How To Choose The Best Knife Steel?

there are six key properties for the best knife steel

Hardness is the ability to resist deforming when subject to stress and applied forces.   Hardness in knife steel’s is often referred to as strength and is generally measured using the Rockwell C scale (HRC).

Toughness is the ability to resist damage like cracks or chips when being used in heavy duty applications.  This also defines the steel’s ability to flex without breaking.   Note that the stronger or harder the steel the less tough it will likely be.  Note the measurement of toughness is less standardized as hardness.

Wear resistance is the steel’s ability to withstand damage from both abrasive and adhesive wear.  Abrasive wear comes from softer surfaces coming in contact with rougher ones.  Adhesive wear occurs when debris is dislodged from one surface and attaches to the other.  Wear resistance generally correlates with the steel’s hardness but is also heavily influenced by the specific chemistry of the steel.  In steels of equal hardness, the steel with larger carbides (think hard, wear resistant particles) will typically resist wear better.

Corrosion resistance is the ability to resist corrosion such as rust caused by external elements like humidity, moisture and salt.  Note that a high resistance to corrosion does involve a sacrifice in the overall edge performance.

Edge Retention represents how long the blade will retain its sharpness when subject to periods of use.  It’s all the rage these days but unfortunately the measurement of edge retention lacks any defined set of standards so much of the data is subjective.  To me, edge retention is a combination of wear resistance and an edge that resists deformation.

what is the folding pocket knives blade shape for drop point

folding pocket knives are convenient and useful. Many can be opened and closed with one hand. there are many type of blade shape
Drop-Point PtM _+N:  
This blade has a gentle, sloping convex curve to the point versus the concave curve of the clip blade. Being thicker, this blade point is stronger for heavier tasks. It stands up to abuse well, but isn’t as effective for easy penetration. %7[1]d,7  

Serrated vs. Non-serrated Blades

Serrated 
Serrations create a semi-saw on the sharp side of the blade. Ideal for a more aggressive cutting action like cutting wet line, cable or cord. Very popular depending on the use of the knife. The serrations also retain their ability to cut longer than a standard edge.

Non-serrated 
The number one choice for a clean, precision cut. These blades also have a greater initial sharpness.

Partially serrated 
A partially serrated blade offers both aggressive cutting action and precision. 

Gutting/Skinning Hook
For great performance when field dressing game, a gut or skinning hook is an ideal tool. We’ve paid careful attention to the angles on the sharpened edge, shape and size of the entry opening and location of the hook on the blade, making a Buck gut hook the best. 

from pknife.com