Carboned steel is my favorite material to work with. As someone has mentioned, it will tarnish and rust a bit if not taken care of properly. But it will get super sharp and it will be easy to sharpen. But nothing is set in stone and there are exceptions.

There were a lot of knifes out there mentioned that I agree with are good. I bought a Rapid River Knife works for my friend and it is working out very well for him. I believe their knives are treated to 59-61 RC. They also have a lifetime sharpening service which is nice. Hesends it back after every season and they get it in new condition.

I mentioned exceptions and hereis one. My favorite whitetail knife is a PUMA folding 2 3/4" SS clip point blade. Idon't know why, but it is a razor and is easily sharpened. I don't have all the specs on it, but I believe it was heat treated exceptionally well. Germany is well known for their knife making abilities. But, I think you have to be careful on the PUMA that you buy. I recently saw them in a catalog and they seemed extremely cheap. I'd be a little suspect on that. It's funny, I lost that knife for two years. I knew about where I lost it, but it covered about 40 acres. I took a metal detector out this spring and found it buried in a tractor rut. Needle in a haystack, but I found it.

Someone mentioned a cheap knife made in china or japan. I also have a knife like that. I actually got it free from the NRA, it was substituted for aBuck Knife (imagine that). But this knife is sharp, and I mean sharp. I used it last year on afew deer and it was amazing. I'llhave to identify it if you are interested. I did find it one time and I believe it is worth like $20.

Some day, I'm gonna get a decent flint knapped knife. I have seen them sharp enough to cut leather.