steel lying around not being used.

So, it’s critical to look for steels that have good corrosion resistance. This will ensure your scraps and practice blades stay in better condition for longer.

Cost:

Finally, when looking for steel to practice with, you’ll want to make sure the cost doesn’t break the bank.

There are plenty of affordable options out there that are still good enough to help you learn and hone your skills. Plus, the cheaper steels usually don’t require as complex a heat-treatment process which is great for beginners.

Overall, when looking for the right steel for a beginner knife maker it’s important to consider hardness, heat-treatment, durability, edge retention, corrosion resistance, and cost.

These factors will ensure that you have the best steel for practice and learning. With the right steel in hand, you’ll be able to make knives with precision and confidence.

Final Thoughts

In conclusion, each steel discussed above offers beginner knife makers something different to practice and perfect.

Whether it’s hardening and tempering, sharpening, shaping blades, grinding and finishing, or creating Damascus patterns, each one can help a beginner improve their skills and create better knives.

With that said, I strongly suggest to any knife maker who is just starting out to experiment with these various steels and see which ones suit your needs best.

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