see 420J. 420J is the lowest quality 420 steel, but is also the most rust resistant.
420HC (Steel) - is used extensively in Buck knives. It has decent performance for comparative cost and has a higher Carbon content than other 420 steels. Contains: 0.46% Carbon; 0.3% Vanadium; 13% Chromium; 0.4% Manganese; 0.4% Silicon.
425M (Steel) - a material similar to the 400 series that has .5% carbon and is used by Buck knives.
440 (Steel) - there are three different types of 440 steel, ranked A-C, C being the highest quality. The hardest part of telling them apart is that often steel makers mark 440 on the tang of the blade and not the letter grade. This is especially true when it is one of the lower grades. This has led certain knife manufacturers to rename 440C as other things in order to differentiate the quality of the product.
5160 (Steel) - plain carbon steel (1060) that has been mixed with a little bit of chromium. There is not enough chromium to make it a stainless steel, but the chromium has been added to strengthen the material. This type of steel is known for its outstanding toughness.
52100 (Steel) - high carbon tool steel. It typically has .98-1.10% carbon. This steel is harder than many others, and consequently it holds an edge well. This is one of the best steels to use if you are worried about it holding an edge. This material is used often for hunting knives.
8Cr13MoV (Steel) - a steel containing .80% carbon with a typical hardness of 58-59. It also contains 13.00% Chromium, which means it is a stainless steel, so it has good corrosion resistance.
8Cr14MoV (Steel) - very similar to AUS-8. It is manufactured in China and has about .75% carbon content.
9Cr13CoMoV (Steel) - 440 steel with extra cobalt mixed in to strengthen the blade. Has about .85% carbon.
A2 (Steel) - very tough tool steel. However, it has less wear resistance than other tool steels. This steel is often used for custom made combat knives because of its toughness. It has a carbon content range of 0.95-1.05%.
Abalone - a type of sea shell used to decorate knife scales, noted for its iridescent color.
ABS - a common thermoplastic used in sheaths for knives. It is a good material for use in sheaths because of its high impact strength.
Appleseed (Grind) - see Hamaguri grind.
Almite - this is a type of electrolytic coating put on aluminum. This process protects the material.
Aluminum (6061 T6) - 6061 T6 aluminum was developed as an aircraft grade version of aluminum. It is often used in knives as a handle material and works really well when anodized.
Anodizing - an electrolytic process which coats the metal. Usually this is done on knives with aluminum or titanium. The process protects the material.
ATS-34 (Steel) - very similar to 154 CM. It has 1.05% carbon. It is also one of those classified in the super category. There are lots of high-end custom knives that use this steel.
ATS-55 (Steel) - does not have the vanadium that is present in both ATS-34 and 154-CM. This means that it does hold an edge as well, and has also been reported to be less rust resistant than ATS-34. It has a carbon content of 1.00%.
AUS-6 (Steel) - has .65% carbon. This is a low quality steel, comparable to 420.
AUS-8 (Steel) - has .75% carbon. Cold Steel has made popular use of this steel. This is tough steel, and holds an edge well.
AUS-8A (Steel) - is a slight upgrade from typical AUS-8 steel. It is found in a number of Cold Steel knives. Contains: 0.7%-0.75% Carbon; 13%-14% Chromium; 0.5% Manganese; 0.1%-0.3% Molybdenum; 0.49% Nitrogen; 0.04% Phosphorus; 1% Silcon; 0.03% Sulfur.
AUS-10 (Steel) - has 1.1% carbon. This steel is comparable to 440C. It has more vanadium and less chromium than 440C so it is slightly tougher, but also a little less rust resistant.
Balisong (Butterfly) Knife - a type of knife with two handles that rotate around a blade pivot. This type of knife is often used in Filipino martial arts.
Belly (Blade) - the steeply curved portion of the blade.
Bolster - metal between the blade and handle, strengthens the knife at critical stress points.
Bowie (Blade) - 