Created with Sketch. Created with Sketch.
Toggle menu
888-225-9775
Free Ground Shipping on Orders over $99
  • 0
  • Coming Soon
  • Knife Styles
  • New Arrivals
  • Knives
  • Gear
  • Kitchen Cutlery
  • Tools
  • Sale
  • View More
  • Shop by Brand
  • Case
  • Spyderco Knives
  • CIVIVI Knives
  • Kershaw Knives
  • Cold Steel
  • ESEE Knives
  • We Knife Co.
  • Boker
  • TOPS
  • CRKT
  • View all Brands
  • Coming Soon
  • Knife Styles
  • New Arrivals
  • Knives
  • Gear
  • Kitchen Cutlery
  • Tools
  • Accessories
  • Sale

    • Shop by Brand

  • Case
  • Spyderco Knives
  • CIVIVI Knives
  • Kershaw Knives
  • Cold Steel
  • ESEE Knives
  • We Knife Co.
  • Boker
  • TOPS
  • CRKT
  • View all Brands

    • 1095 Carbon Steel

     

    1095 Steel Knives: The High-Carbon Standard for Survival, Field, and Hard-Use Fixed Blades

    1095 is a plain high-carbon steel with a simple composition — roughly 0.95% carbon and 0.4% manganese — that has been used in working knives for over a century. What it lacks in corrosion resistance it makes up for in toughness, ease of sharpening, and the ability to hold a truly sharp working edge under hard field use. When ESEE and Ka-Bar spec their flagship fixed blades in 1095, it is not a cost decision — it is a performance choice for knives that need to survive abuse without snapping or chipping.

    At Knifeworks, you are buying from an authorized dealer: every 1095 knife on this page ships with full manufacturer warranty coverage — ESEE's unconditional lifetime warranty (no questions asked, no registration required, covers breakage, loss, and damage), Ka-Bar's lifetime warranty against manufacturing defects, and Buck's Forever Warranty covering repair or replacement for the life of the knife. No gray-market sourcing, no voided warranties.

    1095 sharpens faster than any stainless steel at the same edge angle, responds well to a leather strop for field touch-ups, and can be brought back from a seriously dull edge with a simple diamond card in minutes. The tradeoff is maintenance: 1095 will develop a patina and will rust if left wet. A quick wipe and occasional light oil keeps it clean.

    Why ESEE and Ka-Bar choose 1095 over stainless steelSurvival and military knife designers prioritize toughness and field repairability above all else. 1095 at 55–58 HRC absorbs lateral shock without snapping — a property stainless PM steels cannot match at the same hardness. It also sharpens on any abrasive including field stones, ceramic mugs, and even concrete edges in a pinch. For a knife that may need to pry, baton, dig, or be resharpened in the field without proper tools, 1095 is the deliberate choice.

    Call 888-225-9775 — our team can help you choose the right 1095 knife for your use.

    Steel type
    High Carbon
    Carbon content
    ~0.95%
    Typical hardness
    55–58 HRC
    Toughness
    High
    Corrosion resist.
    Low
    Sharpenability
    Very easy
    Compare Selected
    Is 1095 a good steel for outdoor and survival knives?

    Yes — 1095 is one of the best choices for outdoor fixed blades. Its toughness holds up to hard use like batoning, prying, and camp tasks that would chip a harder stainless steel. It sharpens quickly on almost any stone, including field-expedient options like a flat rock. And it takes a very fine edge. The tradeoff is that it requires basic maintenance — keeping it dry and oiled — but for anyone who takes care of their gear, 1095 is a rewarding steel that outperforms in real-world use.

    Does 1095 rust easily?

    1095 contains no chromium, so it will rust if neglected — particularly in humid conditions or if left wet. In testing by metallurgist Dr. Larrin Thomas, a 1095 blade showed significant edge degradation from lemon juice exposure where a stainless steel did not. That said, most production knives in 1095 ship with a protective finish (powder coat, Cerakote, or similar) that substantially slows oxidation. With basic care — wiping the blade dry and applying a light oil coat after use — 1095 is very manageable. Many users also appreciate the natural patina that develops with use, which adds a layer of passive corrosion resistance.

    How does 1095 compare to stainless steel?

    1095 is tougher and easier to sharpen than most stainless steels, but has significantly lower corrosion resistance. Stainless options like CPM-S35VN or AUS-8 will hold up better in wet or humid environments without maintenance. 1095 is the better choice when toughness is the priority — hard-use fixed blades, survival knives, bush tools — and the user is committed to basic care. Stainless is the better choice for everyday carry folders, kitchen use, or situations where maintenance isn't practical.

    Why do ESEE and Ka-Bar use 1095?

    Both ESEE and Ka-Bar have built their reputations on hard-use field knives where toughness is non-negotiable. ESEE specifically chose 1095 because it can withstand the kind of lateral stress and impact that would chip a harder or more brittle steel. ESEE heat treats their 1095 to 55–57 HRC — on the softer end for the steel — to maximize toughness. Ka-Bar uses 1095 Cro-Van, a modified version with small additions of chromium and vanadium that slightly improve corrosion resistance and wear resistance while maintaining the core toughness profile.

    What is 1095 Cro-Van steel?

    1095 Cro-Van is Ka-Bar's designation for a modified 1095 with small additions of chromium (~0.4%) and vanadium (~0.1%). The chromium addition provides a marginal improvement in corrosion resistance — not stainless, but slightly better than plain 1095 — and the vanadium refines the grain structure for improved toughness. It remains fundamentally a high-carbon steel with the same maintenance requirements as standard 1095.

    1095 high-carbon steel vs. comparable blade steels

    SteelToughnessEdge retentionCorrosion resistanceSharpenability
    1095 ★HighModerateLowVery easy
    1075 / 1084Very highModerateLowVery easy
    5160Very highModerateLowEasy
    D2ModerateHighLow–avgDifficult
    AUS-8ModerateModerateGoodEasy
    CPM-S35VNMod–HighHighAbove avgModerate
    Authorized dealer
    Every ESEE and Ka-Bar knife ships with full manufacturer warranty
    Same-day shipping
    Ships from Columbia, Louisiana — 888-225-9775
    ESEE unconditional warranty
    ESEE replaces any 1095 blade, no questions asked, for any reason
    Call us before you buy
    888-225-9775 — we carry these knives in the field