Heat Treatment Specifications
Austenitizing
Temperature1052°C(1926°F)
Soak Time10 minutes
Tempering
Temperature204°C(399°F)
Time120 minutes
Cycles2x
Quench Medium
oil
Target Hardness
57 - 59 HRC
Performance Characteristics
Toughness6.5/10
Edge Retention3.5/10
Corrosion Resistance7/10
Ease of Sharpening8/10
Overall Score25/40
Interesting Facts
- 1Developed by Aichi Steel Corporation, Japan
- 2Cold Steel popularized AUS-8 in 2000s with Recon 1 and Voyager series
- 3Japanese factory Kinryu made Cold Steel AUS-8 knives until 2017 factory closure
- 4AUS-8/AUS-10/AUS-6 are a family with increasing carbon content
- 5Cold Steel later transitioned to higher-end CTS-XHP and S35VN
Famous Uses
Cold Steel Recon 1/Voyager (original)
Many tactical knives
Best For
Kitchen knives
General-purpose blades
Mid-range cutlery
Similar Steels
Not Recommended For
- Maximum wear resistance (dulls quickly)
- Premium segment (budget steel)
- Demanding tasks (too soft)
Expert Tips
- 1Vanadium refines grain, improving toughness
- 2Accessible sharpening makes maintenance straightforward