There is a kind of purist attitude about knives that is argued by some, they don't need stainless steels as they can take care of their knives. But a real question is - if you don't need the corrosion resistance, then why use stainless :bdblue wrote:....you could just about equally argue that stainless steel is completely better than carbon steel.
-chromium above a small amount doesn't make a steel stronger or tougher or more wear resistant (it pretty much decreases all of it)
-they are more expensive, harder to grind and WAY more demanding to harden than carbon steels
There are ABS guys who used to (many still do) with a propane torch, kitchen oven, and can of food oil and a piece of scrap metal, make an extreme fine cutting instrument. It really isn't possible to at all easily forge or even harden stainless steel without a lot more knowledge, skill and equipment.